The St. Louis Blues announced on Friday night that they have signed Oskar Sundqvist to a one-year, two-way contract. The contract will pay $850,000 NHL and $300,000 AHL.
The 32-year-old was an unrestricted free agent who played in 52 games for the Blues last season and had 17 points (five goals, 12 assists).
Sundqvist has spent two separate stints with the Blues, appearing in 432 games with 141 points (52 goals, 89 assists) and 180 penalty minutes.
Sundqvist also played in 25 Stanley Cup playoff games with the Blues in 2019, helping the Blues win their first Cup.
He's made St. Louis his home and was not inclined once again to leave, but now will have to fight for his spot to make the NHL roster for the 2026-27 season.
Overall, the Boden, Sweden, native has played in 545 NHL regular-season games, including stints with the Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, Pittsburgh Penguins and Blues, posting 181 points (67 goals, 114 assists).
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Former Vancouver Canucks defenceman Aaron Rome is taking on a new but familiar role as an assistant coach with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL.
Rome, who played in the NHL for eight seasons and three as a Canuck, spent last season as the head coach of the Wheat Kings’ U-17 AAA team. Previously, he has also taken on a role with the Wheat Kings as a skills coach (2017–18 to 2018–19), while also serving as an assistant coach in 2016–17. In his first season as an assistant coach for Brandon, the Wheat Kings put together a record of 31–31–7–3, putting them at fourth in the WHL’s East Division.
As a player, Rome spent a total of five full seasons playing in the WHL. He began his WHL career with the Saskatoon Blades (1998–99 to 2000–01), before moving on to the Kootenay Ice (now Wenatchee Wild) for two seasons. He spent nearly three seasons with the Swift Current Broncos following that, before heading to the Moose Jaw Warriors for the back-half of his final WHL season in 2003–04.
After NHL stints with the Anaheim Ducks and Columbus Blue Jackets, Rome headed to Vancouver for three seasons. This, of course, included the Canucks’ 2011 Stanley Cup run, during which Rome was suspended for four games of the Stanley Cup Final after a hit on Boston Bruins forward Nathan Horton.
As it stands, the Wheat Kings’ roster is currently set to include Ducks prospect Brady Turko, defencemen Ilari Kapanen and Josh McGregor, and forward Colin Grubb. Marty Murray is currently the club’s head coach and general manager.
Feb 26, 2012; Dallas, TX, USA; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Aaron Rome (29) defends against the Dallas Stars attack during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Stars defeated the Canucks 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
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TORONTO, ON - APRIL 29: NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, with Colorado Avalanche's Rick Pracey, Director of Amateur Scouting, with the "golden ticket" which gives the Avalanche the 1st overall pick in the NHL Draft, at the TSN studios in Scarborough. (Rick Madonik/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
The past thirty years of Avalanche hockey have featured incredible highs, and some very, very dismal lows.
As an avid fan of The Simpsons, I’ve witnessed plenty of “best of times” moments, but also been subjected to a smattering of unpleasant “blursts” of times. In this latest edition of an ongoing off-season series, I take a look back through the past thirty years, highlighting one moment that stands among the best, and comparatively, the worst (or blurst, if you will) each season.
Here are the best and blurst moments from another five years of Colorado Avalanche history.
2010-2011
The Best: Foote’s Farewell Finale (April 10, 2011)
Two words: The Shift.
With the Avs fresh off a six game winning streak prior to the start of the holidays, there was little reason to panic. However, after treading water in January, things fell apart rather quickly: the team had a disastrous finish to the season, going 10-34-4 heading into the team’s final game on home ice against the Edmonton Oilers.
Avs captain Adam Foote was also playing in his final game, as he had previously announced he would retire at the end of the season.
With Avs fans having been deprived of giving Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg (spoilers) a proper farewell on home ice, they wouldn’t let this opportunity slip away with Foote. In return, Foote gave the Pepsi Center crowd a memorable final shift.
With both teams tied at three in overtime and the clock winding down, Foote skated onto the ice and into the Avs zone. With a flip of his wrists moments later, his stick caught and launched the stick of Edmonton defender Ladislav Šmíd high into the air, then proceeded to repeatedly manhandle Edmonton winger Teemu Hartikainen along the end boards (in plain view of the referee) before shoving him down to the ice and finishing him off with a check in the corner.
The fans in attendance roared in appreciation as Foote skated to the bench, his final shift at an end.
Not long after, David Jones would tally the game-winner in overtime, ensuring a 4-3 victory for the Avs. Foote was named first star of the game and received a rousing ovation before skating off the ice for the last time as a player.
A rare bright spot in a largely forgettable season.
The Blurst: St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (February 14, 2011)
Many people have a love/hate relationship with Valentine’s Day.
For Avs fans, this particular Valentine’s Day was filled with both.
It didn’t start out that way. Love was in the air, and the reunion with Peter Forsberg, who had just signed a pro-rated contract for one (likely) final return with the Avs just days earlier, was imminent, or so they thought. Rather than discussing his return with the media who assembled at Pepsi Center, Forsberg made the following statement:
“I played hockey my entire life,” he said, “but I decided I played my final game.”
The Avs were in the middle of a four game road trip when Forsberg made his return to hockey. They lost in Columbus by a score of 3-1 on February 11, and lost in Nashville by a 5-3 score the next night. Instead of a heartfelt reunion on Valentine’s Day, Avs fans were now reeling from heartbreak.
The breakup was official, and there’s no worse time for a breakup than Valentine’s Day.
Both the roster and the fanbase had little time to come to terms with the news, as there was still a game to be played that night against Calgary. If there was anything that could help perk up the brokenhearted, getting their first win of the post-Forsberg era would be a great start.
Not on this night.
Any hopes that the Avs could be competitive vanished almost immediately after puck drop, as Calgary scored eighteen seconds into the contest. By the end of the first period, the Avs trailed 5-0. The Avs would score the only goal of the second period, but Calgary added another four goals in the third to win by a 9-1 margin.
The loss was the eighth in a row for the Avs, and eighteenth in their past twenty-four games. The Avs would muster only five more wins during the regular season.
It’s hard to play with any heart when it was broken by one you love.
Sheryl Crow said it best: the blurst cut is the deepest. Or something like that.
2011-2012
The Best: Milan Hejduk Named Captain (November 14, 2011)
It had been over six months since Adam Foote skated into retirement, and the Avs had yet to announce who would succeed him as captain.
“This is obviously a big honor,” Hejduk told The Denver Post. “It is a big accomplishment. I’ve been in the league a long time, and this is pretty cool.”
Head coach Joe Sacco had plenty of praise for his new captain. Citing his tenure and on-ice success, Sacco said of Hejduk, “He’s been an Avalanche now for 13 years. He’s won a Stanley Cup. He’s a product of the system here, and he’s what we want our young players to strive for.”
Hejduk was the first European-born captain in Avalanche history, and the second captain from the former Czechoslovakia in franchise history. His tenure as captain lasted only one season, with Gabe Landeskog succeeding him on September 4, 2012.
A well-deserved honor, and a bright spot in an otherwise vanilla campaign for the Avs.
The Blurst: Yaroslavl Lokomotiv Plane Crash (September 7, 2011)
The worst moment of this season for the Avs didn’t take place during a hockey game.
In fact, it didn’t even take place in the Western Hemisphere.
On September 7, a small aircraft carrying Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) hockey team Yaroslavl Lokomotiv crashed shortly after takeoff. Of the forty-five passengers on the aircraft, all but one perished.
Several former NHL players had been part of the Lokomotiv roster and coaching staff. Two of the victims were former Avs defensemen Kārlis Skrastiņš and Ruslan Salei.
Skrastiņš, who was acquired from Nashville in June 2003, spent four seasons with the Avs. In 275 regular season games, Skrastiņš scored nine goals and collected thirty-three assists for a total of forty-two points. He appeared in 20 playoff games, collecting three assists.
Skrastiņš most notable moment with the Avs took place in February 2007, as he skated in his 487th consecutive game, setting a League record for consecutive games played by a defenseman. He played a grand total of 832 regular season games in the NHL, spending time in Florida and Dallas in addition to his time spent with Nashville and Colorado.
Ironically, both players were traded for each other. In February 2008, Skrastiņš was sent to Florida, along with a 2008 third-round pick, in exchange for Salei. Salei spent parts of three seasons with the Avs, scoring eight goals and collecting twenty-six assists for a total of thirty-four points in 101 regular season games. He scored one goal and added four assists in eleven playoff games.
Throughout his fourteen year career in the NHL, Salei spent the first nine seasons with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim before joining Florida, and he played his final season with Detroit after leaving the Avs to wrap up his NHL tenure. He played a grand total of 917 regular season games and 62 playoff games.
As reported by Reuters, a September 2012 investigation by Russia’s lead investigative agency determined that the pilots of the aircraft did not receive the necessary training that was required to fly the plane, and that they had been given permission to fly on the basis of “falsified documents”.
Vladimir Markin, spokesperson for the agency, named Vadim Timofeyev, deputy head of the airline operating the flight, responsible for “blatant violations” and charged with violation of air safety rules. He was sentenced to five years in prison, but was amnestied and released.
Everything about this incident goes far beyond hockey, and the negligence involved could have been completely avoided.
Though their time with the Avs was brief, may the memories of them as fathers, family, friends, and hockey players, remain timeless.
2012-2013
The Best: Milan’s Magical Milestone (February 04, 2013)
In a previous edition, I covered Patrick Roy’s historic milestone of 1000 appearances as a goalie. While reaching this milestone as the first goalie to do so is incredible, it’s important to keep in mind that, out of the 1029 games that Roy played, more than half of those games (551) were played as a member of the Montréal Canadiens.
This context doesn’t diminish Roy’s legacy by any means. Nor the legacy of Adam Foote or Joe Sakic, both of whom also eclipsed the 1000 game milestone, but played quite a few games for teams based in other markets.
On this night, Milan Hejduk became the first ever player in franchise history to reach the 1000 game milestone, and to do so entirely as a member of the Avalanche. In a pregame ceremony prior to hosting the Dallas Stars (who had future Hall of Famer and fellow Czech Republic teammate, Jaromír Jágr, on their roster at the time), Hejduk received a commemorative gift of crystal, along with a silver stick from Sakic and a standing ovation from the Pepsi Center crowd.
With Dallas leading in 2-0 in the first period, Hejduk gave the crowd something else to cheer about, as he opened the scoring for the Avs. P.A. Parenteau tied the game in the second period, but Dallas captain Jamie Benn responded with the go-ahead (and game-winning) goal shortly after.
Hejduk may not have been the household name like some of the other franchise greats, but there’s something fitting about him being the first (and still, only) player to do so entirely in an Avs sweater. He didn’t have the punishing, physical style of a Peter Forsberg or the swagger of a Roy. Although not as lethal as Sakic’s, his shot and his hands were his greatest assets, allowing him to routinely find the back of the net and stealthily climb up the franchise scoring ranks. He was already well-respected in the locker room and viewed as a leader among his peers, exemplified by succeeding Foote in his brief stint as Avs captain, and again as an assistant for the youngest captain in franchise history (at the time), Gabe Landeskog.
And on this unassuming night in the middle of an unnecessarily truncated season (spoilers), the best moment belonged to the man who quietly, and fittingly, made franchise history on his own terms.
The Blurst: Bettman Locks The Doors…Again (September 15, 2012)
Here we go again.
Labor peace had been the standard in the NHL ever since the lockout that cancelled the 2004-2005 season came to an end. The salary cap structure ushered in an era of parity across the majority of the League, much to the delight of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. Surely, neither side would allow the same thing to happen again.
Gulp.
On September 15, with a single day remaining until the expiration of the seven-year long collective bargaining agreement that had been in place since 2005, Bettman announced that the players would be locked out once more. As was the case in announcing the previous lockout, Bettman again cited a failure to come to terms on a new agreement as primary reason for this lockout.
This lockout, however, wasn’t a battle over the institution of the salary cap system. Rather, the central focus was on hockey-related revenue (HRR) and how the entirety of that revenue was divided between the owners and the players. Another area of focus was the duration of player contracts.
Although several proposals were exchanged between both sides, neither could find common ground. By the time that the 2012-2013 season was set to begin, both sides remained far apart. As negotiations continued, portions of the season schedule were cancelled as the months ticked by. By the end of November, the Winter Classic between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs, and the NHL All-Star Game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, had also been cancelled.
The NHL Players Association appealed to the hearts and minds of their fans in a video that featured several of the League’s marquee players (including a very fresh-faced Gabe Landeskog) in support of their cause. In contrast to Bettman’s statements placing blame on the players, they spoke plainly about their love for the game and the concessions they’ve made in order to foster an agreement with the League. (You can check out that video up above.)
The two sides finally reached a tentative deal on January 6, 2013. A new salary floor and ceiling of $44 million dollars and $66 million dollars, respectively, were announced, along with the new contract lengths (seven years for new contract signings, while current contracts could be extended for eight years), a temporary window allowing teams to buy out contracts, and a fixed arbitration award of less than $3.5 million dollars.
The NHL’s Board of Governors ratified the new agreement three days later on January 9, and the NHL Players Association followed suit on January 12. Instead of a fully cancelled season, a shortened regular season totaling 48 games began on January 19.
The Avs opened the shortened season on the same day at the Xcel Energy Center, falling to the Minnesota Wild by a score of 4-2. Notably absent from the roster was center Ryan O’Reilly, who had yet to come to terms on a new contract with the Avs during the work stoppage. He would rejoin the club on February 28, hours after the team matched a two year offer sheet tendered by the Calgary Flames.
Had it not been for a reenactment of the labor stoppage between the NHL and the Players Association, perhaps the fortunes of O’Reilly and the Avs may have turned out differently, or they could have played out exactly as they did.
We’ll never truly know, but what is known is that both—the lockout more than anything—was definitely blurst material.
2013-2014
The Best: Central Division Champions (April 13, 2014)
With first-year coach Patrick Roy behind the bench for the 2013-2014 season, many didn’t envision the Avs having much success. In fact, more focus was placed on Roy than the roster from the early going due to his emotional outburst towards Anaheim Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau on opening night.
The team raced out of the gates, winning fourteen of its first sixteen games. Even on nights—and there were many—when the ice was heavily tilted in goaltender Semyon Varlamov’s direction, the Avs still kept winning. Bucking the early season projections, the Avs clinched their first postseason appearance since 2010 with a 3-2 victory over the visiting San Jose Sharks on March 29.
Not content with merely securing a spot in the playoffs, the Avs set their sights on the top spot in the Central Division. However, the St. Louis Blues also had their eyes on a first place finish. The young Avs sent a message to the more seasoned Blues in a 4-0 victory at Scottrade Center on April 5, but it took until the very last day of the regular season for the playoff standings to settle.
Despite losing their final regular season game in overtime to Anaheim, the Avs narrowly squeezed past St. Louis to claim the Central Division crown. This marked the first time in eleven years that the Avs had won their division.
Against all odds, and with a rallying cry of, “Why Not Us?” as their mantra as the regular season concluded, the playoff-bound Avs were set to host the Minnesota Wild, who had previously defeated the Avs in the postseason eleven years earlier.
Surely, the only thing better than making the playoffs is a strong showing in the playoffs…right?
The Blurst: Another Meltdown Against Minnesota (April 30, 2014)
After winning the first two games against Minnesota on home ice, the Avs headed to St. Paul, where a win at Xcel Energy Center could solidify their grip on their first round series.
Both teams went scoreless throughout regulation, but a flagrant kneeing incident from Minnesota’s Matt Cooke injured defenseman Tyson Barrie, who would be lost for the remainder of Game Three due to the injury from the hit. The NHL suspended Cooke for seven games for his hit, but the damage had been done: the Avs would be without their best defenseman through the rest of the series.
Semyon Varlomov was sensational throughout this game, stopping forty-four shots through regulation. For their part, the Avs didn’t test Minnesota goaltender Devan Dubnyk nearly as much, mustering just twenty shots through three periods. Mikael Granlund scored the game-winner in overtime to secure the victory for Minnesota.
Two nights later, Minnesota would tie the series with a 2-1 victory in Game Four. The Avs responded on home ice in Game Five with a 4-3 victory. Minnesota staved off elimination back in St. Paul with a 5-2 victory in Game Six to set up the second straight Game Seven between both clubs at Pepsi Center.
Both teams traded goals throughout the game, but an open shot from Erik Johnson gave the Avs a 4-3 lead with less than ten minutes to play in the third period. With time winding down in regulation, Minnesota’s Jared Spurgeon fired the puck into the top corner past Varlamov to tie the game.
In the overtime session, Minnesota’s Dany Heatley sent the puck to an open Kyle Brodziak at center ice. Brodziak skated into the Avs zone with Nino Niederreiter. As Johnson had jumped up for an offensive chance in the Minnesota zone moments earlier, defenseman Nikita Zadorov was left to defend the oncoming rush on his own. He timed his play to take the low part of the net away from Niederreiter, but the Minnesota winger flung the puck up high, finding the far corner behind Varlamov for the series-clinching goal.
For the second time, Minnesota eliminated the Avs in a sudden death outcome in a Game Seven.
This blurst does have a silver lining: as Avs fans now know, the next meeting between both clubs turned out much differently.
2014-2015
The Best: Avs to Host Detroit at Coors Field for 2016 NHL Stadium Series (January 24, 2015)
Since the advent of the Winter Classic and the subsequent debut of the NHL Stadium Series, Avs fans began to wonder when they would get their shot at participating in one of the League’s outdoor events.
Once Avs fans began seeing League darlings like Boston, Chicago, and Pittsburgh get repeat invites to partake in the outdoor games, anticipation turned to irritation. While it’s understandable that the League wants to market its stars on the biggest stages possible, playing an outdoor game with the Rocky Mountains in the background has to have some appeal to the NHL, right?
Finally, the wait was over: the Avs would get their opportunity to host an outdoor game as part of the 2016 NHL Stadium Series. The spectacle would take place the following year at Coors Field, with the Detroit Red Wings as their opponent.
Everything about the announcement was perfect. Coors Field would make for the perfect venue to host an outdoor game, with the trademark Colorado sunsets amid the Rockies providing the scenic appeal for those in attendance and for eagle-eyed viewers on television. Longtime fans of both teams would be able to reminisce and revel in the rivalry of old, and pass those legendary tales to a new generation of fans who came after its peak.
The announcement of the future overshadowed the Avs of the present, and was the highlight of that season for good reason.
February 2016 couldn’t come soon enough for Avs fans.
The Blurst: Brad Stuart’s Two-Year Contract Extension (September 29, 2014)
As the free agency period opened on July 1st, Avs general manager Joe Sakic made some splashy moves.
Having just acquired Daniel Brière from Montréal the day before, he signed future Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla to a three year contract. This move was followed up with the signings of center Jesse Winchester (who was forced to retire due to complications after sustaining a concussion in preseason play), and defensemen Zach Redmond and Nick Holden.
Sakic made other moves to shore up the talent for the AHL farm team, the Lake Erie Monsters, but there was one more big name that Sakic reeled in via trade that raised eyebrows: defenseman Brad Stuart was acquired from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2016 second round pick and a 2017 sixth round pick (the Avs would later reacquire both picks to draft left wing Cameron Morrison and defenseman Denis Smirnov in their respective draft years).
While the idea of acquiring a veteran defenseman seems good on paper, giving that player a contract extension without careful evaluation of how that player fits into your system is hardly a recipe for success. Yet, that’s exactly what Sakic did in this case: on September 29, Stuart signed a two-year, $7.2 million dollar extension through the 2016-2017 season with the Avs, well in advance of the start of the regular season.
A veteran of fourteen NHL seasons, Stuart’s best days were clearly behind him as the 2014-2015 season got underway. He played 65 regular season games that year, scoring three goals and ten assists for a total of thirteen points.
Injuries limited Stuart to six games and zero points the following season. He was placed on waivers on June 29, 2016, and his contract was bought out the next day.
The signing may have been one of Sakic’s earliest missteps as a general manager, but we can all agree that the highlight goal of Stuart’s tenure with the Avs was his center ice goal he scored on Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford. Now that is a blurst!
Was there a best (or blurst) from these five years of Avalanche hockey that was overlooked? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Carolina Hurricanes majority owner Tom Dundon holds the Stanley Cup in the air during the team's championship celebration June 20 in Raleigh, N.C. (Karl B DeBlaker / Associated Press)
Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jordan Staal is on there.
Their coach, Rod Brind’Amour, also is on there, as is general manager Eric Tulsky.
A total of 53 names have been engraved onto the Stanley Cup to represent the 2026 champions. At the very top of the list is team owner Tom Dundon ... and his wife and their five children, whose ages are believed to range from single digits to mid-20s.
The Dundon family comprises the entire first two rows of names on the iconic chalice, even though Papa Dundon is the only one who holds a position within the organization.
According to the NHL’s website, up to 55 names per championship teams can be engraved on the Cup. Players who appeared in at least 41 regular-season games or one Stanley Cup Final game automatically make the cut, and teams can petition the commissioner for permission to include other players. The team determines which names from the management staff are engraved on the trophy, but all names must be approved by the Hockey Hall of Fame and NHL.
So it would seem that all the names submitted by the Hurricanes would have required approval before being etched into immortality. The Hockey Hall of Fame told the Associated Press it is not directly involved with the engraving.
The NHL did not immediately respond on Friday to a request for comment from The Times.
Owners have included family members’ names on the trophy before. In 1984, Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington had the name of his father, Basil Pocklington, engraved even though Basil held no position with the team. Apparently the NHL was initially unaware of this addition, and the elder Pocklington’s name was later covered with a row of X’s.
Penny Vinik, then-wife of Tampa Bay Lightning majority owner Jeffrey Vinik, was included with the 2021 championship listing. She didn’t hold a traditional position within the organization but was largely considered a co-owner and was active in team operations.
The wife and three children of Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola were included on the Cup following the team’s titles in 2024 and 2025. All of them, however, are designated as alternative governors on the team.
While the entire Dundon clan made the cut, some notable Hurricanes omissions include defenseman Joel Nystrom (who played 38 games with Carolina this season); development coach Jesper Fast (who played four of his 11 NHL seasons with the Hurricanes); nutritionist Kristin Pirigyi; and three investors (Brett Jefferson, Marc Grandisson and Bobby Farnham) who joined the team’s ownership group in March.
Dundon’s move was widely criticized — and ridiculed — after the Hurricanes on Thursday posted a picture of the engravings on social media. The team declined to comment for this story.
NHL reporter and broadcaster Chris Johnston, who also covers hockey for the Athletic, called the matter “embarrassing.”
“Let me be crystal clear here: If you didn’t give every last piece of your being to earn this thing, you don’t deserve to have your name engraved,” Johnston wrote on X. “If you’re in primary school in Dallas when a team wins in Raleigh ... forget it.”
Hockey broadcaster Jeff Marek had an interesting idea.
“Compromise - if the Carolina Hurricanes owner wants to do this how about just engraving ‘The Dundon Family’ instead of each name?” Marek wrote on X.
Former NHL player and current analyst Anthony Stewart posted a doctored image of the engraving that featured his name in place of two of the Dundons as well as in several other spots down the list.
“I see zero issues with the names on the Stanley Cup,” he wrote.
Defector deputy editor Barry Petchesky may have had the funniest observation of all. He wrote of the first two lines of names on the Cup: “That’s more Dundons than an episode of Law & Order.”
The Buffalo Sabres suffered a notable loss to their roster this off-season. This is because they sent forward Alex Tuch to the Washington Capitals in a major sign-and-trade.
Tuch was a very important part of the Sabres' top six during his time in Buffalo. However, with the Sabres being able to come to terms on a new deal with the then pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), it made sense that they traded him instead of losing him for nothing.
Now, due to this, the Sabres are being predicted to make a big move next season to replace Tuch.
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Lyle Richardson predicted that the Sabres would trade for Detroit Red Wings star forward Alex DeBrincat at the 2027 NHL Trade Deadline.
"Having traded Alex Tuch to the Washington Capitals, the Sabres could be in the market for a top-six winger by the trade deadline if they haven't addressed that need by then. If the Detroit Red Wings are out of playoff contention again, winger Alex DeBrincat could be available," Richardson wrote.
If the Red Wings shop DeBrincat, it would make a lot of sense for the Sabres to try to acquire him. This remains the case whether it is this summer or next season. The Sabres could use another star in their top six, and landing DeBrincat would give them just that.
DeBrincat appeared in 82 games last season for the Red Wings, where he posted 41 goals and set new career highs with 44 assists and 85 points. With numbers like these, he would be a strong pickup for a Sabres club that is looking to continue to head in the right direction.
It will be interesting to see if the Sabres pursuing DeBrincat. If they acquired him, he could work well on their second line with Ryan McLeod and Jack Quinn.
Senators general manager Steve Staios has turned his attention toward some of his Belleville free agents, and for the second straight day, he signed a 2021 first-round draft pick to a one-year, two-way contract for next season.
After Xavier Bourgault re-signed on Thursday, it was Tyler Boucher's turn on Friday.
Like Bourgault, Boucher is coming off his best pro season, by far, this past year and the Senators are hoping he can take another step this fall.
Senators European scout Anders Ostberg describes Jonas Lagerberg Hoen, Ottawa's top pick in last month's draft
Over 47 games, Boucher had 12 goals, 14 assists, and 26 points with the Belleville Senators, which over a full 72-game AHL season, would be a valuable 40-point pace.
That was not only a good step, it earned him another contract. But games played will remain the key statistic for Boucher, as it does every year.
Looking back to the draft five years ago, Boucher was seen by most analysts as a very good prospect at the 2021 NHL Draft, and probably the most physical forward available, but almost no one, except for the Senators, saw him as top-10 overall material.
He'd love a chance to prove everyone wrong but he'll need to dodge that injury bug that always seems latched on to some part of his body. In the five seasons since his draft day, he's played only 177 hockey games total between his time at Boston U, the Ottawa 67s and the Belleville Senators.
The Senators are obviously hoping (and banking) on Boucher being able to take another step this fall.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published on The Hockey News Ottawa Senators site. For full coverage of the Senators, check out one of the latest headlines below:
The Buffalo Sabres could go a number of different ways as the NHL is in the midst of trade season following the NHL Draft and the opening of free agency on July 1. With the departure of winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram, GM Jarmo Kekalainen is expected to seek out offensive reinforcements to make up for the 44 goals lost by their departures.
Over the next few weeks, we will continue to look at potential options for the Sabres. Some of the possibilities are not going to match Tuch’s stats, but any additions could provide some relief to the pressure that youngsters Konsta Helenius, Jiri Kulich, or Noah Ostlund will be under to make up the deficit.
Kekalainen ideally would like to make up as much of the 60-to-70 point production that he lost with Tuch, and another possibility is someone who may be readily available in the way of the Anaheim Ducks matching the offer sheet to center Leo Carlsson and that is veteran winger Chris Kreider. The 35-year-old was part of the dismantling of the NY Rangers by former Sabre Chris Drury, as he was dealt to the Ducks after 13 years on Broadway. In his first season on the West Coast, Kreider matched his goal total in his previous season with the Rangers (22) and posted 50 points.
What do the Sabres do to replace Alex Tuch's scoring and leadership?
The matching of Carlsson’s five-year, $90 million deal ($18 million AAV) has left the Ducks with just over $9 million in cap space, 40-goal scorer Cutter Gauthier still to sign, and a blueline short-handed after the departures of vets Radko Gudas and Jacob Trouba, and the trade of Olen Zellweger to Buffalo last month. Ducks GM Pat Verbeek was taken by surprise at the Carlsson offer sheet, thinking he would have plenty of cap space to sign him, Gauthier, blueliner Pavel Mintyukov, and more defensive replacements.
The Ducks scrambled to re-sign Mintyukov to a five-year deal at an AAV of $7.2 million, and now do not have enough cap space to extend Gauthier. A number of NHL insiders have indicated that Verbeek is now looking to jettison a contract to clear room to re-sign the 22-year-old scorer, which reportedly include Kreider, former Tampa winger Alex Killorn, and Frank Vatrano.
Adding Kreider would make perfect sense for the Sabres, if he is not on their 15-team no-trade list. Even though he is slowing down, the Massachusetts native can still move and is capable of playing in the top-six. He has one year left on his contract at $6.5 million, which would mean no long-term commitment on the part of Kekalainen, and in the spot that Verbeek is in, a deal might be so low-cost that the Ducks would have to include a pick to take on contract.
That might be a long shot, since there might be a number of teams interested in the big winger, but the potential cost would likely be significantly less than any of the other trade or free agent options out there currently.
The Senators announced on Thursday that restricted free agent forward Xavier Bourgault has signed a one-year, two-way contract for the 2026-27 season. Bourgault, who's entering his third season with the Senators organization, was scheduled for arbitration later this month.
The 23-year-old is a former first-round draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers, who dealt him to Ottawa in 2024 with Jake Chiasson for winger Roby Jarventie and a fourth-round pick.
Senators European scout Anders Ostberg describes Jonas Lagerberg Hoen, Ottawa's top pick in last month's draft
Playing alongside Arthur Kaliyev and Phillipe Daoust, which was one of the most productive lines in the AHL, Bourgault had his best pro season by a country mile. He finished second in Belleville scoring with 25 goals and 57 points. He even got his first taste of the NHL, playing in two games this season, including his debut on December 27 in Toronto.
Bourgault is a player that Staios has liked and monitored since their junior days. In 2022, Staios was GM of the Hamilton Bulldogs when they came up against Shawinigan in the Memorial Cup, and Bourgault was the Cataractes' best player.
That fall, both men reported for pro duty in Edmonton.
Bourgault turned pro and headed for the Oilers' training camp, while Staios was hired by Edmonton as a special advisor to the hockey operations staff. Bourgault didn’t make the Oilers out of camp and was sent to AHL Bakersfield, where Staios was obviously in a position to keep close tabs on him.
Two years ago, after Staios had left Edmonton for Ottawa, he still thought enough of Bourgault to bring him to Ottawa in the Jarventie deal.
With 26 points in 51 games, Bourgault's first season in Belleville was underwhelming. However, B-Sens head coach David Bell said last summer that he believed Bourgault played through injuries that prevented the skilled forward from showing what he was fully capable of.
Seems like he was right, because Bourgault was a different player.
With his contract now signed, Bourgault heads into training camp this September with more momentum than at any point in his professional career. His next step is proving he can hang at the NHL level.
In the meantime, with Garrett Pilon signing in the KHL for next season, Bourgault has probably even earned some consideration as Belleville’s next captain.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published on The Hockey News Ottawa Senators site. For full coverage of the Senators, check out one of the latest headlines below:
Despite playing in 38 games this season for the Stanley Cup-champion Hurricanes, Nystrom’s name wasn’t engraved on the Cup, even though owner Tom Dundon included the names of his five children.
Dundon is facing backlash for the decision, with hockey fans calling the move “disrespectful and shameful.”
The Hurricanes 2025-26 Stanley Cup trophy.
@Canes/X X-@Canes
“The fact that @Canes owner put 7 family names on the Stanley Cup ahead of any players and in one case of a player who played 38 regular season games, is a disgraceful action in NHL history,” one X user wrote. “What an embarrassment of a team. You can be champions clearly without class.”
Dundon, his wife and kids’ names take up the first two lines of the Cup, before the Hurricanes front office and coaching staff complete the next six rows.
The players completed the last 24 names – players who appeared in at least 41 regular season games or that dressed for a Finals game are guaranteed a spot on the Cup, per NHL rules.
Joel Nystrom during a 2026 game against the Islanders. Getty Images
That didn’t apply to Nystrom, who played in just under half the Hurricanes’ games and spent the rest of the season with their AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves.
That he came so close and didn’t make the list while family members did has raised some eyebrows.
Carolina could have made an exception like it seemingly did for Nicolas Deslauriers, who appeared in seven games for the franchise after being acquired midseason and one playoff game in the first round.
Nystrom wasn’t the only notable person excluded, with Bobby Gorman, the Hurricanes’ equipment manager who’s been with the team since 1993 and got a spot on their Cup in 2006, also missing out.
Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon is seen during a 2019 interview. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Hurricanes won their second Stanley Cup in franchise history on June 14 after beating the Golden Knights in six games.
This is the latest drama involving Dundon, who also bought the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers in March and has been panned for his cost-cutting moves with the franchise.
Fans have been piling on him on oscial media.
“Dumb Tom Dundon wasted so much space on the Stanley Cup by adding his useless children to it. Children who contributed nothing to the success of that team,” one X user wrote.
NHL fans are up in arms that Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon not only put his family’s names on Lord Stanley’s Cup but at the top of the list.
A maximum of 55 names are eligible to be engraved on the Cup, and owner Tom Dundon included six of his family members: his wife Veruschka and their five children Caden, Dax, Drew, Blake and Tagan.
Those seven names, including the owner, potentially taking a spot away from some other members of the organization who were legitimately part of the team’s success.
The names of Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon’s wife and five children follow his before getting to members of the front office, coaches and players. @Canes/X
What particularly has incensed some is including members of his family who do not hold specific roles with the organization.
The Detroit Red wings had nine members of the Ilitch family on the Cup after their titles in 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008, but all served as part owners or team vice president, per The Athletic.
The Florida Panthers reportedly did the same last season when the Viola family had five total family members engraved on the Cup –– although they all held titles, including alternate governors.
The Hurricanes do not meet such criteria with the family inclusion.
Still, the names are engraved and fans are not thrilled about it.
“We won’t be commenting as an organization,” a spokesperson for the Hurricanes told The Athletic.
Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon holds the Stanley Cup. Getty Images
The processes detailed on the official NHL website describe eligibility requirements for engravings, and it appears there were inconsistencies.
“A player is required to have appeared in at least 41 regular-season games with a team, or one Stanley Cup Final game, to be eligible to have his name engraved on the trophy. In 1994, a stipulation was added to allow a team to petition the Commissioner for permission to have players’ names put on the Stanley Cup if extenuating circumstances prevented them from being available to play. The management staff engraved on the trophy is determined by the team. However, it must be approved by the Hockey Hall of Fame and NHL.”
The Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF) responded to an email from The Athletic on the situation.
“Hockey Operations at the league (NHL) office in Toronto signs off on the names that go on the Stanley Cup. HHOF is not involved in this process.”
Veruschka Dundon (L) Hurricanes player Andrei Svechnikov (Center) Tom Dundon (2nd Right) posing with his family
@TDCanes/X
It’s a bizarre response considering what the league’s official rules state, and fans are still livid.
The Hurricanes defeated the Golden Knights in six games in the Stanley Cup Finals.
“Dumb Tom Dundon wasted so much space on the Stanley Cup by adding his useless children to it,” one particularly harsh critic on X wrote.
“Children who contributed nothing to the success of that team. What a self serving prick. Shameful.”
Although it hasn’t been announced yet, BPM Sports’ and RG.org’s Marco D’Amico has confirmed with player agency Gold Star that Bogdan Konyushkov has signed a two-year ELC contract with the Montreal Canadiens.
The 23-year-old was drafted by the Habs in the fourth round of the 2023 draft with the 110th overall pick, stands 6 feet tall, and weighs 171 pounds, according to the KHL website. Unlike last year, Konyushkov was not present at the development camp, which raised a few eyebrows, but it makes sense if the Canadiens were already planning to sign him and knew he would have to play with HC Torpedo this season.
The Russian side published a news release today stating that the defenseman’s representatives had asked the team to technically terminate his contract so he could sign a two-way contract with the Canadiens. The release goes on to explain that the team agreed, but that he will still be loaned to Torpedo until the end of his existing contract with them on May 31, 2027.
While he’s not exactly big, the blueliner plays with a physical edge, and after a down year production-wise in the KHL in 2024-25 with just 17 points, he bounced back nicely with 38 points in 67 games in the 2025-26 campaign, averaging 21:25 in ice time. Konyushkov had a successful career at the lower levels in Russia as well, winning championships with his teams in both the MHL and the VHL. In the MHL, he had six points, all assists, in six playoff games while the rugged defenseman collected 13 points in 17 playoff games in the VHL.
When he does come over at the end of the KHL season, he will be able to either join the Laval Rocket in the AHL or the Canadiens. You can add his name to the list of reasons why Canadiens fans can look forward to next spring, right alongside Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky.
The Buffalo Sabres have brought in a few new players this off-season, but they should not be done making moves yet.
One way that the Sabres could look to strengthen their roster is through the free agent market. Because of this, let's look at three remaining UFAs who the Sabres should consider signing.
Patrick Kane
Out of all the UFAs left, Patrick Kane stands out in a major way. The future Hall of Famer would have the potential to be a great addition to the Sabres' top six. With the Sabres taking a big step forward last season, now feels like the right time for them to bring the Buffalo native home. In 67 games with the Detroit Red Wings last season, he recorded 16 goals and 57 points.
Anthony Mantha
The Sabres have another top-six winger worth considering in Anthony Mantha. After posting career highs with 33 goals, 31 assists, and 64 points in 81 games last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the 2013 first-round pick is still a UFA at this point in the summer. The 6-foot-5 forward could be a solid replacement for Alex Tuch in Buffalo's top six.
Vladimir Tarasenko
Vladimir Tarasenko is another intriguing UFA still available right now. The 34-year-old winger had a nice bounce-back year with the Minnesota Wild in 2025-26, posting 23 goals and 47 points in 75 games. While he is no longer the star he was during his prime, he would still have the potential to be a good addition to Buffalo's middle six. It also doesn't hurt that he has won the Stanley Cup twice during his career.
ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Wild has re-signed defenseman Carson Lambos to a one-year contract, keeping one of the organization's top young blueliners in the fold ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Lambos, 23, was selected by Minnesota with the 26th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft and has spent the past several seasons developing with the Iowa Wild.
The left-shot defenseman also made his NHL debut during the 2025-26 season, giving the organization a glimpse of what he could bring at the next level.
With Quinn Hughes, Brock Faber, Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon leading the NHL blue line, with a mix of Olli Maatta, Zach Bogosian and Daemon Hunt to round it out, Lambos will likely continue competing for opportunities while serving as valuable organizational depth.
He remains one of Minnesota's more intriguing defensive prospects and could push for a larger NHL role as the season progresses.
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In the last two seasons, the Montreal Canadiens made the playoffs, and their dominance over their divisional rival, the Florida Panthers, was a big part of that. The Habs have won their last seven games against the Cats. This past season, Montreal outscored Florida 13-7, while the January matchup ended 6-2; the other two games didn’t finish in regulation. The April bout was ultimately decided in a shootout, while the December meeting went into overtime.
Back in 2024-25, the Tricolore played four games against the Panthers and outscored them 14-5. Montreal blanked the Panthers 4-0 in their first matchup of the season, before winning 3-1 at home and 4-2 in Florida in March. They then wrapped up the season series with another triumph, this time at the Bell Centre by a score of 4-2. Back then, Florida was the two-time defending champions and being able to handle them like that was a big confidence builder for the young Habs.
Looking ahead to the 2026-27 season, however, it looks like winning against Paul Maurice’s team won’t be quite that easy. After missing the playoffs last season, there won’t be any bumps or bruises left on the Panthers. Captain Aleksander Barkov sat out the entire season after undergoing knee surgery on both his ACL and his MCL, but he’ll be back with a vengeance.
Barkov won’t be the only addition, though; Bill Zito was able to add some more sandpaper to a team that hardly needed any more when Brady Tkachuk essentially fell into his lap after forcing his way out of Ottawa. The younger Tkachuk will join big brother Matthew and effective pest Brad Marchand, who’s just not slowing down despite being 38 years old. Last season, he put up 54 points in just 52 games; one can wonder if he would have kept up the same pace in 82 games, but it’s far from impossible that he would have. As for the older Tkachuk, he played only 31 games due to an injury, but he still put up 34 points. Those are three players who know how to get under your skin, and it will take a lot of self-control not to fall victim to their antics.
On July 1, they also added some depth at center, signing former Hab Lars Eller to a one-year deal at just $850,000. He may not put up many points, but he’s an effective player on both sides of the puck and highly responsible defensively. Since they knew they couldn’t afford to sign A.J. Greer to a new contract, they traded for Garnet Hathaway, who will replace Greer’s physicality, though he’s unlikely to be as productive.
On the blueline, Zito added even more physicality by signing Radko Gudas as a free agent. He may only be a third-pairing guy, but he knows how to lay down the boom effectively and punish his opponent’s forwards. Just like Marchand, Zito signed him to a long-term contract he probably has no hope of playing through, but it allowed the Panthers to spread out the money they have to pay him, bringing his cap hit down to just $1.5 million.
The offseason isn’t over yet, though, and the Cats have only $1,221,786 in cap space while still needing to sign a backup goaltender. They didn’t re-sign Sergei Bobrovsky, but they traded for Jacob Markstrom, who has a $6 million cap hit over the next two seasons. While he’ll be looking for a bounce-back season after only winning 23 games with a 3.07 goals-against average and a .883 save percentage, he has won his last four games against the Habs.
The Cats have also acquired goaltender Akira Schmid from the Vegas Golden Knights, but he’s an RFA right now and has filed for arbitration. The hearings are set to take place from July 20th to August 1st, so they should get some clarity on the net front sooner rather than later. Depending on the result, Zito may be forced to make another move as teams are allowed to go over the cap during the offseason, but they’ll have to be cap-compliant by the time the season starts.
Wherever you look in the Panthers’ lineup, there doesn’t seem to be any weakness. Meanwhile, Kent Hughes has yet to address any of the Canadiens’ needs this offseason. The GM is after a top-six forward (a center wouldn’t go amiss, but the Habs would settle for a winger if he were impactful), a top-four right-shot defenseman, and some more grit for the bottom six.
Of course, the offseason is far from over, but when you compare the Canadiens’ lineup to the Panthers, you get a sense of how much the Habs are missing to really ice a contender. That was also made clear by the Carolina Hurricanes' dominance in their third-round series. Hughes has a lot of futures to trade, but as he has said himself, there aren’t that many rebuilding teams looking for what he’s selling right now. There’s no doubt that this makes his job harder, and with the Canadiens making the Eastern Conference Final last season, other GMs aren’t exactly keen on helping the Habs improve. Still, the GM will need to find a way if he wants his team to keep improving. There’s only so much organic growth can do.
The Toronto Marlies, AHL affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs, had an incredible campaign this past season. They went on to win the Calder Cup and were crowned champions of the American League, which is always a great sign for any organization.
As for the players on that Marlies team, there were multiple standouts. However, as good as some of the Marlies' core players were in the post-season, they may not get the opportunity they deserve in the AHL after a busy off-season for the Leafs and GM John Chayka.
Players such as goaltender Artur Akhtyamov, defenseman William Villeneuve, centers Jacob Quillan, Bo Groulx and others all deserve some more time in the NHL.
Akhtyamov was stellar for the Marlies this past season, especially in the playoffs. He played 22 games, earning the starting role for the team early in the post-season, and finished with a .923 save percentage, a 2.22 goals-against average and a pair of shutouts.
The 24-year-old's campaign was so impressive that not only did he go home with his team carrying the Calder Cup, but he was also named the AHL playoff MVP and awarded the Jack A Butterfield Trophy.
Villeneuve, 24, made his first three NHL appearances this past year, but really should get much more than that next season, considering his playoff campaign.
He scored 23 points in 24 playoff games for the Marlies, leading all American League defenseman in scoring for the post-season by a landslide. Not to mention, he almost led the entire league in playoff scoring if it weren't for Toronto's Vinni Lettieri, who potted 26 points in 23 contests.
With a campaign that impressive and a blueliner who can move the puck and provide speed to an aging NHL D-corps, Villeneuve should certainly be given more than the three appearances he got in 2025-26.
Quillan and Groulx got real looks in the NHL this past year, particularly after the trade deadline, when some regulars were shipped away for future assets and the Leafs' season was drifting away.
In Quillan's 23 games and Groulx's 13 appearances, they showed potential to be bottom-six centers who can contribute on the penalty kill. They have areas that could require some improvement, including Quillan's offensive presence and Groulx's record in the faceoff dot.
However, with the opportunity they got last year, they'll be looking for another taste after showing that they can hang in the NHL.
Unfortunately for those players, who all have their own cases to get a chance in the NHL, there don't seem to be many open spots on the Maple Leafs' roster going into 2026-27.
One player a part of the Marlies' run that hasn't been mentioned is left winger Easton Cowan. He'll likely be an NHL regular this coming year after scoring 11 goals and 29 points in 66 contests for the Leafs in 2025-26. So that's one roster spot filled.
Of course, there are the stars or perennial NHLers on the roster, such as Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Matthew Knies, John Tavares, Morgan Rielly, Chris Tanev, Jake McCabe, and several others.
And within all those names, there were an abundance of additions this off-season, taking up half of the roster practically. In terms of forwards, the Leafs added Nick Paul, Jack Roslovic, Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger, Brandon Duhaime and even first overall draft pick Gavin McKenna.
On the blueline, Toronto completed a sign-and-trade for Darren Raddysh and acquired Emil Andrae in a separate trade. They also signed Troy Stecher to a two-year contract extension.
And in the crease, they traded away Joseph Woll, but acquired future Hall of Fame goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky in free agency, inking him to a three-year deal.
Indeed, injuries are a part of the game and could certainly free up some roster spots for the handful of Marlies who would deserve them. But in terms of flat-out making the team out of camp and having a relatively regular role next season, the odds are certainly against many of those Calder Cup champions.
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Blues Prospect Dmitry Buchelnikov Wants To Make NHL Childhood Dream A Reality2022 second-round pick acquired from Red Wings was in St. Louis for development camp recently, appreciates Blues' faith in him; he's committed to one more year in KHL before hopefully making jump to North America
