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When the 2025 NHL Free Agency period opened on July 1, two of the Vancouver Canucks’ biggest signings were contract extensions for pending 2026 unrestricted free-agents Thatcher Demko and Conor Garland.
This year, there are five current Canucks who are eligible to sign contract extensions once July 1, 2026 hits, all of whom are set to become unrestricted free-agents in 2027.
Two 2025 Trade Acquisitions Will Have Their Current Contracts Expire In 2027
Drew O’Connor
Current Contract: $2.5M x 2yrs
Acquired alongside Marcus Pettersson in January of 2025, O’Connor has been one of the Canucks’ most consistent players since arriving in Vancouver. The forward, now entering his second full-season with the Canucks, is an asset for the team on the penalty kill as well as for depth scoring. He set a new career-high in goals scored in a single season with 17 during the 2025–26 season and was one of only three players to skate in all 82 games for Vancouver. Like a player like Kiefer Sherwood, O’Connor could fetch an intriguing package from a team looking to add players at the trade deadline.
Filip Chytil
Current Contract: $4.437M x 4yrs
One of three pieces acquired as part of the J.T. Miller deal in January of 2025, Chytil’s time with the Canucks has been unexpected to say the least. The forward, anticipated to be Vancouver’s second-round centre solution at the time, has only skated in a total of 27 games for the Canucks. Despite showing flashes of speed and skill in 2025 pre-season and training camp, injuries set Chytil back multiple times, with his most recent being an unlucky puck to the face during practice that ended his 2025–26 season.
Two 2025 Free-Agent Signings Are In Need Of New Deals After Next Season
MacKenzie MacEachern
Current Contract: $850k x 2yrs
MacEachern was signed by Vancouver during the 2025 free agency period, inking a two-year, two-way deal. He spent most of his injury-stunted season with the Abbotsford Canucks in the AHL, though he did end up playing in eight games with Vancouver from the end of October to mid-November. With Abbotsford, MacEachern put together six goals and two assists in 21 games.
Jimmy Schuldt
Current Contract: $850k x 2yrs
Like MacEachern, Schuldt signed with Vancouver in free-agency in 2025, though he didn’t end up skating in any NHL games this past season. During his 2025–26 season with Abbotsford, the defenceman spent a good chunk of time on the AHL Canucks’ top-pairing, putting up three goals and 15 assists in 70 games despite his team making frequent changes to their blueline. His role in the next season will likely depend on what moves Vancouver chooses to make in free-agency and how their blueline shapes up.
Tolopilo’s Next Contract Could Make The Canucks’ Goaltending Situation Complicated
Nikita Tolopilo
Current Contract: $850k x 2yrs
Tolopilo’s oncoming free-agent status complicates things a bit within the Canucks organization. Both Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen are locked up until 2029 and 2030 respectively, which doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for Tolopilo to snag NHL minutes. The situation is made even more complex given that the goaltender would require waivers to be sent down to the AHL. Tolopilo split his minutes between the NHL and AHL in 2025–26, putting up a 3.07 GAA and .897 SV% in 19 games with Abbotsford. He performed better than what his numbers with Vancouver show (3.61 GAA and .881 SV%), especially given his status as a rookie goaltender thrust into a difficult position.
Apr 14, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Drew O'Connor (18) handles the puck in warm up prior to a game against the Los Angeles Kings at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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Despite wildly unprecedented success with the Vegas Golden Knights, former Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella has re-joined the NHL's coaching carousel.
After replacing the fired Bruce Cassidy, Tortorella, 67, ripped off a 7-0-1 run to end the 2025-26 regular season, then went 14-8 in the playoffs en route to the Stanley Cup Final.
The caveat, though, is that Tortorella's truncated contract with the Golden Knights expires on June 30, and Vegas has already decided, as they announced Tuesday, that it will not be renewed.
For the second time in two years, the ex-Flyers coach is on the streets looking for a new job.
The gruff head coach's stubbornness ended up playing a part in his undoing with the Golden Knights, as he stuck with his former Flyers starting goalie, Carter Hart, through a historically bad start to the Stanley Cup Final.
At the other end of the ice, Flyers legend Rod Brind'Amour swapped an injured Freddie Andersen for Brandon Bussi and was ultimately rewarded with a Stanley Cup victory.
With his triumph, Brind'Amour joined an exclusive club at Tortorella's expense, becoming one of four men in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup as both a player and coach with the same franchise.
It is currently unclear as to whether Tortorella can or will return to coaching and explore further opportunities in the 2026-27 season; if not, a return to the ESPN booth could be in the cards once again.
In the end, though, Tortorella's run with the Golden Knights was a classic Tortorella run as a head coach.
Some legendary quotes, like leaving clothes in a hotel, skipping media availabilities that resulted in fines and loss of a draft pick, and some unsustainable success that burned out in the end.
LAS VEGAS — John Tortorella will not return as coach of the Vegas Golden Knights after guiding them to the Stanley Cup Final on an interim basis.
Uncertainty lingered over the situation through the team’s elimination in Game 6 of the final against Carolina. General manager Kelly McCrimmon announced that Tortorella would not be back.
“We thank Torts for the guidance he provided our team since joining the organization in March,” McCrimmon said. “When the decision was made to bring Torts to Vegas, we needed an immediate impact to help us at a pivotal point in the season. Torts’ experience and leadership proved to be the boost that we were looking for, helping guide us to the Stanley Cup Final. We are grateful for Torts’ passion, sincerity, and commitment to our organization, and we wish him and his family the best.”
McCrimmon hired Tortorella on March 30 when he fired Bruce Cassidy with eight games left in the season. The Golden Knights won seven of them and then got through three rounds before losing to the Hurricanes in the final.
Tortorella, who is set to turn 68, is 22 years removed from coaching Tampa Bay to the Stanley Cup in 2004. After his time with the Lightning, he spent time running the bench for the New York Rangers, Vancouver, Columbus and Philadelphia and was out of the league for roughly a year before getting the call from McCrimmon.
Players spoke highly of how Tortorella handled jumping in this spring. He took criticism in recent days for deciding to stick with goaltender Carter Hart, whose .863 save percentage was the lowest in the final since Minnesota’s Jon Casey in 1991.
One avenue Vegas could go with for Tortorella’s successor is promoting Ryan Craig, who has been coach of its top affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights of the American Hockey League, for the past three seasons.
The Vegas Golden Knights said John Tortorella is not returning to the coaching staff after he led the team to the Stanley Cup Final.
"We thank Torts for the guidance he provided our team since joining the organization in March," general manager Kelly McCrimmon said on Tuesday, June 16. "When the decision was made to bring Torts to Vegas, we needed an immediate impact to help us at a pivotal point in the season. Torts’ experience and leadership proved to be the boost that we were looking for, helping guide us to the Stanley Cup Final. We are grateful for Torts’ passion, sincerity, and commitment to our organization, and we wish him and his family the best."
In Game 2 of the final, Tortorella unsuccessfully challenged a no-goal call, leading to a Hurricanes power play and go-ahead goal. Carolina eventually won in overtime and Tortorella said, "I'd challenge it 10 out of 10 times."
The Hurricanes made a goalie change from Frederik Andersen to Brandon Bussi to come back in the series. Tortorella stuck with Carter Hart, who he knew from Philadelphia, even as he gave up four goals in each of the first five games. Asked if he considered a move in Game 5, he replied, "That could be the stupidest question I've heard." Hart had his best game of the series in Game 6, but the Hurricanes won 3-0 to end a 20-year championship drought.
The Philadelphia Flyers have landed goalie Joseph Woll in a big deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Flyers have announced that they have acquired Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit from the Maple Leafs in exchange for Samuel Ersson, Emil Andrae, and a 2026 third-round pick.
It is no secret that the Flyers have been looking for a boost between the pipes. Now, they have gotten just that by acquiring Woll. He should form a nice tandem with Flyers breakout goalie Dan Vladar.
In 39 games this season with the Maple Leafs, Woll had a 15-16-7 record, an .898 save percentage, and a 3.34 goals-against average. This is after he had a .907 save percentage in 2023-24 and a .909 save percentage in 2024-25.
Woll was among the top goalies in the rumor mill early on this off-season. Now, the Flyers are the lucky team that has landed the 27-year-old. In 117 career NHL games, he has a 63-43-9 record, a .906 save percentage, and a 2.94 goals-against average. He also has a .906 save percentage in 14 career NHL playoff games.
With Benoit, the Flyers are adding a big defenseman who plays with a physical edge to their blueline. In 73 games this season with the Maple Leafs, the 6-foot-4 blueliner posted six assists, 114 blocks, and 194 hits.
BREAKING: We have acquired goaltender Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit from Toronto in exchange for goaltender Samuel Ersson, defenseman Emil Andrae and a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Questions about Ersson's future in Philadelphia had been coming up for a while due to back-to-back tough seasons. In 33 games this campaign with the Flyers, he had a career-worst .870 save percentage and a 3.12 goals-against average. Now, he will be looking to bounce back after being traded to Toronto.
Andrae appeared in a career-high 61 games this season for the Flyers, where he had two goals and 13 points. He also appeared in four playoff games for Philadelphia this spring, posting one assist. The 24-year-old defenseman will now be looking to break out after getting this fresh start with the Maple Leafs.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded goaltender Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for goaltender Samuel Ersson, defeneman Emil Andrae and a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL draft.
Ersson, 26, comes to Toronto following his worst campaign of his four-year NHL career, posting a .870 save percentage and a 3.12 goals-against average across 33 appearances for the Flyers.
Andrae is the key piece of this trade for the Maple Leafs. He is what Toronto needs after a disappointing year of missing the playoffs and poor performances in the Leafs' back end.
As a 24-year-old D-man, Andrae brings youth and speed to the Maple Leafs' sluggish, slow, old and heavy blueline. The departure of Benoit sacrifices some physicality, but it's replaced by Andrae's ability to advance the puck.
Andrae has just 104 games played across parts of three years in Philadelphia. He played 61 games and recorded two goals and 13 points last year, with a plus-15 rating and averaged 15:20 of ice time in the regular season.
He also made four appearances in the post-season for the Flyers, putting up one assist and an average ice time of just 11:05.
Woll has spent parts of the last five years with the Maple Leafs, featuring in a total of 117 regular-season appearances and averaging a .906 SP and a 2.94 GAA.
The 27-year-old goaltender is coming off a down year with the Leafs, registering a .899 SP and a 3.34 GAA. Those are his lowest numbers since he entered the NHL in 2021-22.
Though he has a history of injuries, he is a solid goaltender when healthy, and his previous campaigns is an example of that.
In 2024-25, he had a career year, posting .909 SP and a 2.73 GAA. It was the most action he's seen in one season, participating in 42 contests and starting in 41 of those. Therefore, despite a passing campaign that wasn't up to his standard, there is still a good goaltender there in Woll.
As for Benoit, he's been with the Maple Leafs for the last three campaigns, known for his physical edge on the back end.
He wasn't the greatest in terms of puck skills and advancing the puck forward, but in the role of a depth defenseman, Benoit got the job done.
The 27-year-old blueliner has played 352 NHL games, 215 of which were with Toronto. Last season, he recorded six assists, averaged 17:18 of ice time, and registered a minus-22 rating, the fifth lowest plus-minus on the team.
Benoit is entering the final year of his three-year deal, which sees him earn $1.35 million against the cap.
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On Tuesday, the Chicago Blackhawks and the NHL Alumni Association sadly announced the death of Kyle Calder, who played a decade in the NHL for five teams in total. His first and longest tenure was in Chicago, where he played in 359 games over parts of six seasons.
In those games with the Blackhawks, Calder had 85 goals & 125 assists for 210 points. For being a 5th-round pick (130th overall) in the 1997 NHL Draft, he sure carved out a nice career for himself.
Following his tenure with Chicago, he had stints with the Philadelphia Flyers, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, and Anaheim Ducks before retiring in 2010. Calder finished with 114 goals, 180 assists, and 294 points in 590 games played.
Danny Wirtz, the Chairman and CEO of the Blackhawks, had this to say about Calder following the tragic loss:
“The Chicago Blackhawks mourn the loss of Kyle Calder and extend our deepest condolences to Kyle's family during this extremely difficult and tragic time. Kyle approached life with the same passion, intensity and incredible dedication that defined his play. His commitment to the game remained strong long after his professional career ended, sharing his love for hockey with all generations of players through his work with Little Blackhawks, local youth teams and the Chicago Blackhawks Alumni Association. While Kyle's time with us was far too short, I'm comforted in knowing his legacy will live on for many years to come.”
The cause of death is not yet known. He was 47 years old.
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NEW YORK — The NHL is beginning an investigation into Mike Babcock’s resignation as coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets in September 2023 before he coached a game for them, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the investigation is being done privately. All coaching hires are subject to league approval.
The Players’ Association requested the investigation after word emerged that the Edmonton Oilers were interested in hiring Babcock. The league wanted to wait until after the Stanley Cup Final ended before delving into it, and that happened with Carolina defeating Vegas for the title.
Babcock resigned from the Blue Jackets less than three months after taking the job. At the time, Babcock’s requests for personal photos from players in an attempt to get to know them drew criticism as an invasion of privacy.
The union reviewed the situation, but the NHL dropped its planned investigation of the situation when Babcock stepped down.
Babcock, who turned 63 on April 29, has not coached a game in the league since being fired by Toronto 23 games into the 2019-20 season. He coached Detroit to the Stanley Cup in 2008, reached the final with the Red Wings in ’09 and Anaheim in ’03, and helped Canada win back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 2010 and ’14.
Once considered one of the best in the profession, former players have spoken out about Babcock’s old-school tendencies that some say can be considered bullying.
A report surfaced after the Maple Leafs fired Babcock that he had asked a player to share his ranking of teammates from hardest- to least-hardest working and then shared that with the rest of the group. Former Red Wings player Johan Franzen told a Swedish outlet that Babcock was the worst person he had ever met and said at one point he was terrified to go to the rink.
The Oilers are looking for a replacement for Kris Knoblauch after firing him following their first-round playoff exit, despite back-to-back trips to the final before that. They asked Vegas for permission to speak to recently fired coach Bruce Cassidy, but the Golden Knights rejected that request because he remains under contract through next season.
Kyle Calder, who played 10 NHL seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks and four other teams, has died at age 47.
His death was announced by the NHL Alumni Association and his daughter, Madison.
"He was tough as nails on the ice, a fierce competitor who never backed down, yet behind that grit was a teddy bear heart," the Alumni Association said. "Kyle cared deeply for his teammates, friends and everyone fortunate enough to know him. He was a protector, a loyal friend, and someone who always put others before himself."
No cause of death was given.
"Dad, there will never ever be enough words in the world to describe how incredibly lucky I was to have you as my dad," Madison wrote on Instagram. "Never in a million years would I have thought this day would come. There will forever be a void in my heart, but forever a spot just for you.
"The father, husband, son, man, friend, coach, hockey player, and everything in between that you were is truly indescribable. The lessons you taught me, the strength you showed me, and the person you pushed me to become every single day – I carry all of it with me."
Calder was drafted in the fifth round by the Blackhawks in 1997 and played six seasons there. He twice topped 20 goals and 50 points, recording a career-best 26 goals and 59 points in 2005-06 season. He was an alternate captain that season.
He was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in 2006 and then to the Detroit Red Wings, via the Blackhawks, later in the 2006-07 season.
Our NHL Alumni family is deeply saddened by the passing of Kyle Calder.
Today, we mourn not only a respected former NHL player but a cherished teammate, friend, and member of our hockey brotherhood. Kyle embodied the values that make our alumni family so special: his loyalty,… pic.twitter.com/l5jAIjX95t
Calder spent two seasons with the Los Angeles Kings and one with the Anaheim Ducks, signing as a free agent both times.
He finished his NHL career with 114 goals, 180 assists, 294 points and 309 penalty minutes in 590 regular-season games. He also had two goals and an assist in 18 playoff games with the Blackhawks and Red Wings.
He won a silver medal with Canada at the 1999 world junior championships and a gold medal at the 2002 world championships.
Calder coached youth hockey in his retirement.
"He took great pride in mentoring the next generation, and his impact on young athletes and their families will continue to be felt for years to come," the association said.
On June 16, 1998, the Detroit Red Wings did something that had not been done in the NHL since the early 1990s. They won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, and they did it in a way that transcended the sport itself.
The Red Wings dedicated their entire season to Vladimir Konstantinov and Sergei Mnatsakanov, the defenseman and team masseur who had been critically injured in a limousine accident just six days after Detroit's 1997 championship.
Konstantinov, one of the most feared defensive players in the game, was left in a wheelchair with severe brain damage. The tragedy galvanized a locker room that was already among the most talented in the league and gave the entire season a sense of purpose that went far beyond winning hockey games.
The Red Wings finished the regular season with a 44-23-15 record, good for second place in the Western Conference. With Mike Vernon having been traded away following the 1997 title, the Red Wings turned to Chris Osgood in net, a young goaltender who had faced questions about his ability to perform under playoff pressure.
In the first round, Osgood showed some shakiness as the Red Wings needed six games to knock off the Phoenix Coyotes. Detroit steadied themselves in the second round, with Osgood playing stronger as the Wings beat the St. Louis Blues in six games. The Western Conference Finals brought a matchup with the Presidents' Trophy-winning Dallas Stars, and the Wings dispatched Dallas in six games to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive season.
Over the course of the postseason, Sergei Fedorov led the team in goals with ten, while Yzerman contributed 18 assists as the engine that kept the machine running. The roster was loaded with future Hall of Famers. Sergei Fedorov, Viacheslav Fetisov, Igor Larionov, Nicklas Lidstrom, Larry Murphy and Brendan Shanahan all suited up for Detroit, coached by the legendary Scotty Bowman.
Waiting in the Final were the Washington Capitals, making their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in franchise history. Detroit won Game 1 by a score of 2-1, took Game 2 in overtime by a score of 5-4, won Game 3 by 2-1 and closed it out with a 4-1 victory in Game 4.
As the Red Wings celebrated on the ice, out of the tunnel came Konstantinov, wheeled onto the ice in his chair by teammate Slava Fetisov. He was back on the ice, draped in his jersey, surrounded by his teammates. Yzerman skated straight to him and without hesitation placed the Cup in Konstantinov's lap.
The image of Konstantinov sitting in his wheelchair with the Stanley Cup in his arms, teammates crowding around him with tears streaming down their faces, became one of the most iconic photographs in the history of the sport.
Steve Yzerman was named playoff MVP and awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy, leading all scorers with 24 points throughout the postseason. It was a fitting honor for a captain who carried both his team and the weight of everything the season represented.
The 1997-98 Red Wings were the last team to successfully defend their Stanley Cup title until the Pittsburgh Penguins accomplished the feat in 2017, a testament to just how difficult winning back-to-back championships truly is and how special that Detroit team was.
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One of the biggest surprises of the NHL offseason may not involve a free agent at all. It could involve a familiar face making an unexpected return to Los Angeles.
The Kings are expected to explore multiple ways to upgrade their blue line this summer, and one name that has quietly surfaced is someone who already proved he fits perfectly in black and silver: Vladislav Gavrikov.
During a recent appearance on Hot Stove on NHL Network Radio, Kings insider John Hoven tossed out a comment that immediately grabbed attention.
"I'm going to throw a name at you. Don't be surprised if you see Gavrikov back in Los Angeles this summer."
It's the kind of rumor that sounds far-fetched on the surface.
After all, Gavrikov just signed a seven-year, $49 million contract with the New York Rangers last summer after they traded K'Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes. He wasn't brought in to be a short-term solution. He was supposed to become a foundational piece of New York's defense.
But the NHL offseason has a way of creating opportunities where none seemed to exist a few months earlier.
Gavrikov is coming off arguably the best season of his career, recording a career-high 35 points while forming one of the league's most reliable defensive pairings alongside Adam Fox. His combination of size, mobility and shutdown ability would instantly make him one of the most coveted defensemen available if the Rangers were willing to listen.
And while there's no indication New York is actively shopping him, there are reasons why a reunion with Los Angeles isn't impossible.
For starters, much of the appeal of signing with the Rangers changed almost immediately. Artemi Panarin, one of Gavrikov's closest friends and a major reason he chose New York in free agency, was dealt to the Kings only months after his arrival.
The direction of the franchise has shifted as well.
Whether president and general manager Chris Drury wants to label it a retool or something more significant, the Rangers are entering a transitional period. That's a much different situation than the one Gavrikov believed he was joining when he signed long term.
If the veteran defenseman decides he would rather compete with a team built to contend now, Los Angeles would be a natural landing spot.
He already knows the organization, the coaching staff and the market. More importantly, he thrived there.
The Kings acquired Gavrikov from the Columbus Blue Jackets at the 2023 trade deadline alongside goaltender Joonas Korpisalo in exchange for Jonathan Quick, a first-round pick and a third-round pick. During his time in Los Angeles, he quickly established himself as one of the club's most dependable defensive players and became an ideal complement to Drew Doughty.
A return wouldn't come cheaply.
Coming off the most productive offensive season of his career and locked into a long-term contract, Gavrikov would command a significant trade package if New York entertained offers.
Still, if Hoven's comments prove to be more than offseason speculation, the Kings could have an opportunity to reunite with a player who never looked out of place in Los Angeles.
And in a summer already expected to be full of surprises, seeing Vladislav Gavrikov back in a Kings sweater might end up being one of the biggest.
Former NHL player Kyle Calder died Monday. He was 47.
His daughter Madison announced her father’s death in a social media post. The Los Angeles Jr. Kings, the team Calder coached from 2020-22, said he died after a brief illness.
“Never in a million years would I have thought this day would come,” Madison Calder wrote on Instagram. “There will forever be a void in my heart but forever a spot just for you.”
Calder played 608 regular-season and playoff games as a winger in the league from 1999-2009. The Manville, Alberta, native spent a majority of that time with Chicago and also played for Philadelphia, Detroit, Los Angeles and Anaheim.
“Kyle embodied the values that make our alumni family so special: his loyalty, toughness, generosity, and an unwavering commitment to those around him,” the NHL Alumni Association said in a post Tuesday memorializing him. “He was tough as nails on the ice, a fierce competitor who never backed down, yet behind that grit was a teddy bear heart. Kyle cared deeply for his teammates, friends, and everyone fortunate enough to know him. He was a protector, a loyal friend, and someone who always put others before himself.”
Calder coached youth teams in Chicago, Los Angeles and Boston since 2018.
“Kyle approached life with the same passion, intensity and incredible dedication that defined his play,” Blackhawks chairman and CEO Danny Wirtz said. “His commitment to the game remained strong long after his professional career ended, sharing his love for hockey with all generations of players."
Former NHL forward Kyle Calder, who spent the majority of the 2006-07 season as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers, has sadly passed away at 47 years old.
In 59 games with the Flyers during the 2006-07 campaign, Calder recorded nine goals, 12 assists, and 21 points. His time with the Flyers organization ended at the 2007 NHL Trade Deadline when he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for a third-round pick and Lasse Kukkonen. He was then immediately traded to the Detroit Red Wings following the move.
While Calder did not have a long stint with the Flyers, he put together a solid 10-year NHL career. In 590 games over 10 seasons split between the Blackhawks, Flyers, Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, and Anaheim Ducks, he posted 114 goals, 180 assists, and 294 points.
We here at The Hockey News Flyers send our condolences to Calder's family and friends.
Our NHL Alumni family is deeply saddened by the passing of Kyle Calder.
Today, we mourn not only a respected former NHL player but a cherished teammate, friend, and member of our hockey brotherhood. Kyle embodied the values that make our alumni family so special: his loyalty,… pic.twitter.com/l5jAIjX95t
After a photo opportunity with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, Canes captain Jordan Staal lifted the greatest trophy in sports, took a few strides with the Cup above his head, and passed it to former Anaheim Ducks netminder Frederik Andersen.
Andersen (36) started 35 games for the Canes in 2025-26, splitting the crease mostly with Brandon Bussi, who started 39 games, and with Pyotr Kochetkov as a distant third, starting eight games. Andersen wrapped up his 13th NHL regular season with a 16-14-5 record, an .874 SV%, and .69 goals saved above expected.
Andersen got the Game 1 start in the Canes’ opening round against the Ottawa Senators and cruised to the Stanley Cup Final with a whopping 12-1 record. He lost the net to rookie Brandon Bussi (27) after the Canes went down 2-1 in the first three games to open the final series.
Bussi took the torch from Andersen and led the Canes across the finish line, winning the final three games, with Andersen’s full support the entire way.
Though he was not the one who got mobbed by teammates once the clock ran out, Andersen was monumentally impactful throughout the Canes’ journey, and his ring will be well-deserved.
Andersen was drafted by the Ducks (87th overall in 2012) after he re-entered the draft, having ironically been drafted by the Canes (187th in ’10) two years prior, but wasn’t signed.
He immediately made the jump to North America in 2012 and played a year for the Norfolk Admirals of the AHL before he was called up to Anaheim to back up Jonas Hiller in the NHL for the 2013-14 season.
His time in Anaheim was brief, and he only lasted three years, as he was ultimately (and possibly regrettably) rendered a stopgap goaltender to bridge the gap between Hiller’s tenure and a young John Gibson’s rise to stardom.
His trademark includes utilizing his 6-foot-4 frame and knowledge of angles to play an efficient and effective goaltending style, rarely requiring himself to make spectacular saves. He, however, had a habit of allowing a shot to squeak through him at less-than-ideal times in big games. Ultimately, he proved to be one of the more reliable goaltenders of his generation with impressive longevity.
As a member of the Ducks, Andersen started 114 games, made 125 appearances, posted a 77-26-12 record, and a .918 SV%. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs on June 20, 2016, in exchange for a 2016 first-round pick (Sam Steel) and a 2017 second-round pick (Max Comtois).
With the Ducks, Andersen made the NHL’s all-rookie team in 2013-14, won the Jennings Trophy in 2015-16, and in 2014-15, he backstopped the Ducks to their deepest playoff run to date since winning the Stanley Cup in 2007.
He went on to win one more Jennings in 2021-22, is a two-time all-star, and is now a Stanley Cup Champion. It’s unclear what his future holds, but if the 36-year-old Danish goaltender decides to hang up the pads, he’ll have a career full of spectacular accomplishments to look back on.
