The NHL Draft and free agency have yet to come, but the Ducks already have their preseason prepped and ready to go.
Anaheim will play seven preseason games, with three of those coming at home. Two of their preseason games will be played at neutral sites (Ontario, Calif. and Bakersfield) while the remaining two will be played on the road in San Jose and Los Angeles.
This is the first time that an NHL matchup will be played in Bakersfield since 2015, when the Kings played the Arizona Coyotes. The Ducks’ preseason game in Ontario last season against the Los Angeles Kings marked the fourth edition of the “Empire Classic”.
After playing the Utah Hockey Club during the preseason of their inaugural season, Anaheim will face them once again, but this time while known officially as the Utah Mammoth.
The Ducks’ preseason schedule looks like this (all times in PST:
Sunday, Sept. 21 @ Los Angeles - Toyota Center (Ontario, Calif.) @ 3 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 22 vs. Utah - Honda Center @ 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 24 vs. Los Angeles - Honda Center @ 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 27 @ Los Angeles - Dignity Health Arena (Bakersfield, Calif.) @ 3 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 29 vs. San Jose - Honda Center @ 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 1 @ San Jose - SAP Center @ 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 4 @ Los Angeles - Crypto.com Arena (Staples Center) @ 1 p.m.
Tickets for the Ducks’ three preseason home games are included in season ticket holders’ (Orange Alliance) memberships.
Featured image caption: Apr 13, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Colorado Avalanche and Anaheim Ducks players skate across the Ducks logo at center ice in the second period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand went on his social media on Thursday night and decided to troll some teams for letting specific players go that ended up winning the Stanley Cup with the Panthers.
Marchand posted a photo of Sam Bennett and tagged the Calgary Flames saying "thanks for the MVP @CalgaryFlames."
Kulikov played one season for the Wild before he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations. He was eventually dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins before he ended up in Florida.
But Marchand didn't seem to care. He tagged the Minnesota Wild instead.
With the season being officially over, the NHL franchises’ attention turns to the draft, free agency, and roster composition. The Dallas Stars announced yesterday that they had signed pending UFA Matt Duchene to a four-year contract with an AAV of $4.5 million.
Reigning GM of the year Jim Nill is wasting no time since he also traded Mason Marchment to the Seattle Kraken for a third-round pick at the 2026 draft and a fourth-round pick at the 2025 draft, clearing some cap space in the process. Even with that deal, however, the Stars only have $4,955,084 million in projected cap space and have yet to sign Jamie Benn, the longest-tenured captain in team history.
It could be a struggle for the Stars to fit everyone under the cap, as they’ve only 16 players on their active roster for the upcoming season. Benn, Evgeny Dadonov, Mikael Granlund, Colin Blackwell, Brendan Smith, and Cody Ceci are all UFAs, and, more interestingly for the Montreal Canadiens, Mavrik Bourque is an RFA.
A Plessisville, Quebec native, Bourque was drafted 30th overall at the 2020 draft and is a 23-year-old right-shot center. The 5-foot-11 and 181-pound forward has been trending up since his draft year. He played two full seasons with the Texas Stars in the AHL, scoring 47 points in 70 games in his initial season and then increasing to 77 points in 71 games the following year.
He spent the last season with the Stars in Dallas in a limited role on a deep team. He averaged just 12:41 of ice time skating in the bottom-six. Dobber’s prospect report described him as quick and slippery, and he’s indeed shown to be that so far, but his small frame could be prohibitive for the Canadiens.
The talent is there, and he’s the kind of player who could benefit significantly from working with Martin St-Louis, and he’s the right age to fit with the Canadiens’ window of opportunity. It’s no secret that the Canadiens need to do something about their depth down the middle, with Kirby Dach having failed to pan out as a second-line center so far and Alex Newhook being perhaps best suited to a winger role.
Photo credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
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The Jonathan Toews sweepstakes are over, as it has been confirmed that the three-time Stanley Cup champion will be joining the Winnipeg Jets for this upcoming season. First reports came from TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, who added that Toews will be joining his hometown team on a one-year contract.
The 37-year-old won’t register as a Jets player until July 1 when free agency officially opens, but the agreement is there, and the stage for an NHL comeback is set.
In a statement, Toews said, "I’m grateful to be making my return to the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets. It’s very special to come home and play in front of my family and friends in Manitoba. The Jets have been on the rise over the last few seasons and I’m eager to join the group and help however I can."
Toews' contract with the Jets will have an average annual value of $2 million with $5 million in performance bonuses. Certainly a decrease from his previous eight-year deal with Chicago, which paid him $10.5-million per season, but it makes sense given his age and time away from the league.
Next year will mark three seasons that Toews has been away from the game. He announced that he would be stepping away from the Chicago Blackhawks after his contract expired at the end of the 2022-23 campaign. He played 53 games, scoring 15 goals and 16 assists for 31 points in that season.
He was forced to step away after suffering from long COVID and chronic immune response syndrome. However, he spent his time off searching for recovery strategies in India and other countries around the world.
Now, with the certainty that he is coming back to the NHL, he’ll be looking to add what is already an incredible career.
Toews has accomplished several feats and milestones in his 15-year career. He’s won three Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks and even took home the Conn Smythe Trophy in their 2010 Cup win.
In addition to all the team success he’s had as the captain of Chicago, he has some individual hardware, too. Toews was awarded the Selke Trophy for his defensive efforts during the 2012-13 campaign and was also presented with the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award in 2014-15.
Toews could have a chance to be a part of the team to break Canada’s 32-year Stanley Cup drought. The Jets have proven to be a top team in the league this past season, and winning the Cup with Winnipeg may end up at the top of Toews’ list of achievements.
Not long ago, Jonathan Toews made it clear that he intended to return to the National Hockey League in 2025-26. Toews last played with the Chicago Blackhawks in the final game of the 2022-23 season. Since then, he's been recovering and preparing his body for a potential return to action.
Before anybody knew he was going to take some time away, the Chicago Blackhawks had already declared that they would not bring Toews back. Everybody, including Toews, seemed to be at peace with that decision.
Once he became serious about signing, plenty of good teams started to line up. However, one team was deemed to be the favorite for a variety of reasons. That team is the Winnipeg Jets.
Of course, Winnipeg is one of the best teams in the NHL. They fell out during the second round to an excellent Dallas Stars team, but that doesn't take away from the President's Trophy-winning season that they had.
Signing with an elite team that needed center help up and down the lineup made the most sense for Toews. He would be able to play on any of the lines outside of the first, which is manned by Mark Scheifele.
The Jets are also the hometown NHL team for Toews. He is from St. Vital, so going back to Manitoba always made sense for him.
On Friday, that dream of playing in the NHL at home became a reality for Toews. He signed a one-year deal with the Jets, but the contract can't be registered until July 1st. The team already made it official on social media.
Getting over the hump in the playoffs has been an issue for the Jets in the past, including this year. A guy like Toews, who has had many deep runs in the postseason, will be a great help.
In addition to winning the Stanley Cup three times, Toews also has two Olympic Gold Medals and one World Cup of Hockey championship. The man has done a lot of winning. Character and leadership have been a big part of his game. Winnipeg could use some more of that after taking a nice step in 2024-25.
On a personal note, this is a win for Toews. He will finally return after being gone for so long. It is also great for the Jets, who need a proven winner with an elite mentality in the locker room.
Per a report from Pierre LeBrun, Jonathan Toews and the Winnipeg Jets are in agreement on a contract that cannot be signed until July. 1 when the free agency window opens.
Toews will be joining the second NHL team of his career after spending the first 15 years of his career with the Chicago Blackhawks. The 37-year-old scored 372 goals and 883 points in 1067 games during his Blackhawks tenure, taking home three Stanley Cups, a Selke Trophy, a Conn Smythe Trophy and the Mark Messier Leadership Award.
Throughout his illustrious hockey career, Toews has proven that no matter the stage, his teams find a way to win. The Winnipeg native is a member of the Triple Gold Club, having won gold at the World Juniors, World Championship, and the Olympics.
At this point in his career, the Jets will likely use Toews in a shutdown role. Trusting him to drive a line offensively might be too tall an ask, but asking him to provide leadership, win faceoffs, and be potent defensively is exactly what he is capable of doing.
At the moment, no details about numbers have been shared, but LeBrun confirmed that the length of the contract will be one year.
"The three-time Stanley Cup champion is expected to ink a short-term contract, likely one-year, that may be painted with various goal-oriented bonuses, such as games played and points totals," said David Pagnotta in a report he shared earlier about Toews' situation.
Throughout the process, the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche and the Tampa Bay Lightning were pushing hard to sign Toews, but several reports indicated that his hometown team were always the favourite. In the end, the future Hall of Famer will receive the opportunity to play where he grew up.
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In a stunning twist to the NHL offseason, multiple reports confirm that Jonathan Toews is expected to sign with the Winnipeg Jets, signaling a long-anticipated return to the game and to his hometown.
The 36-year-old Toews, who hasn't played since the 2022–23 season due to health-related issues, has reportedly been training and feels ready to make a comeback. Now, the former Chicago Blackhawks captain and three-time Stanley Cup champion is on the verge of joining a Jets team looking to stay in the Western Conference playoff mix.
Toews was quoted as saying "I’m grateful to be making my return to the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets. It’s very special to come home and play in front of my family and friends in Manitoba. The Jets have been on the rise over the last few seasons and I’m eager to join the group and help however I can.”
Toews, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, played his entire 15-year NHL career with the Blackhawks, notching 883 points (372 goals, 511 assists) in 1,067 games, and earning a Conn Smythe Trophy in 2010. His leadership and two-way play were hallmarks of Chicago’s dynasty years, and his presence in Winnipeg could provide a significant locker room and on-ice boost.
While the contract details have yet to be made public, the expected deal is believed to be short-term and incentive-heavy, allowing Toews to ease back into the NHL pace while giving Winnipeg additional veteran depth at center.
Jets' Odds Could Shift with Toews' Return
Sportsbooks have begun to take notice. The Jets, previously listed around +3500 to win the Stanley Cup on most major platforms, could see their odds shorten slightly if Toews officially signs and is cleared to play. While his exact on-ice role remains to be seen, his playoff experience and championship pedigree add intangible value, particularly in a Western Conference wide open behind favorites like Edmonton and Dallas.
For futures bettors, this move may represent a low-risk, high-upside play. If Toews stays healthy and contributes on special teams or in key faceoff situations, Winnipeg's depth could give them a serious edge come spring.
Keep an eye on updated odds as the signing becomes official—sharper markets may react early.
Czech
defenseman Michal Kempný, 34, has signed a
one-year contract with Brynäs IF, the
Gävle-based SHL club announced on Friday.
“It’s
an honor to be part of such a fantastic organization with a proud
tradition and passionate fanbase,” said
Kempný. “I
look forward to meeting everyone in the organization and becoming
part of the Brynäs family. I can’t wait to get started.”
“Michal
is a player who has won at several different levels in his career,”
said Brynäs
sports director Johan Alcén. “He
has incredible experience and is a guy who is driven by competition
and wants to win. We’ve received many
great references for Michal and it feels
really good and exciting
that Michal will
play for us.”
Originally
from Hodonín in southeastern Czechia, Kempný
played junior hockey just across the border in Skalica, Slovakia and
then played in the Czech Extraliga for Kometa Brno and Slavia
Prague and for one season in the KHL for Avangard Omsk.
Never
drafted by an NHL team, Kempný signed as a free agent with the
Chicago Blackhawks in 2016
at age 26. From 2016 to 2022, he played 247 NHL regular-season games
for the Hawks and Washington
Capitals, recording 63 points and 146 penalty minutes. He also
recorded six points in 30 playoff games and was a member of
Washington’s 2018 Stanley Cup championship team.
Kempný
signed as a free agent with the Seattle Kraken in 2022 but was
assigned to the AHL and, after two games, his contract was terminated
by mutual agreement. He then signed with Sparta Prague on Oct. 25,
2022, where he spent the following three seasons.
Internationally,
Kempný has represented Czechia at five
IIHF World Championships, winning a gold
medal on home ice in 2024, and at
the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
Kempný
joins a Brynäs team that is coming off a season in which it
shattered all expectations. Just after being
promoted from the HockeyAllsvenskan, Brynäs finished first
overall in the regular season and made it to the SHL finals, where it
lost to Lulea in six games.
(Header/feature image courtesy of Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)
Philadelphia Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet has officially completed his coaching staff, adding two respected names to help guide Philadelphia into its next chapter.
On Friday, the Flyers announced the hiring of Todd Reirden as assistant coach and Dylan Crawford as assistant/video coach, joining Jaroslav Svejkovsky and Jay Varady to form Tocchet’s trusted team.
OFFICIAL: We have hired Todd Reirden as assistant coach and Dylan Crawford as assistant coach, video. https://t.co/AnpHz7ySa8
“I’m happy to have rounded out my coaching staff by bringing Todd and Dylan on board,” Tocchet said in a statement. “Todd’s extensive experience across all levels of coaching, as well as his success throughout his career, will play a pivotal role in all facets of our game. Dylan adds another level to our video team in an area that is rapidly expanding and becoming more critical in the outcome of games and the way teams prepare.”
There’s plenty of reason for Tocchet’s enthusiasm. Reirden, 53, brings 14 years of NHL coaching experience and a proven track record in sharpening defensive groups and special teams. Most recently, he served as associate and assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2020 to 2024, overseeing the Penguins’ defense corps and power play. Before that, Reirden spent six seasons with the Washington Capitals—including a Stanley Cup championship in 2018.
Reirden’s addition could be a crucial piece for the Flyers, whose defense has seen growing pains amid roster transitions and prospect integrations. His experience in managing elite defensemen and steadying back ends will be vital as Philadelphia continues to mold its young talent into NHL regulars.
Crawford, meanwhile, represents the new wave of NHL coaching—where video and analytics play an ever-larger role in game preparation. The 35-year-old spent the last three seasons working alongside Tocchet in Vancouver, where his attention to detail and modern approach to video analysis earned high praise. With seven years of experience in video coaching, Crawford will help ensure the Flyers are prepared for every angle and nuance of the fast-changing NHL game.
Together, Reirden and Crawford give Tocchet a staff with a balance of experience, innovation, and familiarity. As the Flyers aim to turn promise into progress, this staff will be tasked with building a structure that maximizes the potential of an evolving roster.
Watching the Stanley Cup Final come to an end earlier this week, I couldn’t help but wonder how the Edmonton Oilers could have the best player in the world and not give him decent goaltending to work with. Throughout the playoffs, Stuart Skinner had a 7-7 record, a 2.99 goals-against average, and a .889 save percentage while backup Calvin Pickard was 7-1, with a 2.85 GAA and a .886 SV. Those are not Cup-winning numbers.
Former Montreal Canadiens player turned ESPN analyst P.K. Subban was quite vocal about how nonsensical that is:
“There’s some donkeys [coaches, presidents, and GMs] in control of the money”
While it’s easy to judge the Edmonton management, it’s not the first time a team has failed to strike the right balance. The same happened before our very eyes with the Canadiens. After drafting Carey Price at the 2005 draft, the Habs had arguably the best goaltender in the business, and they proceeded to focus on giving him a good blueline rather than surrounding him with scoring power.
To an extent, Price’s situation was even worse than McDavid’s. The Anahim Lake, BC native only made it to the Cup final once, while the 28-year-old Oilers captain has already won two Cup Finals under his belt. Let’s not get back into the “yes, but what if Chris Kreider never happened?” debate; what happened happened, and Price only came so close to Lord Stanley’s mug once.
It can take time to assemble the right roster, one that has all the ingredients of a championship-winning team. For years, Florida Panthers' Sergei Bobrovsky was considered an overpaid goaltender with his $10 million cap hit. Now, with two Stanley Cup rings and three consecutive Cup Finals appearances, nobody’s calling him overpaid. Over those last three playoffs, he had .915, .906, and .914 SV alongside 2.78, 2.32, and 2.20 GAAs. If you go back to before Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk joined Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad in Florida, his stats were nowhere near as good.
It takes time to build the perfect roster, and putting all your eggs in one basket is just not going to work. It didn’t work for Price, it didn’t work for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Big Four, and it won’t work for McDavid either.
It’s no wonder the Oilers’ captain is in no rush to sign a contract extension, even though he’ll be entering the last year of his deal next season. Unless the Oilers do some serious retooling, I wouldn’t be surprised to see McDavid take his incredible skills elsewhere, and it won’t be because he wasn’t patient enough. He has been in Edmonton for 10 years already.
I’m aware that Edmonton’s big guns didn’t produce much in the Final either, but perhaps, if they had a goaltender who could make the first save on the first shot, the confidence level would have gone up and things would have been different…but we’ll never know.
One thing’s for sure: GMs all around the league are taking notes on what to do and what not to do. In Montreal, Kent Hughes has locked up his top line and a defenseman. If everything goes according to plan, he should lock up his number one goaltender in the coming years, but Jacob Fowler will have to be as advertised for that to happen. Careful planning is not necessarily enough; you also need a bit of luck. There’s a reason why the Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win in professional sports.
Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
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With GM Don Waddell less than two weeks away from free agency, the NHL's hot stove is starting to heat up, and Columbus seems to be in the mix. At least that's what the rumors say.
On Thursday, TheFourthPeriod.com reported that the Columbus Blue Jackets were one of a few teams who have contacted Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams about German forward J.J. Peterka. Peterka is a pending RFA.
"The Vancouver Canucks are believed to have interest in both players, while the likes of the New York Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning are among the other teams reportedly eyeing Peterka," the Fourth Period reports.
It's also been reported that Peterka is unhappy in Buffalo and wants a change of scenery.
The site also reports that the Sabres aren't interested in picks or futures, but rather players who can step in help the Sabres to the postseason for the first time since 2011.
Peterka is going into his fourth pro season, and has been pretty good so far. Last season, he played in 77 games, had 27 goals and totaled a career high 68 points. He also had 18 power play points and three GWG. For his young career, he has 67 goals, and 150 points in 238 games.
So what would Buffalo want for Peterka?
The Jackets have picks 14 and 20 in the upcoming draft, but knowing the Sabres want players instead of picks, that probably won't work. You have to think that a deal to get Peterka to Columbus would start with Cole Sillinger.
Sillinger is going into fifth year already, which seems crazy to me. The young Columbus-born center has played in 286 NHL games, scored 43 goals, and has totaled 107 points.
Surely it would take more than Sillinger to land Peterka, so what else would they require? Remember who else is in Buffalo - Jarmo Kekäläinen. Kekäläinen rarely misses on trades, and he knows who the Jackets have from top to bottom.
Might Jordan Harris or Luca Del Bel Belluz get added to the deal to get it done?
One things for sure, Don Waddell is not going to sit by and watch all the available players around the league get traded without him doing his due dilligence.
Expect more rumors and speculation during the NHL's silly season.
Let us know what you think below.
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After re-signing Matthew Duchene to a four-year deal worth $4.5 million annually, the Dallas Stars only have a projected $4.955 million in available cap space. They have five unrestricted free agents – Jamie Benn, Mikael Granlund, Evgenii Dadonov, Brendan Smith, and Cody Ceci – and two restricted free agents – Bourque and Nils Lundqvist.
Assuming one of the depth forwards signs for the league minimum of $775,000, Benn returns on a modest $3 million deal, and Granlund re-signs at $5 million annually, the Stars would be $3.82 million over the cap before signing Bourque.
They won’t be able to sign them all, and Bourque could be the odd-man out given their needs.
Bourque, drafted 30th overall in 2020, recorded 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) in 73 games this past season, his rookie campaign. He played 12:41 minutes per game, primarily on the club’s third line.
In 2023-24, his final season in the AHL, he recorded 77 points in 71 games (26 goals, 51 assists).
To determine the value of an offer sheet, you divide the salary by either five years or the term of the contract, using whichever is lower.
Here’s a story going more in-depth on the process:
Assuming the Islanders do not risk a future first-round pick in an offer sheet, the only relevant compensation levels in the 2025 offseason are:
Below $1,544,424 AAV (no draft pick compensation)
$1,544,425 – $2,340,037 (2026 third-round pick)
$2,340,038 – $4,680,076 (2026 second-round pick)
As a reminder, a team must forfeit its own draft picks in an offer sheet.
Of course, the Islanders sent their 2026 second-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks on June 29, 2023, alongside Josh Bailey.
However, similar to how the Blues reacquired their own 2025 second by sending a 2026 second and a 2025 third to the Penguins in exchange for their original 2025 second and a 2026 fifth, the Islanders could offer Chicago the 42nd pick in 2025 along with a future late-round pick to get their 2026 second rounder back.
The Bourque Comparison
A Bourque offer sheet would be similar to what Philip Broberg signed with the St. Louis Blues in 2024, which was a two-year deal at the then-maximum AAV within the second-round pick compensation tier – $4,580,917.
For Bourque, this would be a contract worth $4,680,076 annually for any term of five years or less.
The Broberg-Holloway-Bourque Parallel
While offer sheets are rare, the parallels between Dylan Holloway, who was also signed to an offer sheet in 2024 by the Blues, Broberg, and Bourque are uncanny.
Broberg and Holloway were on the powerhouse Edmonton Oilers, stuck behind deep rosters that limited their upside.
They then joined a Blues lineup that offered significantly higher ice time than Edmonton’s while paying them double or triple what they were previously getting offered.
For Bourque, it could be the same story with the Islanders, as New York just traded away center Brock Nelson, and may also move center Jean-Gabriel Pageau. They could use an NHL-ready, young forward.
Potential Fit With the Islanders
While Bourque developed as a center, he would likely start his time with the Islanders on the wing, a position he saw time at with the Stars in 2024–25.
The Islanders lack right-wing talent, especially if Mathew Barzal returns to center, so putting a right-handed Bourque on the second-line wing would make sense.
His back-to-back 20+ goal AHL seasons show he knows how to find the back of the net, but he is better known as a crafty playmaker with speed and aggression, something that would fit well alongside Barzal.
With general manager Mathieu Darche wanting to bring speed and energy to the Islanders' lineup, putting together a second line of Anthony Duclair, Barzal, and Bourque would do just that at an affordable cost while getting younger.
In the long run, Bourque could move back to center or stay on the wing, as the Islanders lack right-wing depth both in the NHL and the prospect pool.
The Granlund Dilemma
While it might seem easy to let Granlund walk, that decision is not so simple.
He posted 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) in 31 regular-season games and added 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 18 playoff games for Dallas in 2024–25.
From the time he was acquired on Feb. 1 through the end of the regular season, Granlund ranked in the top six among Stars skaters in goals, primary assists, and total points. In the playoffs, he ranked in the top three in goals and in the top four in points.
Granlund also has strong personal ties to the team, as he is Finnish and close with fellow countrymen Mikko Rantanen, Miro Heiskanen, Roope Hintz, and Esa Lindell.
While keeping him may put the team in a bind, the Stars are in win-now mode, and letting him leave, especially if he’s willing to sign below market value, is hard to imagine.
Could Dallas Create Cap Space?
Now, let’s say Dallas somehow fully offloads both Matt Dumba and Ilya Lyubushkin’s contracts that combine for $7 million against the cap and replace them with league-minimum salaries; they would have just $1.63 million to sign Bourque, still under a 20-player roster.
From there, the only possible salaries the Stars could shed to fit Bourque at $4.68 million would be Wyatt Johnston’s recently signed $8.4 million AAV deal, or Jason Robertson’s $7.75 million AAV, assuming nobody with full trade protection waives.
Robertson’s name has flown around in trade rumors, so it is possible he is moved, but even then, Dallas would be unlikely to find a way to fit Bourque at $4.68 million without sacrificing other areas of the lineup.
While the Stars could move mountains and oceans to ensure they don’t lose Bourque to an offer sheet, it is hard to imagine they prioritize a 23-year-old with 74 career NHL games over another defenseman or two – the team’s biggest weakness.
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With Bo Horvat, Mathew Barzal, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, the incoming Calum Ritchie, Casey Cizikas, and Kyle MacLean, the New York Islanders are deep down the middle of the ice.
And that center ice depth is becoming more valuable by the day.
On Thursday, the Dallas Stars announced that they had signed center Matthew Duchene to a four-year deal worth $4.5 million annually. Then, while partying with the Stanley Cup, Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett said he wasn't leaving.
Those are two big names that come off the free agent board, and they aren't the first two to do so.
Former Islanders center Brock Nelson signed a three-year extension in Colorado, as he won't hit the open market. Ryan Donato signed a four-year extension with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Center Yanni Gourde, who went back to Tampa at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, signed a six-year extension.
That leaves John Tavares, Mikael Granlund, Claude Giroux, Robbi Fabbri, Brandon Tanev, and Radek Faksa as the top centermen that could be available.
With Mitch Marner leaving the Maple Leafs, it wouldn't be a shock to see him back. It's clear the Stars are trying to shed cap space so that they can retain Granlund. It sounds like Giroux will get something done in Ottawa.
So, for teams looking to improve down the middle this summer, the options are limited.
While Barzal and Horvat won't be on the move, Pageau has generated interest leading up to the 2025 NHL Draft. He has one year left on his deal at $5 million annually with a 16-team no-trade clause.
Cizikas has two years left on his deal at $2.5 million with no trade clauses. MacLean has one year left at $775,000.
Darche's phone will likely be ringing quite a bit with the center market drying up.
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To this point, the Philadelphia Flyers have shown an odd hesitancy to make any bold moves for NHL roster players during their rebuild. Could it be as simple as holding out for Connor McDavid in 2026?
McDavid, 28, has one year remaining on the eight-year, $100 million ($12.5 million AAV) contract he signed with the Edmonton Oilers on July 5, 2017, which means the five-time Art Ross Trophy winner can hit unrestricted free agency in 2026 if he chooses.
On the other hand, McDavid can extend with the Oilers, losers of two consecutive Stanley Cup Finals at the hands of Sergei Bobrovsky and the Florida Panthers, as early as July 1.
In Thursday's end-of-season press conference, McDavid was non-committal on his future in Edmonton, opting for a generic, middle-of-the-road answer rather than something more optimistic or certain.
“This core has been together for a long time and we’ve been building to this moment," McDavid said. "With that being said, ultimately, I still need to do what’s best for me and my family. But of course there’s unfinished business here.”
Winning appears to be the biggest priority for the NHL's best player, and McDavid won't be giving himself the best chance of doing that by thundering onward with an Oilers team filled out with scraps year after year.
"If I feel that there's a good window to win here over and over again, then signing is no problem," added McDavid.
And "if" is doing a lot of work in that sentence, given how the last two years have played out.
By the time 2026 rolls around, and depending on which players the Flyers decide to keep and trade, Philadelphia could have nearly $50 million in cap space to make a pitch to McDavid and, potentially, other NHL stars to join Matvei Michkov and Co.
"If I feel that there's a good window to win here over and over again, then signing is no problem."
Connor McDavid on his future with the Oilers as he approaches the final year of his contract. pic.twitter.com/00QHhWmQbe
Additionally, the contract of Ryan Ellis could always be placed on long-term injured reserve to create an extra $6.25 million in a pinch during the season.
The current CBA permits a player to earn a maximum of 20% of the salary cap, so if the NHL salary cap is $104 million for 2026-27, McDavid could sign a deal worth $20.8 million annually. That's no problem for the Flyers, who will still have Michkov, Jett Luchanko, and whoever the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft is on rookie contracts at that point.
Goaltending, like in Edmonton, would pose a major problem, but it's ultimately up to the Flyers to use draft picks and other assets to solve it.
Realistically, the Flyers could boast a center depth of McDavid, Sean Couturier, James Hagens, and Luchanko just two years from now.
A lot would have to go right for that to happen, to be clear, but the possibility is there.
Furthering the appeal of the Flyers is the presence of wingers such as McDavid's Canada teammate, Travis Konecny, Tyson Foerster, Michkov, Owen Tippett, and even Bobby Brink.
That's much more appealing than Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, and a bunch of dart throws.
Defense is less certain on the Flyers' end, but they could still be better than what the Oilers have with a few breaks. The book is not closed on Jamie Drysdale, and who knows what happens with Cam York?
A trade for Alex Romanov would give the Flyers some serious depth on the left side, and management are believers in prospects like Helge Grans, Oliver Bonk, and Spencer Gill.
Inexperienced, yes, but they may have more to offer at the NHL level at this point than the likes of John Klingberg, Brett Kulak, Troy Stecher, and even Darnell Nurse.
Evan Bouchard sways the conversation slightly, but for all his offensive exploits, he's average at best defensively and is set to command a massive new contract.
The Panthers have proven that NHL teams don't necessarily need one alpha above the rest to win so long as the group is the right mix of good players.
Even with an all-out pitch to McDavid, the Flyers are still perfectly capable of finding this harmony.
But the big question remains: can the Flyers strike the big trade? And is their big swing ultimately going to be McDavid? Never say never in this league.
Ducks’ Dostal Talks 2024-25 SeasonGoaltender Lukáš Dostál had quite the season. He set new career-highs in wins, games played and wins. He also had the Ducks’ only shutout for the second consecutive season.
