On July 27, the Anaheim Ducks traded AHL forward Sasha Pastujov to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for AHL forward Sean Farrell. The next day, Farrell was signed to a one-year, two-way contract worth an AAV of $850k.
Farrell (24) was selected by the Habs with the 124th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft out of the Chicago Steel of the USHL. The versatile forward had been highly productive at every level he’d played at prior to professional hockey.
He returned to the USHL for the season following his draft and scored 101 points (29-72=101) in 52 games. He played the next two seasons (2021-2023) at Harvard University in the NCAA, where he totaled 81 points (30-51=81) in 58 games. He finished the 2022-23 season in the NHL and scored a goal in six games.
Farrell spent the next three seasons with the Laval Rocket in the AHL, unable to translate his prior production, and scored 125 points (46-79=125) in 186 games, adding 12 points (3-9=12) in 18 playoff games.
He has every skill necessary to play a role as at least a middle-six NHL forward except for size (5-foot-10, 174 pounds). He’s shifty and smart with plus puck skills and creativity to find teammates in dangerous locations in any situation. His lack of a “B game” and need for an offensive role have likely been the primary factors in his inability to break into the NHL.
Farrell has ties within the Ducks organization, dating back to playing alongside forward Sam Colangelo (36th overall in 2020) at the U16 AAA level with the Boston Jr. Bruins in 2015-16. He played alongside Colangelo and defenseman Ian Moore (67th in ’20) with the Steel. He played with forward Judd Caulfield (145th in ’19) and defenseman Drew Helleson (47th in ’19) at the USNTDP U17 division. At Harvard, again, he played two seasons alongside Moore (67th in ’20).
Farrell has represented the United States at the U18 World Championships in 2019 (alongside Helleson), where he notched two assists in seven games, the 2022 Olympic Games (alongside Helleson), where he led the team in scoring with six points (3-3=6) in four games, and at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships (alongside forward Cutter Gauthier), totaling eight points (3-5=8) in 20 games.
Farrell can play either on the wing or in the middle of the ice, and with the Ducks organizational depth chart projecting somewhat thin at center, it’s possible he could have a role as the San Diego Gulls top-line center in the AHL and have a shot for an early call-up, should the Ducks sustain an injury at the position.
In the trade, the Ducks parted ways with Pastujov (23), who the Ducks had previously selected in the third round (66th in ’21) of the NHL Draft. He provided two consecutive productive seasons for the Gulls in 2024-25 and 2025-26, leading the team in points per game with 102 (38-64=102) in 114 games, and finishing his Gulls career with 125 points (48-77=125) in 160 games.
Pastujov, like Farrell, needed an offensive role if he were to be awarded a shot at the NHL level and lacked a refined game away from the puck. His skating was always a significant drawback and the likely reason for a lack of development in terms of a forechecking or two-way game.
Ultimately, it’s unlikely a prolonged NHL career is in the cards for either Farrell or Pastujov at this point in their careers. For the Ducks, Farrell offers them more of a stylistic fit as well as versatility in the lineup at whatever level he plays at.
On Wednesday, The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn published his annual article ranking every NHL team by contract efficiency, and, unsurprisingly, the Montreal Canadiens fared very well. A week ago, he released a ranking of the league’s 10 best contracts, and he had Habs defenseman Lane Hutson’s in the top spot, which no doubt went a long way towards Montreal being second in this latest ranking.
The only team that beats the Habs in contract efficiency, according to Luszczyszyn, is the Caroline Hurricanes, since he gave an A grade to seven of their 20 contracts. As for the Habs, they have six grade-A contracts, but five of them are A-plus. Montreal went from number 14 in those rankings last season to second this season, and chances are, it will keep climbing next offseason when some of its worst contracts, according to the model (Phillip Danault, Josh Anderson), come off the books.
Unsurprisingly, those two contracts, which both get a C-minus grade, were not signed by GM Kent Hughes. The architect of this iteration of the Canadiens has done wonderful work on the team's financial structure. Getting both Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky to sign for less than captain Nick Suzuki was a stroke of genius, and so were the deals he signed with Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov. The Russian player’s eight-year, $9.2 million cap-hit deal is looking better by the day. Hours after Luszczyszyn released his rankings, it was announced that Macklin Celebrini had signed a five-year contract extension with the San Jose Sharks with a $18.8 M cap hit, which means that Demidov will be earning less than half of what the Sharks’ prodigy will make.
While Hughes’ fingerprints are all over those contracts, it’s important to remember that he wasn’t alone in making them happen. Much has been made of the fact that Anaheim Ducks’ GM Pat Verbeek hadn’t signed his RFAs in advance, leaving himself vulnerable to offer sheets, but no matter how much a GM wants to sign a player to a new deal, if the player doesn’t want to do that, it won’t happen.
In a recent episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman interviewed Matt and Ryan Keator, who are Leo Carlsson’s agents, and they revealed that Anaheim was very keen on signing a new deal before his ELC ended. Still, the agents convinced the player not to do that. In a nutshell, they didn’t want Carlsson to regret signing a deal before he had all the information about the market and could make an informed decision. For Hughes to be able to sign those deals, the Canadiens players had to be ready to do what Carlsson ultimately didn’t want to do: put pen to paper without knowing what the market would look like a year later down the line. They had to tell their agents they weren’t after the most money possible; they were after an opportunity to win in Montreal, and they were willing to give the Canadiens ample time to do that.
Photo credit: The Athletic
Not only did the Canadiens’ core players sign team-friendly deals, but they signed away years of UFA status. Celebrini, Connor Bedard and Carlsson all only signed five-year deals, meaning that after those five years, they’ll be free as a bird to cash in on the free agency market. If they won’t commit to their team before the expiry of their deal, they may very well be allowed to walk for free. In five years from now, if you are the San Jose Sharks or the Chicago Blackhawks and your team is looking good ahead of the playoffs, you can’t just trade away such important core pieces right before the playoffs. It certainly puts a lot of pressure on their team’s front office to win and win fast.
Meanwhile, in Montreal, most of the core players signed eight-year contracts; it started with Suzuki (under Bergevin), followed by Caufield, Slafkovsky, Noah Dobson, Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov. That wasn’t all Hughes’ doing either. Players talk to each other, and Demidov was very open with the media, telling us that he and Hutson had long discussed the importance of being in Montreal. Those players all left money on the table and very likely did it against their agents’ advice; that was clear when Hutson’s negotiations dragged on, and he stepped in himself to put an end to the deadlock.
Yes, Hughes has done great work putting this team together, but the players also did a great job building a culture in which the team and winning come first; that’s how the Canadiens landed in second place in Luszczyszyn’s rankings.
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 08: Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Nicholas Robertson (89) carries the puck during the third period of an NHL game between the Washington Capitals and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 08, 2026, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON. (Photo by Mathew Tsang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It is time for another round of preseason over/under for the 2026-27 Pittsburgh Penguins.
This past week we looked at Ben Kindel and the team’s youngest players (or potential young players). This week we are going to take a look at some of the newest offseason additions and what they might be capable of this season.
Let’s get started.
Nicholas Robertson: Over/under 20.5 goals
Of all the players the Penguins brought in this offseason, I think Robertson is the one that has the best chance to really make a big impact, both now and in the long-term future.
He is still only 24 years old (soon-to-be 25) and has at least shown he has NHL skill, and perhaps still some untapped potential.
He has averaged a 17-goal pace per 82 games so far in his career, with that number inching closer to 19 goals per 82 games over the past three seasons. He has also done that by mostly playing in a depth role and logging only 12 minutes of ice-time per game.
On a per-minute basis, he has been one of the most efficient goal-scorers in the NHL over the past three years. His 1.09 goals per 60 minute of 5-on-5 play since the start of the 2023-24 season places him 29th in the entire league among the 517 forwards that have logged at least 500 minutes of ice-time. It also ties him with Jack Eichel and Jordan Kyrou, and puts him ahead of players like Brandon Hagel, Jake Guentzel and Pavel Dorofeyev.
That does not mean he is as good as those players. It just means that he has produced well in the limited minutes he has received.
He fits the mold of so many players the Penguins have acquired over the past year-plus: Early-to-mid-20s, strong rate stats, played well in softer and lesser roles, and players that might be looking for either a fresh start or an increased role. They have had some success with some of those guys (even if in a small sample size), including Egor Chinakhov, Elmer Soderblom and Parker Wotherspoon (before trading him this offseason).
Maybe Robertson can blossom here the same way. It might not work as well as it did with, say, Chinakhov, but I like the roll of the dice for the price that it cost.
The Penguins are hoping per-minute production can turn into bigger overall production with an increased role. Can it turn into 20-or-more goals?
Andrei Kuzmenko: Over/Under 20.5 goals
If you were looking for a parallel move a year ago, it would be Anthony Mantha.
Veteran player.
Some track record of success.
Some inconsistency.
Recent injury concerns.
Short-term, one-year prove-it contract that could make him a potential trade candidate later in the season if things work out individually, but not necessarily on a team level.
I do not expect Kuzmenko to come in here and score 33 goals and lead the team in goal-scoring the way Mantha did a year ago, but I also don’t think he’s going to be a complete zero, either.
There is obviously some offensive talent here, and he has a pretty good shot. He broke into the league with 39 goals in his first season, scoring on more than 27 percent of his shots, but has not really come close to duplicating that total in the years since.
He did score 22 goals in year two, but has scored just 24 goals in 118 games since.
Injuries, and also bouncing around to three different teams in three years, have certainly caused much of his career to get sidetracked, as well as his own shortcomings and inconsistencies. But for whatever flaws he has to his game, he is a high percentage shooter and he can put the puck in the net. He has finished with a shooting percentage of 18 percent or higher in three of his four years in the league, while never having a season below 13.8 percent. He is also especially productive on the power play as a goal-scorer.
Is 20 goals really out of reach here?
He has topped that mark two times in four years, and was scoring at a 20-goal pace in the 52 games he played a year ago on a significantly worse offensive team (Los Angeles Kings) with far less talent around him.
A lot of it will be dependent on his ability to stay on the ice. But based on his career it’s a reasonable goal. A very reasonable goal.
Hendrix Lapierre: Over/under 10.5 points
Lapierre was one of the Penguins first moves of the offseason, but I figure it is probably the one forward move that will make the least impact. At least offensively speaking. The Penguins are so deep at the forward positions, both with established players and potential young players, that I don’t really see him being much more than a fourth-liner or extra forward.
He has 47 points in 158 career games. His rate stats are passable, but not quite on the level of a Robertson or even a Soderblom, and I just don’t know where his minutes or production are going to come from.
He is still somewhat young, but it just seems like organizational depth, with maybe the hope of catching lightning in a bottle and getting a solid depth forward.
Kaedan Korczak: Over/under 15.5 points
Korczak has never been a really big offensive producer, but Vegas consistently produced strong results when he was on the ice in terms of pushing play, out-chancing their opponents and out-scoring their opponents. He played a lot of sheltered minutes in a lower-pairing role, but he played them exceptionally well and probably earned a bigger look. I think in a lot of ways he is the defensive version of their gambles on players like Chinakhov, Soderblom and Robertson.
He averages a 20 point pace per 82 games, and is coming off a 16-point season in 74 games.
Declan Carlile: Over/under 20.5 points
I am going to go out on a limb here and say that not only is Carlile this year’s version of Parker Wotherspoon, but that he is also better than Wotherspoon. It may not result in quite as many points (Wotherspoon had 30 points a year ago), mostly because I’m not sure he is going to get as much ice-time next to Erik Karlsson (though, I suppose he could) but I could see him having a shockingly good year.
He played extremely well in Tampa Bay after being thrown into an NHL role, and his profile is very similar to what Wotherspoon was before arriving in Pittsburgh. This could be a sneaky good signing. Perhaps even a sneaky productive signing.
Trevor van Riemsdyk: Over/under plus-10 rating
Plus-minus has its flaws, but I am really just trying to give something else to guess on beyond goals and points. I am not looking at this as an end-all, be-all evaluation of his overall play. So plus-minus it is.
With Korczak, Carlile and van Riemsdyk all joining the roster, the Penguins turned over half of their defensive lineup this offseason, and that does not include the potential for players like Harrison Brunicke or Owen Pickering to play their way onto the roster and into the lineup. It is certainly a very different group, and it has decent a chance to be better defensively. Will it be good enough to get them closer to the top contenders in the Eastern Conference? That remains to be seen. But I do like the chances to at least be better.
Of all the defensive players they brought in, van Riemsdyk is probably the best pure defender among the group, and has posted plus-minus ratings of plus-10, minus-7, plus-20 and plus-6 over the past four seasons.
There were six Penguins players that were plus-10 or better a year ago. Is it a mark van Riemsdyk can reach this season?
As their rebuild kicks on towards the adding and re-signing players segment, the Philadelphia Flyers still have work to do when it comes to getting value back from the contracts they hand out.
The Flyers have signed a slew of players to contract extensions in recent years and months: Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale, Dan Vladar, Travis Konecny, Owen Tippett, and Tyson Foerster all stand out.
In addition to their overall lack of star power, the problem with the Flyers is simply that too many contracts are more or less in line with what the player earned based on the market, rather than getting a team-friendly deal more often than once in a while.
Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic just released his annual assessment of every NHL team's contract efficiency, which is based on the on-ice value the team gets back relative to all their players' contracts.
The Flyers, after ranking a paltry 26th in the contract efficiency totem pole last year, placed 20th this year. That's a modest improvement, but still firmly in the bottom half of the NHL.
Here's what Luszczyszyn had to say about the Orange and Black at this point in time:
"One year makes a pretty big difference. The Flyers’ roster responded really well to Rick Tocchet hockey, with much of the roster’s value taking a positive step forward. Noah Cates was arguably the biggest beneficiary of that, and the Tyson Foerster extension helped add a fair bit of surplus value.
"Still, the Flyers land a bit below average thanks to a string of deals that are close to fair for both sides from Trevor Zegras, Christian Dvorak, Jamie Drysdale and Dan Vladar. There’s nothing wrong with that, but in a rising cap world in which other teams are getting massive wins, fair deals aren’t quite enough."
Luszczyszyn notes that Noah Cates and Tyson Foerster have two of the better deals on the roster, and the caveat there is that these are two defense-first, middle-six players.
Cates, 27, has three years remaining on his contract at a modest $4 million cap hit per year, which is looking more and more like a steal in today's cap environment, especially compared to teammate Christian Dvorak's less tame five-year deal that comes with a $5.15 AAV.
Luszczyszyn has Cates's contract at an A-, while Dvorak checks in a few pegs below at a B-.
Among the Flyers' biggest detractors for Luszczyszyn's model are free agent signing Noel Acciari (C+, two years, $2.8 million AAV), Travis Konecny (C, seven years, $8.75 million AAV), and Sean Couturier (D, four years, $7.75 million).
The Flyers went out of their way to secure the aging Acciari in free agency, and they gave Konecny a long-term eight-year deal that would still carry a large cap hit well past his prime years, which they aren't really paying for in the deal.
As for other recent deals, like Luszczyszyn noted, Zegras, Drysdale, and Vladar all got fair value: B-, B-, and B-.
No Flyers players were graded out better than an A, though Cates, Foerster, and Travis Sanheim each got an A-. And this same Flyers front office nearly traded Sanheim before that deal even began.
That all said, it would be nice if the Flyers could do better than to get surplus value on players other than depth pieces; Zegras especially sticks out.
Time will tell what happens with Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov once their entry-level contracts expire.
While the Flyers have improved from last year, they can only go up so far with the raw amount of players they already have signed to long-term deals, and especially the ones who are in or near their 30s.
Even if the Pittsburgh Penguins have not yet been all that active on the trade market this summer, that doesn't mean they haven't been doing subtle things to boost their depth and give them flexibility, especially on the forward front.
And that includes what the team may end up looking like down the middle.
Of course, Sidney Crosby - even at age 39 - will still be a pretty formidable first-line center, as he clinched his 21st consecutive season above point-per-game last season, which is an NHL record. But, beyond Crosby, there is still more center depth to go around, even if the team needs to acquire more high-end youth at the position sooner than later.
Crosby aside, the Penguins currently have seven other centers on their roster, including Evgeni Malkin, Rickard Rakell, Tommy Novak, Ben Kindel, Blake Lizotte, Hendrix Lapierre, and Connor Dewar. So, they have a lot of options down the middle, and therefore, a ton of different forward combinations that they could ultimately roll with.
So, what makes the most sense? And could they see some growth out of some of their younger options?
Of course, the most likely outcome is that the Penguins ultimately decide to stick with what has worked. As mentioned in our forward lineup projections for the 2026-27 season, that involves Crosby, Novak, Kindel, and Lizotte in order down the middle, as was the case for the Stanley Cup Playoffs and much of the 2025-26 regular season.
Former head coach Mike Sullivan liked having more than one center on each line, and current head coach Dan Muse is no different. The first line would have Rakell and Crosby, the second line Novak and Malkin, and Kindel, Lizotte, Dewar, and Lapierre dispersed in the bottom-six, depending on deployment and who wins lineup spots over others.
Having that balance is important, but it's also worth noting that Novak as a true second-line center probably isn't going to cut it if the Penguins want to take steps toward contention.
Should Rakell play center?
This will be one of the more interesting lineup storylines to follow heading into training camp. Rakell manned the middle quite a bit last season for the Penguins, and he got progressively more comfortable there as the season bore on. He spent a large chunk of time there in the stretch run of the season during times without either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, and he registered 14 goals and 24 points in a 20-game span.
Faceoffs are still an issue, but the 33-year-old has had an entire summer to work on it. Everything else came along nicely as he played more games down the middle, and he proved one of their most valuable players in terms of getting the team to the playoffs.
Could Rakell centering the second line bolster the team's depth even more? Honestly, it could. Andrei Kuzmenko could slot alongside Crosby and Rust, Rakell could complete a formidable trio between Egor Chinakhov and Malkin, and Kindel could have a defensively conscientious and solid two-way player in Novak on his line to complement someone with offensive upside like Nick Robertson.
Rakell centering the second line could make a lot of sense if the Penguins want to optimize the rest of their lineup and spread the wealth a bit.
If last season taught us anything, it's that the Penguins - despite being down Crosby for their most crucial stretch of the season - still elected to keep Malkin on the wing during that time despite the team's deficit at center.
So, more than likely, his days as a centerman in the NHL are all but over. The shift to wing for half the season, and Malkin's chemistry with Chinakhov and Novak, seemed to revitalize him, as he registered 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games.
Even if he's no Malkin, the same can likely be said about Dewar. He has rarely played center with the Penguins, and there's no good reason to start now - especially since the Penguins employ a wealth of solid albeit unspectacular center depth.
Could young guys elevate?
Something to keep in mind is that Kindel played through an entire NHL season as an 18-year-old at the center position, which is already a rare feat on its own. Even if his 17-goal, 35-point season doesn't jump off the stat page, he is a rare example of a teenage player who seems to have most of the 200-foot details already ironed out in his game.
So, it stands to reason that he could take a major step forward next season in terms of production, which could eventually land him as the team's second-line center for good. This is probably best-case scenario for the Penguins, as they'd have some promise in a long-term top-six center, and they could place a very capable two-way center in Novak on the third line. Even if he doesn't explode offensively, Kindel will see growth this season as a player and as a center, and that is certainly a good thing for the organization either way.
Lapierre shouldn't be counted out, either, especially since Muse and the Penguins already have a reputation for getting the most out of players who need a change of scenery. The former first-round pick (22nd overall in 2020) had pedestrian production with the Capitals, but being put in a better position to succeed with bigger minutes could benefit him in Pittsburgh.
And don't forget Tristan Broz, who will be knocking on the door from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Broz, 23, only got one NHL game last season because of bad injury luck. But he is NHL-ready and will be the first one called upon if the Penguins need help down the middle.
The Penguins' most balanced, optimal lineup probably comes with Rakell centering the second line. Kuzmenko or Robertson are worth a shot next to Crosby and Bryan Rust, and Novak being on the third line to give it more defensive conscience is not a bad thing, especially for a guy on an upward trajectory like Kindel. Plus, that second line could certainly provide a lethal offensive punch, and Malkin can help ease some of Rakell's faceoff concerns.
So, Pittsburgh should roll Crosby, Rakell, Kindel, and Lizotte down the middle next season.
Throughout the over three-decade history of the San Jose Sharks, only two players have ever worn the number 64 for the team in teal.
The most recent player to wear the number was forward Mikael Granlund, who the Sharks acquired as a part of the trade that sent Erik Karlsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Granlund's NHL career started in the State of Hockey, as he was drafted by the Minnesota Wild with the ninth-overall selection in the 2010 NHL Draft. The Finnish forward spent just under a decade in Minnesota before being dealt to the Nashville Predators during the 2018-19 season.
Granlund then spent five seasons in Nashville, helping them reach the playoffs on a regular basis. He'd be on the move once again during the 2022-23 season though, as he was dealt to the Penguins ahead of the trade deadline. That stint was less than memorable for the veteran forward, and the Penguins moved him to the Sharks that summer.
Granlund then spent two seasons with the Sharks, mentoring some of their young players and shining as a bright spot in a difficult time for the organization. In 121 games for the Sharks, Granlund scored 27 goals and 105 total points.
The Sharks then traded Granlund to the Dallas Stars ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, where he spent the rest of the 2024-25 season. That summer, he signed with the Sharks' state rivals, the Anaheim Ducks, where he remains today.
During the 2023 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks selected Roman Kantserov in the second round with the 44th overall pick. He has since become one of the top prospects in the entire organization.
Kantserov is developing into an incredible goal-scorer, as he led the KHL in goals during the 2025-26 season. He is now looking to translate that success to the NHL, where he will make his debut in 2026-27.
On Wednesday, Kantserov attended the NHLPA/Upper Deck Rookie Showcase as a member of their 2026 class. This took place at Blackhawks Ice Center in Chicago. Kantserov skated alongside some of the best prospects in the game right now, including fellow Blackhawks prospect Sacha Boisver and the number one overall pick made by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Gavin McKenna.
When asked about the Blackhawks during his media scrum, Kantserov had some interesting things to say. For one, he wants Connor Bedard to return from his injury as soon as possible, but he understands the magnitude of Patrick Kane coming back.
"It's [Bedard's injury] sad news," Kantserov said. "But Chicago signed Patrick Kane. The legend has come back. It's awesome.”
A lot of the young players on the team are going to be excited to play with Patrick Kane. Most of them grew up watching him.
“He's the greatest American player, all-time scorer, and this is a very good opportunity to play with him," Kantserov said of Kane. "Of course, if we play together with Bedard, maybe we can find the chemistry.”
Coming into the year, Kantserov is going to get some runway when it comes to ice time in the top six. If he has a good camp and preseason, playing with the team's top players is absolutely going to be in the cards for him.
Whether it is at even strength or on the power play, Kantserov is going to get looks with Patrick Kane early in the season. It will get even more lethal when Bedard returns. When it comes to his desire to build chemistry with them, it shouldn't be a problem, as they are all highly skilled players with experience playing with elite talent.
Chicago, whichever linemates they start Kantserov with, should see him score a fair number of goals. Whether it's the two stars in Bedard and Kane, or others like Frank Nazar or Anton Frondell, there is a lot of playmaking talent on the roster. Feeding it to a sniper like this could create a whole new dynamic to the overall offense.
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Towards the end of last season, the Winnipeg Jets made some adjustments to their roster, bringing up young talent to see what they had at the NHL level. One of the names recalled from the minors was Brad Lambert.
The former 2022 first-round pick got the call for 25 games last season, his largest NHL stint yet after appearing in just five and one games at the NHL level over the two prior seasons, respectively. Lambert finished the season with three goals and three assists for six points, hardly the kind of impact that quiets questions, leaving Jets fans wondering what comes next for the 22-year-old.
Lambert is slated to make Winnipeg's opening night roster, according to Elite Prospects, where he'll look to secure his longest look yet at the NHL level and could slot in on the wing rather than at center, a shift that's been floated as a way to simplify his role and let his speed and skating ability play a bigger part in his offensive game.
Daily Faceoff projects Lambert to open the season on the third line alongside Isak Rosen on the opposite wing, with Vladislav Namestnikov centering the trio, an intriguing look for Winnipeg's bottom six.
Lambert will likely cycle through different line combinations before the Jets land on something that sticks, as has often been the case throughout his brief NHL career so far.
The best-case scenario is a middle-six role, one that could even see him get chances on the second line and further opportunities to adjust to the pace of the NHL. The worst-case outcome would be a fourth-line role, or another trip back down to the AHL if things don't click early.
It's difficult to project exactly what Winnipeg will get out of Lambert this season, but a full, uninterrupted look figures to provide the biggest sample size yet of his game.
With his entry-level contract set to expire after this season and restricted free agency looming in 2027, how Lambert performs will likely be one of the more closely watched storylines for the Jets heading into the year.
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In an offseason in which its captain quit on his group to be a wingman in Florida and the franchise icon left the coaching staff to broaden his horizons in pursuit of an NHL head coaching gig, it certainly is not hard to become cynical about the Ottawa Senators’ chances in 2026-27.
The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn rated the Senators as being the second-least improved team this summer and, on many levels, it is understandable. Outsiders will look at the Senators’ wild card placement last season and offseason to conclude that they could finish outside the playoff picture in 2027.
Replacing Brady Tkachuk’s blend of skill and physicality is an impossible task, but after general manager Steve Staios acknowledged in his end-of-the-year availability that the backup goaltending position was his biggest misstep last year, entrusting those responsibilities to one of the worst statistical goaltenders in the NHL these past three years is a massive roll of the dice.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss who might round out the top six in Ottawa.
Recency bias obviously adds weight and attention to what has been a relatively low-key series of additions for the Senators.
Re-signing Jordan Spence to a multi-year commitment at an affordable cost was a tidy piece of business. William Eklund won’t replace Tkachuk, but the organization is hoping he has a chance to pop for more offence and, at the very least, he should be a solid two-way addition to the team’s top six.
Staios has repeatedly referenced Justin Peters and Maciej Szwoch’s belief in Samuel Ersson’s tools over the past several weeks. There is so much volatility in NHL goaltending that Ersson could reward that confidence with significantly improved play. It also helps that he is Swedish, and that consideration could help favourably in building a relationship and battery with Linus Ullmark.
With so much emphasis on recent moves, it is easy to forget that Ottawa finished in the top-five in many important statistical categories.
According to Natural Stat Trick’s five-on-five data, the Senators finished in the top-five in the percentage of shots (52.85 CF%, 5th), shots on goal (54.08 SF%, 4th), expected goals (54.54 xGF%, 3rd), shots allowed per 60 (51.85 CA/60, 3rd), shots on goal allowed per 60 (23.37 SA/60) and expected goals allowed per 60 (2.32 xGA/60, 2nd).
On special teams, the Senators finished with the league’s eighth-ranked power play (24.0%), and after assistant coach Mike Yeo took over the penalty kill duties from Nolan Baumgartner on January 24th, the Senators had the second-best rate in the league (89.2%).
The Senators’ greatest strength lies in their structure and commitment to defence. They match one of the best and youngest bluelines in the NHL with incredible young centre depth. Provided the organization can maintain their strong five-on-five numbers, they should be in good shape.
It was widely documented last season that the Senators could not get saves. Had the team received league-average goaltending, they would have been one of the Atlantic Division's top three teams and sat comfortably in a playoff spot.
It is naive to believe that Ullmark can carry his exceptional playoff performance across a full slate of regular season games, but he can be significantly better than he was last season.
Perhaps most importantly, what is really exciting about this stage of the franchise’s development is how the team is well-positioned to make a splashy trade should the right player and fit become available.
Speaking to TSN 1200’s John Rodenburg last week, Staios expanded on this prospective development.
“The way we've positioned ourselves now, I always look back to where we're always trying to improve,” the general manager stated. “When I first came in the doors here in Ottawa and assessed where we were, and continue to build on our team and continue to improve our team. The position we're in now with not only the cap flexibility and the depth of our roster, but also draft assets and prospects that we didn't have when we got here (has changed).
“It’s not the exciting stuff that fans probably want to hear, but I think when you look at it on the work that we've done, sometimes it looks subtle, but there's there's ways that we've built up on this roster and the depth to continue to be a competitive team, but also give us the flexibility moving forward to be able to be in on things.
"And initially, when I got here, we were a little bit hamstrung, so there wasn't the optionality to look at these options. We certainly looked at them. We assessed them, but we just couldn't get in the game. We have put ourselves in a position now where we can get in the game.”
A recent report on RG.org by Daria Tuboltseva indicated that Columbus’ Kirill Marchenko may be close to being traded.
The 26-year-old right winger is in the final year of his contract that carries a $3.85 million cap hit per PuckPedia. His real salary for the 2026-27 season is $3.975 million. Marchenko has one more year of restricted free agency beyond this season before he can become an unrestricted free agent.
Listed at 6’3, 201 lbs, Marchenko tallied 27 goals and 67 points in 76 games last season while playing predominantly with Adam Fantilli and Mason Marchment. The winger has scored 20-plus goals in each of his four NHL seasons, with his best season occurring in 2024-25 when he recorded 31 goals and 74 points in 79 games.
Although they are different players, Marchenko’s impacts are not dissimilar from Senators winger Drake Batherson.
Marchenko’s age certainly aligns with the Senators’ core, but his goal-scoring ability would certainly fill a need. His five-on-five goals (0.91 G/60) and points (1.94 Pts/60) rates last season would have been the third-highest on the team behind Tim Stützle and Batherson.
The Alex DeBrincat deal illustrates why the lack of a controllable term leaves the Senators needing an extension in hand to justify incurring the significant opportunity cost to acquire good players. But, make no mistake, Marchenko represents the type of player the Senators should be targeting.
A shiny new toy may not arrive this summer, but with the Senators’ strengths, coupled with a reasonable expectation that the goaltending will be better, the organization should be poised to add at some point this season.
And assuming they do, they will put themselves in the conversation of being one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
By Graeme Nichols The Hockey News
This article first appeared at The Hockey News Ottawa. For full Senators coverage, check out one of The Hockey News headlines below:
The offseason for the Detroit Red Wings in the wake of missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 10th consecutive year has been filled with a pair of major storylines that have understandably grabbed the lion's share of fan attention.
In early June, captain Dylan Larkin's trade request was made public. And on July 15, the Red Wings announced that GM Steve Yzerman had stepped down from his role and that they were conducting a search for a successor.
The timing of Yzerman's departure from his role was nothing short of curious, as it took place not only after the 2026 NHL Draft in late June, but also two weeks into the start of the free agency period.
On the opening day of free agency, Yzerman inked former Boston Bruins forward Viktor Arvidsson to a two-year contract, while also signing former Florida Panthers goaltender Daniil Tarasov to a one-year pact; he also acquired grinding forward Keegan Kolesar via trade from the Vegas Golden Knights.
And while a handful of other depth players were signed, there haven't been any subsequent moves that have really moved the needle or could be considered of an aggressive nature.
That being said, there still remain far more questions than answers. The Red Wings have yet to announce any official interviews with potential successors to Yzerman, or given a timeline as to when a successor will be named.
Additionally, fans are wondering how the club will supplement the 57 points lost by Patrick Kane's departure to the Chicago Blackhawks, as well as how the ongoing standoff with Larkin will ultimately end.
There's also the status of defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who remains a restricted free agent.
There hasn't been much in term of answers for a fan base starved for winning hockey again with Training Camp less than two months away.
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One of the most pressing questions for the Detroit Red Wings this offseason was whether they'd be able to bring back future Hall of Fame winger Patrick Kane.
The Buffalo native, who turns 38 in November, is still a near point-per-game player, and the Red Wings couldn't afford to lose any more offense from a unit that finished with the 11th-worst scoring output in the NHL this past season.
The homecoming many expected, however, didn't play out in Detroit's favor. The Chicago Blackhawks instead offered Kane a two-year, $16 million deal carrying an $8 million cap hit, and he took it, returning to the franchise where he built the bulk of his Hall of Fame resume.
Few fans were upset with the decision, especially once the dollar figure became public. Some were downright stunned by Chicago's willingness to hand a three-time Stanley Cup champion that kind of money on the back end of his career.
Kane's $8 million cap hit lands just a shade below what Detroit stars Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider carry on their own deals, while coming in above the cap hit of notable linemate Alex DeBrincat.
There was little chance the Red Wings were ever going to match that kind of offer, and the Fourth Period's David Pagnotta made clear just how surprised he was by the number on a recent episode of Daily Faceoff's "The Sheet" podcast.
Pagnotta explained he did a triple take when the figure came across, adding that it wasn't as if Chicago lacked the cap space to make it work. He also said he had heard Kane was offered something closer to $5 million before the Blackhawks ultimately decided to sweeten the pot to ensure their longtime winger made his way back to the Windy City.
Detroit, meanwhile, never came close to that range as Kane's salary with the Red Wings topped out at $4 million across three one-year deals from 2023 through 2026, during which he remained a highly productive scorer, totaling 57 goals and 163 points in 189 games.
Chicago's willingness to more than double that price tag underscores just how much value the Blackhawks are placing on Kane's return, particularly with top center Connor Bedard expected to open next season on the shelf following offseason shoulder surgery.
Selected first overall by the Blackhawks in the 2007 NHL Draft, Kane spent the first 17 seasons of his career with the franchise, winning three Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015 along with the Calder Trophy, the Conn Smythe Trophy, the Art Ross Trophy, the Hart Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award.
In 1,161 games with Chicago, Kane recorded 446 goals and 779 assists for 1,225 points, numbers that rank him third in franchise history in goals and second in both assists and points.
Kane was one of the more reliable playmakers left on the Red Wings roster that struggled to generate offense last season, and his departure leaves the team searching for more answers up front as they continue chasing their first playoff berth in a decade.
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The NHL’s latest big contract signing has Vancouver Canucks fans excited.
Earlier today, the San Jose Sharks announced that star forward and BC-local Macklin Celebrini has signed a five-year contract extension beginning during the 2027–28 season. The contract expires after the 2031–32 season, during which Celebrini will become an unrestricted free-agent at the age of 26.
It’s safe to say that Canucks fans are very happy about the prospect of a potential Celebrini free-agency signing.
“Walked himself to UFA basically,” @LaheyHNIC wrote on X. “Incredible day for the Canucks.”
Celebrini’s contract is the second five-year extension signed by a player from North Vancouver, as Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard also inked a new contract in mid-July that will walk him to UFA status in 2031.
With both North Vancouver products set to become UFAs in the future, Canucks fans have already begun celebrating an outcome in which both Bedard and Celebrini return home to play for the Canucks.
“CELEBRINI AND BEDARD ONLY SIGNED FOR 5 YEARS, YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS !!!” @Springer4MVP said on X.
"This has to be the best off-season for the Canucks in the past decade. 2 hometown boys signing contracts that lineup perfectly with the Canucks rebuild. Couldn't ask for anything else," @Taj1944 commented. "Now they have to stay patient for 4-5 years and keep loading up with young talent."
“Bedard and Celebrini are both walking themselves to be 25 and 26 year old UFAs,” @Naughty4Novotny added. “They both want to come home and play for their favourite hockey team as soon as possible 🤩.”
“#Canucks have 5 years to put together a decent roster AND get a practice facility project built. Don’t let that time go to waste ⏳,” @LachInTheCrease wrote.
Only time will tell whether fans’ premature celebrations are a sign of something true to come along. For now, it appears the allure of two potential homecomings will be enough to keep Vancouver’s fanbase excited.
Apr 6, 2026; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (71) and Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) face off during the second period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
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We are at one of the quietest points of the offseason, but the New York Rangers still have two notable restricted free agents without a contract extension in place.
The futures of defensemen Scott Morrow and Vincent Iorio with the Rangers appear to be in flux, as both remain unsigned.
The Blueshirts acquired Morrow from the Carolina Hurricanes as part of the K’Andre Miller sign-and-trade package.
Despite coming into the 2025-26 season with some promise and expectation, the 23-year-old defenseman was unable to carve out a consistent role with the Rangers, bouncing up and down from the NHL and American Hockey League.
The 23-year-old defenseman played in 29 NHL games this past season, recording six points while averaging 15:40 minutes.
Meanwhile, the Rangers claimed Iorio off waivers from the San Jose Sharks on Jan. 31.
Iorio stuck around with the Rangers for the remainder of the season, but he was scratched for a handful of games. ‘
The 23-year-old defenseman posted three points in 27 games for New York while averaging 13:05 minutes.
The Rangers re-signed Braden Schneider to a one-year, $5.5 million contract extension, and acquired both Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson, which puts Morrow and Iorio in a difficult position to earn consistent playing time at the NHL level.
It’s unclear where the Rangers are regarding negotiations with Morrow and Iorio.
In the 21st century, only three teenagers have recorded 100-point seasons at the NHL level. A fourth, Steven Stamkos, came close, but finished with 95 points. On Wednesday morning, the San Jose Sharks signed forward Macklin Celebrini to a record-breaking deal. He's now projected to be the highest-paid player in the NHL during the 2027-28 season, although a lot can change between now and then. So, how does his new deal compare to previous teenage superstars?
Macklin Celebrini's 115 points is the most in San Jose Sharks history, and the fourth-most by a teenager in NHL history. He trails just two of hockey's all-time greats, Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby. Considering Gretzky's teenage seasons were almost half a century ago, we'll leave him out of this discussion and focus directly on Crosby to start.
Sidney Crosby
Crosby's first years in the NHL were a little different, as by the time he was due for his first big contract, he had already surpassed the 100-point threshold in back-to-back seasons. As a result, the Pittsburgh Penguins wanted to lock him up as quickly as possible and as soon as he became eligible for an extension, he got his new contract.
Crosby's first big deal was a five-year contract with an average annual value of $8.7 million. While that is over $10 million less than Celebrini's new cap hit, at the time, the salary cap was much lower. Crosby's cap hit took up 15.34% of the Penguins' cap space at the time, a significant sum, but a manageable one for the best player in the world.
Celebrini's cap percentage is a bit higher, sitting at 16.56%, but it's still in the same ballpark. The Sharks' young star had another feather in his cap as well. While the Sharks had superstars in the past, Celebrini already owns the franchise record for points in a season, something Crosby has never come close to doing because of franchise legends Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr. As a result, it makes sense that the Sharks would have to give Celebrini a bit of a bump.
Connor McDavid
Roughly a decade ago, Edmonton Oilers standout Connor McDavid was coming off of his first 100-point season and was the face of a new generation of stars in the NHL. As a result, the Oilers locked up their budding superstar with an eight-year contract that carried an average annual value of $12.5 million. While it was quite a bit more money than Crosby had earned a decade prior, McDavid's cap percentage was just marginally higher at 15.72%.
Of course, the main difference between McDavid's contract and those of Celebrini and Crosby was the term. McDavid signed the maximum term, eight years, while both Celebrini and Crosby opted to go with shorter-term deals.
Interestingly though, both McDavid and Crosby have remained at the exact same cap hit for the rest of their careers, at least to this point anyway. While their contracts were sizeable at the beginning, their loyalty to their organizations, while occasionally questioned in the media, was always at the forefront as their careers progressed.
While many have criticized Celebrini's message of taking a "team-friendly" deal, in reality, he's taken almost the exact same contract as other players of his caliber historically. His cap percentage is slightly, but not significantly, higher and unlike McDavid and Crosby, Celebrini has the potential to be the best player in the history of his organization. While that's not meant as a slight on two future legends of the game, it means that the Sharks have to do whatever they can to keep Celebrini happy, even if it means paying slightly more.
Had he wanted to, Celebrini undoubtedly could have become the first player with a cap hit north of $20 million. Instead, he chose not to and followed in the shadow of Crosby and McDavid by taking slightly less than market value.
As we continue our exploration of the Atlantic, it's time to dissect the roster of the team responsible for the biggest change to the Senators' offseason.
After back-to-back Stanleys, the Florida Panthers finally hit a wall last season. Injuries not only knocked off their three-peat hopes but also ended their six-year run of making the playoffs.
It's not often the 25th-ranked NHL team has a chance to become the best team in the NHL, but here we are.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy agree that Shane Pinto should move up to second line centre to help fill out the Sens top six.
Senators Offseason Summary
The Senators' summer changed dramatically when Brady Tkachuk requested a trade and was eventually sent to Florida for the ninth and 25th picks in the 2026 draft, a 2027 second-rounder and a 2029 first-round pick.
GM Steve Staios then flipped the ninth pick to San Jose for William Eklund and prospects Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda.
Ottawa also acquired Andre Burakovsky and goalie Samuel Ersson, while re-signing Claude Giroux, Nick Cousins, Jordan Spence and Leevi Merilainen.
The biggest question remains whether Eklund and Burakovsky can replace Tkachuk's offence.
Let's compare that with Florida's offseason.
Panthers Trades: Additions
Obviously, we start with Tkachuk, who arrived in Sunrise last month in the aforementioned trade.
The Panthers are at the cap and have almost all their top guys locked up for at least the next four years, so it will be interesting to see what happens when Brady becomes a UFA in 2028.
The Panthers also completely changed their goaltending.
Jacob Markstrom was added from New Jersey while Akira Schmid came over from Vegas for a 2028 third-round pick.
Florida also added more grit, acquiring Garnet Hathaway from Philadelphia and bringing back Radko Gudas from Anaheim. The Panthers also got former Sens buzzsaw Angus Crookshank in the Markstrom deal.
Panthers Trades: Subtractions
The Tkachuk trade cleaned out much of Florida's premium draft capital. They don't have a first-round pick for the next three years.
They gave up 23-year-old Mackie Samoskevich to Seattle to bring in a first-round pick they'd later have to send to Ottawa.
In a rugged UFA swap with Anaheim, they sent forward AJ Greer to the Ducks for Gudas. Both players re-signed with their new clubs.
The Markstrom deal with the Devils cost the Panthers Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist and minor league prospect Ben Steeves.
GM Bill Zito wasn't afraid to sacrifice depth and future assets to try and build a winner.
Panthers Free Agency
The Panthers' biggest losses came in free agency. Sergei Bobrovsky signed a three-year deal with Toronto after seven seasons and two Cups in Florida.
Backup Daniil Tarasov also left for Detroit, meaning the Panthers enter next season with an entirely new goalie tandem.
On the plus side, Florida signed Gudas to a six-year contract and added a familiar name for Senators fans in Lars Eller. Veteran defenseman Alexander Petrovic was also brought back on a two-year deal.
Who Had the Better Offseason?
The Panthers.
The Sens lost Brady Tkachuk, and their loss is Florida's gain. Tkachuk, Radko Gudas, and Garnet Hathaway ensure that the Panthers won't be much fun to play against.
If there's one reason for pause, it's in goal.
Markstrom is 36 and posted an .883 save percentage last season, while Schmid was at .893 in Vegas.
Aleksander Barkov missed all of last season, while Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart and several other important Panthers missed a lot of time as well.
Florida is healthy again, and their talent level is not only outrageous, but it's locked up and not leaving anytime soon. The numbers listed beside their best players are how long they're locked up for.
Brady Tkachuk (2) – Aleksander Barkov (4) – Sam Reinhart (6)
Carter Verhaeghe (5) – Sam Bennett (7) – Matthew Tkachuk (4)
Eetu Luostarinen (9) – Anton Lundell (4) – Brad Marchand (5)
Jonah Gadjovich(2) – Lars Eller – Garnet Hathaway
Gustav Forsling (6) – Aaron Ekblad (7)
Niko Mikkola (8) – Seth Jones (4)
Dmitry Kulikov (2) – Radko Gudas (6)
Unreal.
Just like last year, the Panthers have a better roster than most teams. They just need to stay healthy.
If they do, they look a lot more like the club that won consecutive Stanley Cups than the one that finished 25th last season.
On paper, they might be even better.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article first appeared at The Hockey News Ottawa. For full Senators coverage, check out one of The Hockey News headlines below:
