Category: Ice Hockey

Less than a week after being ranked in the top three in Bleacher Report’s NHL Power Rankings, the Montreal Canadiens are named the fifth-best team in the NHL (ex aequo with the Dallas Stars) in a recent Adam Proteau article.

THN’s writer grants that the Habs have not made any high-profile move this offseason; they also didn’t lose much, meaning they’ll still be as fast and as skilled as they were last season, when they put up 106 points. He also adds that, with $13.3 million in cap space, they're likely to improve through trades.

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While that’s most probably what would happen in an ideal world, it certainly feels like GM Kent Hughes has been trying to do it since the end of the playoffs but hasn’t been able to find a dance partner. However, it’s worth noting that the Canadiens still need to sign Kirby Dach, Zachary Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj. Once that’s done, there won’t be that much room left on the salary cap.

Thanks to Hughes’ ingenious two-way qualifying offer to Dach, the Albertan is likely to sign for less than the $4 million he was entitled to be offered. That number is on the table until the offer expires on July 15, even if Dach has filed for arbitration. After that date, both parties can continue negotiating, but once the arbitration hearing begins, it’s up to the arbitrator.

Here’s hoping it doesn’t actually get to that point, as the process is hardly good for the relationship between the parties. If it gets there, the Canadiens will essentially have to tell the arbitrator that Dach isn’t worth what he thinks he is, citing his lack of production, injuries, and lack of consistency as other arguments. Teams leave no stone unturned in those hearings; they hire lawyers to argue their case and are very thorough. Dach could end up with a $3,400,000 contract if the arbitrator awards him the bare minimum provided for in the CBA.

Bolduc’s contract negotiations should be the most interesting ones. It feels like the youngster has plenty of potential, but so did Dach when the Canadiens first acquired him. Last season was one of adaptation for the Trois-Rivieres native, and the Habs have yet to see his ceiling. Much like he did with Dach and Alex Newhook, I expect Hughes to take a prudent approach in this case. Back then, they had both been signed to 4-year deals after being acquired, but given how the salary cap is rising, it may make sense to ink Bolduc to a shorter deal and re-evaluate then, after seeing a bit more of what he can do but before the market has gone completely insane.

Last season, the winger put up 30 points in 78 games, which is less than the 36 points he had put up with the St. Louis Blues the year before, but that can be explained by the lack of premium power play ice time and the need to adapt to the Habs’ style of play. If Hughes manages to ink him for less than $4M per year, it will be a win. The Anaheim Ducks gave A.J. Greer a $4.25M cap-hit contract for four years, and he put up 32 points last season, the best of his career.

Xhekaj’s contract should land somewhere in the vicinity of what Jayden Struble got last season: a two-year deal with a $1,412,500 cap hit, signed at the tail end of July. Since the cap has gone up, the cap hit may be slightly higher, perhaps at $1.6 million or $1.7 million.

Those three signings should eat the best part of the $13.3 million in cap space the Canadiens still have, although a trade will likely involve players going the other way as well, which would make it possible for Montreal to acquire an impact player on the trade market. If they find a team that’s willing to move what they’re in the market for of course.

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The 2025-26 season was undoubtedly a success for the Pittsburgh Penguins. After entering the season with many doubters, the Penguins responded by making it into the playoffs. 

There were many reasons for the Penguins taking a big step in the right direction last season. Ben Kindel was certainly one of them, as the 2025 first-round pick had an excellent rookie season for Pittsburgh.

After making the Penguins' NHL roster, Kindel posted 17 goals, 18 assists, and 35 points. With numbers like these, the 19-year-old forward showed that he is already capable of making an impact at the NHL level. Yet, now that he has a year of NHL experience, don't be surprised if he takes his game to a new level next season. 

Kindel certainly has the tools to blossom into a high-impact player for the Penguins, and it would not be surprising if he takes another step toward that next season. If he can hit a new level offensively, it would be huge for a retooling Penguins club that is looking to continue to have success.

It will be interesting to see what kind of season Kindel can put together for the Penguins in 2026-27. He will undoubtedly be a young player to watch very closely. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins surprised a decent chunk of the hockey world on June. 30 when they traded defenseman Parker Wotherspoon to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for fellow defenseman Kaedan Korczak. 

It came out of nowhere, but that's exactly how Penguins general manager and president Kyle Dubas likes to do business. He operates in the shadows a lot and doesn't let things leak out. 

Wotherspoon had a great 2025-26 season with the Penguins, finishing with three goals and 30 points in 80 games (all career-highs). He was also great in his own zone and formed a strong partnership with Erik Karlsson on the top defensive pair. 

Despite all of that, the Penguins were unlikely to extend Wotherspoon after the 2026-27 season and opted to move him for a younger, cost-controlled defenseman. They're a bit weaker on the left side (with plenty of time to fix that) and stronger on the right. 

Penguins assistant general manager Jason Spezza was super excited about the move when he discussed it on July. 1. 

"Korczak's a guy that we feel, with the age he's at, there's tons of upside there, a guy that fits in really well with that middle age group that we're really trying to acquire and has tons of potential," Spezza said. "Really solid defensively and lots of untapped potential."

Korczak is entering the first year of a four-year deal that's worth $3.25 million per year. He played in 78 games during the 2025-26 season, compiling three goals and 16 points.

He has some offensive ability, but is more known for his defensive zone play. He's solid at breaking up plays in his own zone and manages his gap control really well. He also knows how to win battles behind the net before going from defense to offense. 

Those traits are backed by the advanced metrics, which show he ranks in the 93rd percentile for 5v5 defense. He was also on the ice for 59.4% of the high-danger chances, 54.2% of the scoring chances, and 54.3% of the expected goals at 5v5 during the regular season.

To take it a step further, his 59.4% high-danger chance share was the best of any Golden Knights defenseman, including Shea Theodore, who is well regarded as one of the best defensemen in the NHL. 

Korczak was scratched for some of the Golden Knights' playoff games, but I wouldn't expect those struggles to follow him to Pittsburgh. He did a lot more good than bad this season, and now he'll have a fresh start in an organization that got the very best out of a handful of players this past season. 

Outside of his 5v5 play, I'd expect him to get more responsibility on the penalty kill once the 2026-27 season starts in September. He hardly played on that unit going into the 2025-26 season, but logged just a shade over 35 minutes during the regular season. He may not be one of the first penalty killers that head coach Dan Muse sends out there, but he's still going to factor into the rotation. 

Penguins Sign 2026 Draft Pick To ELCThe Pittsburgh Penguins have signed Tomas Galvas to his entry-level contract.

Assuming both Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang are on the team to start the year, Korczak will likely start on the third pair. However, there will be room for him to get an elevated role in a future season since Karlsson is heading into the final year of his contract, while Letang only has two seasons left on his.

A third pairing of Declan Carlile and Korczak would be super fascinating, since both players are still young, have come off solid seasons, and have more room to grow. 

The Penguins wanted to remake some of their defense this offseason, and they've definitely done that. While the work is not yet done, they now have a really solid player in Korczak, who is only 25. He can and will help the team in a variety of ways next season and into the future.

(Data via Natural Stat Trick).

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On Friday, The Hockey News named the Chicago Blackhawks as the 30th-best NHL Team On Paper. The only teams below them are the Calgary Flames and the Vancouver Canucks, both of which play in the Pacific Division. 

Does that mean the Chicago Blackhawks are destined for another last-place finish in the highly competitive Central Division? It is incredibly possible. 

The Five Worst NHL Teams On Paper After The Start To Free AgencyThe NHL's 2026 off-season started with a bang, but there are still teams severely lacking in talent and overall depth. Which five teams look like they could be in the league basement?

The Blackhawks finished 31st in 2025-26, but it was still an 11-point improvement over the year prior. Something similar could happen in 2026-27. Every other team in the Central is trying to win now, which could lead to another last-place finish, even if they do actually improve in terms of record. 

The Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, and Dallas Stars are still the three teams to beat, but the Utah Mammoth are coming. There are also the St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, and Winnipeg Jets, who put competitive products on the ice pretty much every year. 

We know what the floor is for the Blackhawks, who will play the first month of the season without Connor Bedard due to shoulder surgery, but the ceiling is a competitive team that is in the race until the very end, regardless of how it ends. 

We see stories like that happen every year. Nobody expected the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, and Philadelphia Flyers to do anything last year, but they all had winning years unexpectedly. Not all of them made the playoffs, but they all had a competitive chance in the final few games of the season. 

The latter can only happen if multiple young Blackhawks overachieve right away. It is more likely that they will need another year or two before competing for the playoffs every year. When you're in that stage of a rebuild, it can be hard to come out of. 

With Bedard out, can Anton Frondell, Frank Nazar, and Oliver Moore amongst others step up? Can Roman Kantserov translate his goal scoring prowess to the NHL? How are the defensemen going to play? Is Spencer Knight elite? A lot will be answered during the 2026-27 season.

Chicago certainly doesn't want to think about another top-five pick, even with what is projected to be a good draft, but that could be their reality again if they do end up in the basement of the Central Division. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay up to date on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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It’s official. The Senators are about to be joined by a second pro hockey team making Canadian Tire Centre their home.

After three seasons at TD Place, the Ottawa Charge announced Thursday they've signed a multi-year agreement to move to Canadian Tire Centre full-time, beginning next season.

Senators President and CEO Cyril Leeder was part of the announcement, along with Charge GM Mike Hirshfeld, and forward Rebecca Leslie, the hometown hero who led the Charge in goals in both the regular season and playoffs.

“Senators Sports & Entertainment is proud to officially welcome the Ottawa Charge to Canadian Tire Centre,” Leeder said. “The Ottawa-Gatineau region is fortunate to have two professional hockey teams competing at the highest level. In a short period of time, the Charge have developed a substantial following and fanbase, and they have become an important part of our local hockey ecosystem.”

Meanwhile, the City of Ottawa is currently building a new 6,500-seat arena at Lansdowne that was expected to become the Charge's permanent home. But the PWHL decided the building would be too small to accommodate both its current average attendance (8131) and its long-term growth plans.

In their recent past, the Charge have played six games at the CTC and have averaged 13,641 fans a game there, which is compelling, and certainly every Ottawa hockey fan hopes those types of numbers continue.

But a full regular season of PWHL games in an NHL building will be a much different test than the special occasion of the playoffs, and that's one of the reasonable concerns about this move.

For example, one of the best things about the Charge in their first three seasons has been that demand is in the same neck of the woods as supply. Can that happen for them in an 18,000-seat NHL arena? Smaller venues create urgency for tickets. Fans are willing to buy earlier and pay more because they know tickets are limited. 

Report: Senators Players Grew Tired Of The Noise Around Brady Tkachuk, Including His PodcastAccording to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Sens teammates grew weary of the noise surrounding their former captain.

Over the course of the 15-game regular season now at the CTC, on nights when they maintain their average attendance, the Charge may find themselves playing in front of 10,000 empty seats, and there’s a risk that urgency could disappear.

A full house also creates a much better TV product than 8100 fans scattered through an 18,000-seat arena. Empty seats are hard to ignore on television, and perception can matter to prospective fans and sponsors.

These are part of the reasons the Senators have reduced the building's seating capacity over the years.

And then there’s location. The Senators eventually want to leave Kanata and get to a central location. The Charge is leaving a central location to get to Kanata. Lansdowne is a desirable location that’s easier to get to for a lot of people, including the players, and there’s certainly more to do around the building before and after games.

I hope this move proves to be the right one. Nothing would be better than seeing the Charge fill Canadian Tire Centre every night. But until that happens, it's fair to wonder whether the PWHL is moving too far and too fast when it already has something here that's working really well.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

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When Connor McDavid signed his extension in September, the expectation around the league was that he would become the NHL's first $19-million player, or at least come close enough that the distinction wouldn't matter. Nobody would've argued he hadn't earned it. He's the best player in the world, the face of the sport and the biggest reason the Edmonton Oilers have spent the better part of a decade chasing the Stanley Cup.

But he signed for less.

It was still an enormous contract, but it left Edmonton with considerably more flexibility than anyone expected, and while that was easy enough to appreciate in September, every new superstar contract makes the decision look a little better.

Ex-Oiler Prospect Lands New Deal in OttawaXavier Bourgault secures a fresh start in the capital, betting on an AHL breakout to finally stick in the NHL after Edmonton moved on from the former first-rounder.

The Philadelphia Flyers put the Ducks in an impossible position with a five-year, $90-million offer sheet, one Anaheim matched because there wasn't a realistic alternative. Franchise centres don't become available very often, certainly not ones who are 21 years old and still have another level or two to reach, and replacing a player like that with four first-round picks is far easier to talk about than it is to actually pull off.

Leo Carlsson called it life-changing money.

It is.

There isn't another way to describe $90 million. Players have a short career, one injury can change everything and every contract negotiation comes with the understanding that there may never be another opportunity quite like it. Hockey players don't owe anyone a discount, particularly when they're negotiating against organizations worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Three Goalies In Edmonton: Why It WorksCarrying three goaltenders used to be viewed as a sign that something had gone wrong. Teams wanted a clear No. 1, a dependable backup and little debate beyond that. The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers#google_vignette">Edmonton Oilers</a> are taking a different approach this fall, and there are good reasons to believe it could work.

Carlsson took the contract almost everyone else would've taken.

Every Stanley Cup contender has to pay great players. The challenge is paying great players while still leaving yourself enough room to surround them with a roster that can survive an 84-game season and four playoff rounds. Cups are rarely won by the team with the most stars. They're usually won by the team that has enough good players after the stars have already been paid.

An $18-million cap hit changes every deal a general manager has for the next five years. It affects the next extension, the trade deadline, the bottom six, the third pairing, the backup goaltender, all the decisions that don't get enough attention.

McDavid understood that.

He could've pushed the market somewhere nobody had gone before. The Oilers would've given everything he wanted because there was never another option. Nobody lets the best player in the world leave over money, not when the alternative is spending the next decade trying to replace someone who can't be replaced.

Oilers Could Make a Late Summer Push For 23-Goal UFAAs Edmonton eyes a Stanley Cup, veteran sniper Vladimir Tarasenko emerges as a potential UFA target. Could his offensive pedigree flourish alongside McDavid at a team-friendly price tag?

He looked beyond the next cheque.

The money McDavid didn't take isn't some abstract number sitting on a spreadsheet. It becomes another player Edmonton can afford to keep. It becomes the ability to take on salary at the trade deadline without moving two contracts out first. It becomes a little more breathing room every summer when another young player needs a raise and another veteran still has value.

That's why his contract has aged so well in such a short period of time.

Every new deal signed by a franchise player raises the ceiling a little higher, makes everyone wonder where the next negotiation is headed and reminds the rest of the league how unusual it is when someone willingly leaves money on the table. McDavid didn't need to do that. He chose to.

Craig Berube’s Decision May Have Changed Oilers Coaching PlansFrustrated by a stalling timeline, the veteran coach walked away from Edmonton’s search, forcing management to pivot toward Mike Babcock after lengthy negotiations hit a sudden standstill.

The Oilers still have to draft well, develop players, avoid bad contracts, and make the right decisions every July and every March.

They get to make those decisions with more options than most contenders because their captain gave them some.

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A little over one week ago, the Vancouver Canucks signed forward Paul Cotter to a one-year contract worth a total of $2.15M. The 2018 fourth-round draft pick by the Vegas Golden Knights has spent his NHL career with both Vegas as well as the New Jersey Devils, but will look to continue that with the Canucks heading into what will be his sixth NHL season. 

While the make-up of the Canucks’ forward lines will be clearer come the start of the season, Cotter is expected to fill in somewhere in Vancouver’s bottom-six. The forward can play both at center and at wing, though he has been put on wing more often as of late. 

Ironically enough, Cotter’s most recent linemate has also dealt with a similar issue throughout the past few months — and could wind up reprising his role as Cotter’s center come the start of the 2026–27 season. Max Sasson initially began his NHL career playing predominantly at center, but ended up being moved to the wing towards the end of this year. 

At the 2026 IIHF World Championship, Sasson was moved back to center. One of his most consistent linemates at the tournament was none-other than Cotter, who finished the competition with a total of two goals and two assists in eight games. Both from Michigan, the two Canucks forwards combined for Sasson’s first point and Cotter’s first goal of the tournament, doingso in their first game together. 

Cotter and Sasson played out the remainder of the tournament together alongside Mathieu Olivier, with both Canucks forwards averaging a little less than 14 minutes per game as part of Team USA’s identity line. The trio provided a fair bit of physicality and toughness while pitching in offensively from a depth-scoring perspective. 

Given their previous connection with their time as linemates with Team USA, there’s always the chance that Cotter and Sasson could end up playing on a line together for the Canucks. A pairing of the two U.S. teammates as well as another scrappier player — potentially someone like Brendan Gallagher, perhaps — could provide Vancouver with a high-identity third or fourth-line. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs will have a new-look goaltending tandem next season, thanks to a busy off-season for the franchise and GM John Chayka.

One of the highlights of July 1's free agency day was the Maple Leafs acquiring goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. They inked one of the most expensive contracts of the day, signing the Russian netminder to a three-year deal worth $7 million against the salary cap per season.

It was an enticing addition for many reasons.

Bobrovsky is a 37-year-old goaltender in the latter stages of his NHL career, which has already lasted for 16 years and over 800 regular-season games. He is a future Hall of Famer, with two Stanley Cups, two Vezina Trophies and is seventh on the NHL's all-time list in wins for a goaltender with 456.

With that, Bobrovsky is coming off the single worst campaign of his NHL career. He posted a .877 save percentage and a 3.07 goals-against average this past year with the Florida Panthers. Aside from 2025-26, the lowest SP that the veteran recorded in his career was his sophomore year in the league with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2011-12, in which he only featured in 20 games.

Therefore, it should be interesting to see how the Maple Leafs and their brand-new coaching staff handle the goaltenders, considering Bobrovsky's legendary career but recent regression in performance.

Why Sergei Bobrovsky Thought He’d Stay With Florida Panthers Until A Trade Changed Everything, And How Gavin McKenna Handed Over No. 72The two-time Stanley Cup champion details the sudden trade that altered his future, his excitement to reunite with championship teammates in Toronto, and the respectful phone call with top pick Gavin McKenna that settled his iconic jersey number.

Well, along with all the aspects that Bobrovsky brings to the team, he'll be reuniting with Anthony Stolarz, who completes the Leafs' tandem for next season.

They were both members of the Panthers in 2023-24, with Stolarz as Bobrovsky's backup. The duo went on to win a Stanley Cup together, the first of Florida's back-to-back titles.

To measure how many games Bobrovsky and Stolarz will play next season, that campaign is a good way to start, even if it was over two years ago.

Steven Lorentz Was Already Sergei Bobrovsky’s Guy, Now They’re Teammates Again With The Maple LeafsLorentz faces stiff competition for a roster spot at camp, but he's eager to be Bob's guy again.

In that 2023-24 regular season, Bobrovsky made 58 starts for the Panthers, while Stolarz started in 24 contests, totalling to the 82-game campaign. 

Stolarz has had his fair share of injuries, and with that, he's never played more than 34 games in a year. In fact, the most appearances he made in a season were in his first year with the Maple Leafs in 2024-25. That was also his best year in the NHL in terms of his .926 SP, four shutouts, and reaching 33 starts.

But with Bobrovsky coming in, Stolarz's time on the ice doesn't compare. And even as a 37-year-old, Bobrovsky could be expected to play over 50 games for Toronto in 2026-27.

It may seem unprecedented to have Bobrovsky that much responsibility in the crease at his age and this past year's performance, but that is his standard and what he has accomplished for the last several years.

Why The Maple Leafs Pursued A 'Game-Changer' In Sergei Bobrovsky And Other Takeaways From John Chayka's First Free Agency As GMThe Maple Leafs added an elite starting goaltender in Bobrovsky while adding a lot of depth forwards, in what Chayka says will give the club some needed flexibility in the lineup.

In nine of the past 10 years, Bobrovsky has not featured in fewer than 50 games in a season. And the one campaign that he didn't reach 50 games was the 2020-21 shortened season due to COVID-19; he made 31 appearances.

Ultimately, between Stolarz's injury history and not carrying a heavy load at any point in his NHL career, on top of Bobrovsky's experience as a winner and elite goaltender, not only will Bobrovsky see the majority of the action, he could very well mark the 12th season in which he reached 50 or more games in a campaign.

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Former Edmonton Oilers first-round pick Xavier Bourgault has a new contract, agreeing to terms with the Ottawa Senators on a one-year, two-way deal worth $850,000 at the NHL level and $265,000 in the minors, avoiding arbitration in the process.

The Oilers selected Bourgault 22nd overall in the 2021 draft after a standout QMJHL season with the Shawinigan Cataractes, where he racked up 36 goals and 75 points in just 43 games the year following his draft year. He never cracked Edmonton's lineup, however, and was dealt to Ottawa in 2024 as part of the club's ongoing roster management around its championship-contending core.

Since arriving in Ottawa, Bourgault has spent the bulk of his development in the AHL, but last season marked real progress. He posted 25 goals and 57 points in 70 games with AHL Belleville, good for second on the team in scoring, and earned his first two NHL appearances with the Senators, including his debut on Dec. 27 in Toronto.

While he's yet to record an NHL point, the offensive jump at the AHL level suggests he could push for a more consistent role in Ottawa this season.

Ottawa Senators settle with forward Xavier Bourgault on one-year contract https://t.co/NEUqbZUxDcpic.twitter.com/7pSPtJJY6B

— Ottawa Citizen (@OttawaCitizen) July 10, 2026

It's a notable outcome for a player once viewed as a building block of Edmonton's prospect pipeline — Bourgault now looks likely to get a legitimate shot in a Senators organization that's undergone its own dramatic offseason, headlined by the trade of captain Brady Tkachuk to Florida.

For Oilers fans, Bourgault's development is a bit of a sore spot, not just because he has the ability to become a legit NHL player, but also because he's a reminder of the prospects Edmonton gave up on in their thus-far failed attempts to win a Stanley Cup.

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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.

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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 would offer more offensive punch, Detroit Red Wings winger Alex Debrincat. The 28-year-old is coming off a career-high 85-point season with the Wings, but his contract situation and where the club is going may have GM Steve Yzerman in a trade posture with him. 

DeBrincat was originally a second round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2016, and has been remarkably consistent in nine NHL seasons, scoring over 20 goals eight times; included a career-high 41 goals in 2019, 2022, and last season. The diminutive winger led Detroit with 15 power play goals, and would be able to fill the role of Tuch on the Sabres first unit. 

Detroit may be at a crossroads, with team captain Dylan Larkin asking for a trade, and future Hall-of-Famer Patrick Kane heading elsewhere. There has been chatter that the Wings may reset, moving off Larkin and DeBrincat for younger NHL talent and building around younger core players Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond. DeBrincat is entering the final year of a four-year deal with the Wings at $7.875 million AAV and has a 16-team no-trade list; facts that could mitigate the return Yzerman can extract from other teams. 

The odds of the Wings getting NHL-ready players back are better if he is traded before the season, whereas a trade closer to the deadline will likely yield more futures.  This would suit the Sabres needs perfectly, as they are in a weaker position without Tuch and Bowen Byram’s scoring abilities. One potential factor in a possible DeBrincat trade is the status of Kane, who has been his linemate in Chicago and Detroit.  

 If Kane signs with Buffalo, it is possible that DeBrincat would waive his no-trade clause to go to the Sabres, or vice-versa. Unlike free agents like Anthony Mantha or Anaheim’s Chris Kreider, DeBrincat’s acquisition would not come cheaply. Yzerman in his haste to quickly reset the Wings may ask for young NHLers like Konsta Helenius or Noah Ostlund, but Kekalainen might be able to construct a deal around winger Jack Quinn, who is signed through next season at $3.375 million and is under control for the next two seasons.  

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

Things have significantly quieted down on the free-agent front in the last few days, and the players who have yet to be signed have fewer options than they might have had on July 1st. According to BPM Sports’ contributor Marc-Olivier Beaudoin, the Montreal Canadiens have shown interest in 31-year-old Anthony Mantha. 

The former Detroit Red Wings first-round pick has had a tremendous bounce-back season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, gathering 64 points in 81 games, by far the best season of his career. While some would have you believe that it’s all down to his linemates, he did spend the first two quarters of the season skating alongside Evgeny Malkin, picking up 29 points along the way. Still, he was most productive in the last two quarters of the campaign (35 points), playing alongside Ben Kindell and Tommy Novak among others.

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He had a 0.79 point-per-game rhythm; only once in his career was he most productive, back in 2019-20 with the Wings when he put up 38 points in 43 games for a 0.88 PPG. It’s after that season that Detroit gave him a four-year contract with a $5.7 M cap hit, a move they would soon regret. The Wings traded him halfway through the following season when he had only racked up 21 points in 42 games. He finished the season with the Washington Capitals, adding eight more points for 29 points in 56 games. His next three campaigns yielded 23, 27, and 44 points, but he struggled to stay healthy, featuring in 37, 67, and 74 games.  He was flipped to the Vegas Golden Knights in the last year of his four-year deal. 

Unsurprisingly, he took a pay cut in his next contract, signing with the Calgary Flames for a single season for $3.5 million. He played in only 13 games, putting up 7 points before suffering a knee injury in which he tore his ACL. He needed the rest of the season to recover from the surgery and ended up signing a one-year deal with the Penguins for a $2.5M cap hit last July.

That's 22 goals this season for Anthony Mantha 😤 pic.twitter.com/Yx4Vy2xpTi

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 8, 2026

Although Mantha isn't a very physical player (52 hits in 81 games this past season), he at least brings a lot of size at 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds. After a career year, the winger is looking for both a pay rise and a long-term deal, but according to Beaudoin, the Canadiens are only interested in a short-term contract. That makes sense, given his record improves on short-term deals and his injury history. Taking that into consideration, the odds of seeing Mantha put pen to paper with the Habs are slim. This is quite similar to when Hughes was willing to sign Jonathan Marchessault for two years, but the forward elected to join the Nashville Predators, who were giving him a five-year pact with a full no-move clause for the first four years.

If Mantha doesn’t find what he’s looking for on the market, he may return to the Canadiens, but one thing’s clear: a short-term deal with the Canadiens wouldn’t be his first choice, nor would adding him be the Canadiens’ first choice. Hughes has made it clear in the past that he's not looking to acquire aging players who will only block his young players' progress. In fact, this reported interest suggests Hughes may be realizing he cannot acquire a top-six player on the trade market right now. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him adopt a patient approach and see how things progress at the start of the season. If a team struggles out of the gate, they may be willing to reconsider their stance on a certain player’s availability.

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Brandon Dubinsky signed what would be his last NHL contract on this day in 2014. He signed a six-year deal that would keep him in Columbus until 2021.

Dubinsky was traded to Columbus in the summer of 2012, in the now-infamous Rick Nash trade. Coming to Columbus with Dubinsky were Artem Anisimov, Tim Erixon, and a draft pick, who would later become Kerby Rychel.

Dubinsky played a hard-nosed style of hockey and would not hesitate to jump into or cause a scrum. He was notorious for trying to get under Sidney Crosby's skin, and even if he couldn't, he kept trying. 

Dubinsky has a ton of highlights, but for fans of Columbus, there must be only one. In the first round of the 2014 playoffs, the Blue Jackets were playing the Pittsburgh Penguins. Down in the game 3-2 and in the series 2-1, Marc-Andre Fleury would attempt to play the puck behind his net. Ryan Johansen would steal it from behind the net and sling it directly into the middle of the ice where Dubinsky was standing. He quickly gathered it on his stick and shot it between two defenders and a diving Fleury. The goal rocked Nationwide Arena and the City of Columbus. Columbus would go on to win that game in overtime.

Sadly, after the 2018-19 season, Dubinsky’s career was cut short due to what was described as a “chronic condition” in his wrist. He embodied what it meant to be a Blue Jacket 10 years ago. A hard worker who would do anything to beat you. He would finish his CBJ career with a stat line of 72-153-225, and his faceoff % was over 50% every year he played in the NHL.

He played his last regular season game on April 6, 2019. A month later, after helping the CBJ defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning, he played his last playoff game against the Boston Bruins. 

These days you can routinely catch him at CBJ games sitting amongst the crowd. Dubinsky is also a partner with JBM Development, a construction company focusing on developing and managing multi-family housing in Columbus.

Today we salute you, Brandon Dubinsky.

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The subject was broached here earlier in the week, but let’s take another look at the 32 Thoughts lingering question of the offseason for the Penguins.

Via Sportsnet:

Pittsburgh Penguins: Can they add a centre before next season?

GM Kyle Dubas has had a tricky job to balance between an aging core that wants to compete with a clear need to bring in some youth and prepare for the next era, whenever it arrives. He’s done pretty well in acquiring some early-to-mid-20s players, with Yegor Chinakhov the shining example last season. The front office will continue looking for those types of players, or to make a big play for someone. They certainly were in conversations with Dallas about trading for Jason Robertson.

One area of the roster we could identify as a need to improve on is down the middle. Evgeni Malkin is a winger now, and while Ben Kindel was a great and surprising story in his rookie year, ideally the Penguins would have another productive veteran to take top-six centre minutes. Centres can be hard to come by, but there have been a few available this off-season. In terms of identifying one available centre who isn’t too old, has a depressed value, but still holds upside: what about Vancouver’s Elias Pettersson?

“Look he’s got to play better in that $11.6 million everyone’s been talking about, but again, the ground has shifted here in a huge way,” Friedman said of Pettersson. “I’ve sat there and I’ve said ‘where could he go that could be good for him?’ I wonder if the Penguins with Crosby and Malkin might be good for him.”

It’s always interesting to see a national-level perspective from an informed source, but at surface level there’s some specifics to address.

Would the Penguins be better off by adding a solid center? Sure. Is it a dire need? I’m not as convinced.

Between Sidney Crosby and Blake Lizotte the top and bottom of the lineup is good. Lizotte is a player who takes a regular shift and plays a lot for a ‘fourth’ liner, Crosby is still leaned on heavily and that alone takes some pressure off the rest of the lineup.

From there, the Pens have numbers to throw at the rest off the issue. Ben Kindel will be in the mix and the other spot can be handled by some combination in rotation of Tommy Novak, Rickard Rakell and perhaps occasionally Evgeni Malkin. Hendrix Lapierre is another player with NHL center experience, though he may or may not be an option moving forward in that spot. If placed in a tough spot due to injuries, Connor Dewar has shown to be a capable fourth line center option in the recent past.

Talk of Elias Pettersson is understandable enough, he’s right in the target demo for what Dubas was looking for as a players in his mid-to-late 20s that has control over where he can be traded. However, there’s no indication that Pettersson is interested in uprooting to an Eastern team, let alone a place like Pittsburgh. He’s also underperforming to his large $11.6 million cap hit. The Canucks surely aren’t going to give up one of their best players for nothing. That’s a lot of hurdles for multiple sides to have to overcome to make a match.

It’s a change, and a jarring one at that, to see the Penguins no longer be so stocked down the middle when over the last 20 years they’ve had players like prime Crosby and Malkin paired with a rotation of others like Jordan Staal, Nick Bonino and Matt Cullen to make the center spot the envy of the league over much of the last two decades. Those days may be over but the extreme urge to boost the spot isn’t exactly there either.

This is a good one from the NHL social media team, asking players who they would want on their beer league teams.

Who would be the best from the Penguins? Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, duh, they stand apart as an opportunity you’d never forget to get to share the ice with some of the greatest players of all time.

For on ice reasons, I would go with players that might not be so obvious. Sure, you might immediately go to wanting Egor Chinakhov on your team since he’s outrageously fast and shoots the puck so hard, but that also means he’s impossible to keep up with and not going to be so fun to play off of for a mere ‘normal’ type of player. Now, someone like Tommy Novak would be an incredible beer leaguer; he’s good enough at lugging the puck up the ice in the NHL, he would skate around the entire league of non-pro level players, toy with everyone else with his dangles and then be able to set his teammates up. Especially if it was roller hockey, I’d bet Novak would be a way higher value player than one might think upon first glance due to his puck control and hands.

Erik Karlsson is up in that Crosby/Malkin obvious territory, but my goodness, how fun would that be? I feel like he would be the guy that shows up late half the time and skips out on the other half of the games but would be incredible beer leaguer, effortlessly so since he’s also one of the greatest players of this generation. Kinda like the time he missed the entire preseason with an injury and then stepped right in to play all 82 NHL games, the ease and casualness of Karlsson would fit right in even before the fact he could score 10 points a game without breaking a sweat in your average beer league.

Controversially, I don’t think I would want Marc-Andre Fleury. Being in proximity to the pranks is not as fun as watching from afar, though clearly if the opportunity was available, of course you wouldn’t pass it up.

Elmer Soderblom would be a marvel in the beer leagues. He was starting to hold the puck and drive to the net at the NHL level, it would be just impossible for any rec level player to take it away from him. Plus with that reach, good luck trying to get the puck around him. His size and strength would be off the charts.

For the social aspects, take a look at the regulars at the poker table and more colorful members of the team. From last season, Connor Clifton and Kevin Hayes would be unreal beer league teammates. Chopping it up with those guys would be a riot. It’s not hard to picture Noel Acciari with a six pack in the lockerroom bemoaning his upcoming chores or family obligations and BS’ing around with the crew after the game like an average Joe. Those guys wouldn’t have the panache of being an absolute star but for the vibes and experience would be just as terrific as anyone.

That’s who came to mind here, let us know who you would want to play beer league hockey with.

ST. LOUIS -- Sunny stays.

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).

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

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.