Category: Ice Hockey

When the Montreal Canadiens were manhandled by the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final, it was obvious they could have used more grit and physicality and needed more balance on the blueline. To truly contend, Martin St-Louis needs a defense corps he can trust and to spread ice time across. Overplaying the likes of Lane Hutson and Mike Matheson can work in the regular season, but deep in the playoffs, when everyone is playing through bumps and bruises, there needs to be more players the bench boss can rely on.

Arber Xhekaj didn’t play a single game against the Hurricanes in the third round. St-Louis preferred to use Jayden Struble, which shouldn’t have surprised anyone since the coach gives him more ice time than Xhekaj. While he may trust Struble more, the fact is that the Canadiens really could have used Xhekaj’s physicality in that series.

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St-Louis has often said that he doesn’t want his players to take themselves out of the play by chasing the big hit, and while that’s something number 72 was often guilty of in previous years, he tidied up that side of his game this past season. That wasn’t enough to really earn him the pilot’s trust on the back end, though, and with Josh Anderson out of the lineup with an illness and Alexandre Texier injured, the blueliner made it clear he’d be willing to play on the wing if the team needed him to.

On March 29, St-Louis took him up on the offer and played him on the fourth line against the Hurricanes. The Canadiens won that game 3-1 with Xhekaj skating on the fourth line with Joe Veleno and Brendan Gallagher. The winger for the day spent 5:11 on the ice across six shifts and didn’t look out of place, landing five hits and blocking one shot.

The Sainte-Flanelle have a congested blueline, and they need some sandpaper up front. If Xhekaj gets into a fight and must sit for five minutes, it’s easier to handle if he’s a fourth-line winger than if he is on the blueline, especially if there’s another defenseman in the box.

At 25, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound defenseman would no doubt like to establish himself as a regular NHLer rather than a fringe player who needs to sit every now and then, alternating with fellow blueliner Struble. This would also open the door for Adam Engstrom and David Reinbacher to enter the rotation.

So far this offseason, Kent Hughes has been unable to get some outside help to improve his roster, but if the Canadiens manage to reach a new deal with Xhekaj, moving him up front might address two of their big issues: getting tougher and having a more balanced blueline that the coach trusts and can spread the ice time more evenly. It worked for Dustin Byfuglien and the Chicago Blackhawks back in the day; why couldn’t it work for the Habs? Of course, Xhekaj won’t end up on the first line as Byfuglien did with Jonathan Toews and Patrik Kane, but a transition to the fourth line would still help the Canadiens.

It could also be interesting to see what a line featuring the Xhekaj brothers would look like in the NHL, but it would certainly bring a lot of physicality and grit. If training camp starts without the Canadiens getting any outside help, this is an idea worth exploring for the Habs.

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Oliver Bonk is a prospect whom the Philadelphia Flyers are hoping will emerge as a key part of their roster. There is no question that the 21-year-old defenseman has plenty of potential, and he had a nice start to his professional career in 2025-26. 

In 46 games down in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Bonk posted six goals, 13 assists, and 19 points. He also made his NHL debut in the Flyers' season finale against the Montreal Canadiens, where he scored a goal and recorded an assist. With that, it is clear that he left a strong first impression with the NHL club. 

Yet, now that Bonk has completed his first AHL season, it would not be surprising if he takes a major step forward with his development next season. The 21-year-old blueliner has great upside, and it would be huge for the Flyers if he can break out for them next season. 

Bonk showed a lot of potential during his OHL career with the London Knights. During the 2024-25 season with the OHL club, he posted 11 goals, 29 assists, and 40 points in 52 games. He also had 24 goals and 67 points in 60 games with London during the 2023-24 season. 

It will now be interesting to see how Bonk's season goes in 2026-27. There is a lot to like about his game. 

Earlier this off-season, the Pittsburgh Penguins lost goalie Stuart Skinner to the Winnipeg Jets in free agency. With Skinner no longer in Pittsburgh, it has opened the door for Sergei Murashov to fight for a spot on their NHL roster. 

Murashov is the Penguins' top goalie prospect and has the potential to become a good goalie in the NHL. Because of this, the 22-year-old has now received some praise.

Murashov was given the No. 8 spot on Scott Wheeler's top NHL goalie prospect rankings for The Athletic. 

With how well Murashov has been developing his game, it is entirely understandable that he has been ranked among the top goalie prospects in the league. 

Murashov appeared in his first five career NHL games last season with Pittsburgh, where he posted a 1-1-2 record, a 2.56 goals-against average, and an .897 save percentage. He most notably, however, put together a 21-save shutout against the Nashville Predators on Nov. 16. 

Down in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2025-26, Murashov had a 24-9-4 record, a .919 save percentage, a 2.20 goals-against average, and four shutouts. With numbers like these, he undoubtedly showed great promise last season. 

It will now be interesting to see what Murashov can do next season on Pittsburgh's roster. 

The Seattle Kraken kicked off their fourth straight season by welcoming Professional Women’s Hockey League Seattle Torrent head coach Christine Bumstead to development camp.

​Burnstead joins the Kraken to bring a different perspective on the game for the young prospects.​

"As coaches, we're always looking to grow and learn, too,” Kraken director of player development Cory Murphy said to NHL.com. “When you bring new voices in with that kind of experience to add to the camp and provide their feedback and their voice, I think it makes us all better.”​

Bumstead has several connections with the Kraken, beginning officially in June when she was named head coach of the Torrent. ​Bumstead had served as assistant bench coach in the team's first season, where they went 8-1-5-16. ​

According to NHL.com, Kraken assistant general manager Alex Mandrycky invited Bumstead to join the development camp staff. ​

Bumstead explained the perspective she brings to camp. ​

“The PWHL game is different than the NHL game,” Bumstead said to NHL.com. “That's also something that we can share and provide – the different little nuances within our game or the little nuances within our athletes and how we develop them. You have to work with those players …they're very successful and elite where they're playing, but you want to craft them and develop them to be elite and successful here as a Seattle Kraken or as a Coachella Firebird, right? So that's something that's important, and we are able to have those conversations between the dev staff and me.”​

Murphy went on to explain further the benefits of having Bumstead around at development camp.

“Just getting a different perspective, you can see the passion comes out right away,” Murphy said. “We had (Bumstead) running the bench, and you could see her getting prepared and the competitive fire. It was great to have her on the ice. I’ll be following the Torrent for sure.” 

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Flyers have reached a four-year contract agreement with forward Trevor Zegras with an average annual value of $9.125 million, the team announced on Wednesday night.

The 25-year-old Zegras had a career-high 26 goals and 67 points last season, the second-most on the team. He added two more goals and four assists in the playoffs.

“We’re thrilled to have Trevor committed to our organization for the next four years,” general manager Danny Briere said in a statement. “The growth he showed this past season, proving that he is the skilled player he entered the league as, reinforced our belief that he will be an impact player for the Flyers for the years to come."

Selected ninth overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2019 NHL draft, the 6-foot, 185-pound Boston University product has played in 349 career NHL games, and has 93 goals and 160 assists for 253 points. He has 60-plus point seasons in three of his six seasons in the league.

Zegras has also represented the United States on five occasions, most recently at the 2024 World Championships where he had a goal and an assist in eight games. He also played in back-to-back World Junior Championships in 2020 and 2021. In 2021, he helped the U.S. win gold and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player with seven goals and 18 points in seven games.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

Curtis Douglas, the newest Seattle Kraken forward, is no stranger to a long road to the NHL.

​After being selected 106th in the 2018 NHL Draft, the forward spent two seasons in the OHL before moving on to four seasons in the AHL. ​He made his NHL debut in 2025-26 with the Tampa Bay Lightning, seven years after he was drafted.

​“There were times when I’ll admit, I thought it might not work out for me,” he told NHL.com. “But I never stopped trying.”

​Douglas signed as a free agent with Toronto on March 22, 2022, before being traded to Arizona for Conor Timmins on November 23, 2022, and then he was transferred from Arizona to Utah on June 13, 2024.​

After that, Douglas was claimed off waivers by Tampa Bay from Utah on October 6, 2025.​

Three days later, Douglas made his NHL Debut against the Ottawa Senators on October 9, 2025. ​Douglas skated for five minutes in his first game, then appeared in 29 more games that season with the Lightning.

In the 2025-26 season, the 6-foot-9 center recorded two assists. ​

He was then claimed off waivers by Vancouver from Tampa Bay on March 6, 2026.​With the Canucks, Douglas appeared in 14 games, recording one goal and one assist. ​

“This whole process doesn’t really feel real yet,” Douglas said. “I don’t think it will feel 100% real until I put the jersey on. If you were to have told me last year, after I got sent down by Utah that I’d go on to play 40 NHL games, I think I would have probably slapped you across the head. It was pretty special the whole year, and I’m just in awe about the whole experience with Tampa, Vancouver and now this next chapter with the Kraken. I’m just so excited.”​

Douglas signed with the Kraken on July 1, 2026.

Seattle Kraken General Manager Jason Botterill announced the team had agreed to terms with Douglas on a two-year contract ($1.25M AAV).​

When the announcement was made, Botterill released a statement on the signing. ​

“Curtis adds size and a strong physical presence to our forward group,” Botterill said to NHL.com. “He competes with an edge, brings energy, and is difficult to play against. We look forward to seeing him in our lineup next year.”

Douglas is a tall presence on the ice, as one of the tallest players in NHL history. He is known for his grit, dropping the gloves in his first NHL shift. ​

He will now join the Kraken for the next few seasons as the 26-year-old continues to grow in the major leagues. ​

“I’ve been lucky enough to have some incredible coaching staffs, some incredible mentors that were basically telling me, ‘Hey, you’ve got to get your foot in the door, and the way to do that is to throw your weight around and to fight a little bit more than maybe you want to,’” Douglas said.  

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A prodigy is defined as a person, especially a highly talented child, who exhibits extraordinary abilities or skills far beyond what is typical for one's age.

Macklin Celebrini is no longer a child, but the prodigy title still applies. He's only 20 years old.

Despite playing the past season at just 19 years old, Celebrini broke the San Jose Sharks' single-season record for points with 115.

Celebrini just accomplished another feat ― gracing the cover of EA Sports' NHL 27. He's the youngest ever to appear on the video game's front page.

The cover features two different looks: one of Celebrini donning the teal and black home jerseys as he looks to the rafters; and another in their crisp white away jerseys as Celebrini screams in celebration.

The Philadelphia Flyers' goaltending is looking strong heading into the 2026-27 season. Dan Vladar proved last season that he can be a legitimate NHL starting goalie, and the Flyers also acquired Joseph Woll from the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer. 

While the Flyers now have a strong Vladar-Woll tandem, they also have an exciting goalie prospect in Yegor Zavragin. The 20-year-old has the potential to emerge as a good goalie in the NHL later down the road. 

Because of this, Zavragin has now been named among the best goalie prospects in the NHL. 

Scott Wheeler of The Athletic gave Zavragin the No. 10 spot on his top 20 NHL goalie rankings.

With how Zavragin has performed in Russia, it makes sense that he has been named one of the NHL's best goalie prospects. The 2023 third-round pick had a solid season in the KHL with SKA St. Petersburg in 2025-26, posting a .919 save percentage and a 2.63 goals-against average in 12 games. He also had an impressive .949 save percentage and 1.44 goals-against average in 18 games for SKA-VMF St. Petersburg of the VHL last season. 

With numbers like these, it is hard not to feel excited about Zavragin's future with the Flyers. It will be interesting to see how he performs next season in Russia. If he has another year like he had in 2025-26, it should only create more optimism about his future in Philly. 

Earlier this off-season, the Buffalo Sabres acquired defenseman Louis Crevier as part of the trade that sent Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks. While Crevier was not the main piece that the Sabres got back for Byram, he is still a player who Sabres fans should be excited about. 

Crevier just put together an impressive breakout year with the Blackhawks in 2025-26. In 78 games with the Original Six club, he posted new career highs with seven goals, 18 assists, 25 points, 95 blocks, and 124 hits. With numbers like these, he provided some solid offense and grit from the blueline for Chicago. If he translates this kind of play over to the Sabres, he should be a strong addition to their roster. 

Furthermore, with Crevier being only 25 years old and still in the early stages of his NHL career, he has the potential to hit a new level with the Sabres. If he improves his game as he continues to gain more experience, he very well could cement himself as a key part of the Sabres' top four. 

Crevier is also one of the biggest defensemen in the NHL, standing at 6-foot-8. Big right-shot defenseman who throw the body are always valuable to have, and Crevier fits that description nicely.

Overall, there is a lot to like about the Sabres' decision to acquire Crevier. If he builds off his impressive breakout year as a Sabre, he should become an important blueliner on their roster. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins will open the 2026-27 season against their biggest rival.

The NHL announced on Wednesday that the Penguins will open the regular season in Philadelphia against the Flyers on Sept. 30.

It will be the first time the two teams have played since the Flyers knocked the Penguins out in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Puck drop will be at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT. 

The 2026-27 season will start with a tripleheader on Sept. 29. The Carolina Hurricanes will raise their Stanley Cup banner against the Florida Panthers at 5 p.m. ET before the New York Rangers play the Boston Bruins at 8 p.m. ET.

Finally, the Chicago Blackhawks will play the Vegas Golden Knights at 10:30 p.m. ET. 

‼️ MARK YOUR CALENDARS ‼️

The puck drops on the 2026-27 season September 29th! #NHLFaceOffpic.twitter.com/LsUHolwBHO

— NHL (@NHL) July 15, 2026

The Penguins' home opener will be on Oct. 3 against the Montreal Canadiens, before they play the Washington Capitals' home opener in D.C. on Oct. 7. 

The rest of the 84-game schedule will be released on Thursday. 

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Flyers make Zegras highest-paid player on their roster with new contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Trevor Zegras turned his career resurgence into a payday.

The 25-year-old forward agreed to terms with the Flyers on a new four-year, $36.5 million contract Wednesday night. The deal has a $9.125 million average annual value, making Zegras the highest-paid player on the Flyers’ roster.

The contract has a limited no-trade clause in Years 3 and 4, according to a source.

Zegras was a restricted free agent with a player-elected arbitration hearing set for next Monday, per PuckPedia.com. But, as expected, the Flyers avoided arbitration. Zegras will be an unrestricted free agent when his deal expires after the 2029-30 season.

“We’re thrilled to have Trevor committed to our organization for the next four years,” general manager Danny Briere said in a statement released by the team. “The growth he showed this past season, proving that he is the skilled player he entered the league as, reinforced our belief that he will be an impact player for the Flyers for the years to come. He’s the type of player who can help take our team to the next level, and we’re excited to continue building alongside him.”

Zegras had career highs last season with 26 goals and 67 points, production that was sparked by a change of scenery. He came to the Flyers last summer in a trade from the Ducks. His time in Anaheim finished with two injury-riddled, disappointing seasons.

But in Year 1 with the Flyers, Zegras answered Rick Tocchet’s challenge. He put up five multi-goal games after having none the season prior with the Ducks. He also made the playoffs for the first time in his career.

“To find that passion for winning and success as a team was big,” Zegras said in May at his end-of-the-season press conference. “I think I had lost a little bit of that, the drive and the passion to win and be a really good team. We definitely had, in my opinion, a great, successful season.”

Zegras led the Flyers with six points in the playoffs. He had two goals and four assists in 10 games as the club made it to the second round, where it was swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes.

The biggest question facing Zegras this season will be his position. Is he a center or winger? Considering the money on his new contract, the Flyers probably would like to see him stick at center. It’s a premium position and one in which the Flyers need the most help.

More: Moving in with Zegras has only fueled Barkey’s arrival to Flyers

Zegras will have to improve his faceoff numbers and continue to build on the all-around game he proved he could play last season. His goal-scoring ability came out on the wing when Tocchet had him there to build his confidence. But the head coach moved him back to center as the Flyers made their playoff push.

“I’m fine with playing both,” Zegras said. “I liked playing in the middle down the stretch just because there’s a little bit more space and you can kind of pick and choose where you want to go a little bit more. I think playing center in the playoffs was a good experience for me just in terms of how different it was, how hard the battles are and all that type of stuff. But I thought it was good.”

With the NHL salary cap only going up, Zegras was poised for a considerable raise. He’s only 25 years old and already has three seasons of 60 or more points. He could be in for a bigger deal at 29 years old if he takes his scoring and minutes to another level. The next step for Zegras could be 30 goals and 75 to 80 points.

For Briere, his next task is re-signing Jamie Drysdale. The restricted free-agent defenseman has an arbitration hearing scheduled for Monday of next week, but the Flyers should be able to get something done before then.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — The Winnipeg Jets re-signed Cole Perfetti to a five-year contract worth an average of $6 million annually, the team said Wednesday.

The 24-year-old forward had 12 goals and 20 assists with 20 penalty minutes in 68 games for the Jets last season. He set a career high with 15 minutes 37 seconds of ice time per game.

Perfetti was Winnipeg's first-round pick —10th overall — in the 2020 NHL draft. He had career highs of 50 points and 32 assists in 82 games in 2024-25 as the Jets won the Presidents’ Trophy with the best regular-season record.

He scored the latest tying goal in a Game 7 in NHL history to help Winnipeg overcome the St. Louis Blues in their first-round matchup.

Perfetti has 157 points — 59 goals, 98 assists — and 68 penalty minutes in 290 career regular-season games with Winnipeg.

Internationally, Perfetti had two goals and four assists in 10 games while helping Canada to the gold medal at the 2021 world championship.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

Edmonton's odds moved from +1200 to +900 in two weeks, and only one other team in the league climbed that far.

It is important, however, to note that Florida, Colorado, and Carolina are still ahead of the Edmonton Oilers, and nothing that's happened this summer changes that. That said, the betting market shows a positive opinion of what Edmonton did, the same way it liked what Washington did when the Capitals went from +1800 to +1200 after Ovechkin decided to come back and the team added Tuch, Kyrou, and Jenner around him. That one's easy to explain. Edmonton's not so much.

The Oilers didn't sign anybody that particularly amazing. They hired Mike Babcock, regardless of the controversies surrounding his name, because they believed he was the guy to hold everyone accountable. McDavid reportedly wanted him anyway. Two Cup Final losses and a first-round exit will do that to a captain. Darnell Nurse went to San Jose. Shakir Mukhamadullin and Ryan Shea came the other way. Fredrik Andersen showed up in net, straight off a Stanley Cup win in Carolina.

Oilers' Three-Goalie Gamble Carries a High Degree of DifficultyStruggling with inconsistent health and unproven potential, Edmonton’s trio of netminders must battle for practice reps and rhythm in a risky rotation that could redefine the Oilers' 2026-27 season

While this is all great, none of it seems like a splash on its own. Together, it moved the Oilers down by 300 points, tying Washington for the biggest swing on the board.

Colorado barely had to lift a finger to go from +750 to +700, and the Avalanche were already close to the top of the board before the offseason started. That's a team the market trusts on reputation and roster continuity alone, not on anything it did this July.

Vegas is the one that doesn't fit a simple explanation. The Golden Knights lost their leading goal scorer this summer. Pavel Dorofeyev signed in New York for $11 million a year, and Vegas is short a real weapon in its top six and on the power play because of it. Their odds still improved, from +1200 to +1000. This is probably because of everything else still on the roster: Eichel, Marner, Stone, Hertl, a defence that mostly stayed together, and a coaching change under Ryan Craig that hasn't really been tested yet. Losing Dorofeyev hurt, but clearly not enough.

Oilers Twitter Climate: Your Full Offseason ForecastCurrent conditions: Mostly outrage with scattered hope. Feels like a rebuild even when it isn't one. Humidity high due to excessive quote tweeting.

The rest of the Pacific is still as messy as it was last season. Anaheim didn't move, stuck at +2500. San Jose went from +4000 to +3500. Los Angeles actually got worse from +2500 to +3000. Maybe that's the Ducks and Sharks separating from the Kings or the Kings sliding on their own. There's no real way for the betting market to distinguish between the two, and neither should anyone try to read too much into a few weeks of trades and signings.

Outside the West, Ottawa went from +2500 to +3500 after trading captain Brady Tkachuk to Florida and bringing back William Eklund from San Jose to fill the void, using Florida's 9th-overall pick. Trading your captain, especially a Tkachuk brother, gets read as a step back regardless of what comes the other way. Eklund's talented. He's not Tkachuk.

A Transcript Of Nurses' Exit Interview, ProbablyEXIT INTERVIEW: Darnell Nurse Position: Left-Shot Defenseman, 8 years of service Conducted by: HR (Standard Player Assets Department)

The Montreal Canadiens went from +1800 to +2500, not because of anything they did wrong, but because of what they didn't do. Ivan Demidov and Jakub Dobes got extensions, which is fine, but Montreal came into the summer looking to add and left it mostly standing still. 

None of these swings mean much in isolation. Add them up, though, and they sketch a rough shape of how sportsbooks are reading the league three weeks after the draft: Edmonton and Washington trending up on the strength of specific, explainable moves, Colorado untouched at the top, Vegas absorbing a real loss without losing its footing, and the rest of the league sorting itself out in smaller, messier ways that won't make sense until training camp settles things further.

The Winnipeg Jets made one of the more intriguing moves of the offseason on July 1, signing goaltender Stuart Skinner, a proven playoff performer with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, to a two-year contract carrying a $3.75 million annual cap hit.

For now, it appears Skinner will slot in as the backup behind three-time Vezina Trophy winner and Olympic gold medalist Connor Hellebuyck, even as trade speculation continues to swirl around the superstar netminder. Should the Jets keep both goaltenders, the tandem in Winnipeg's crease could be one of the best in the league. 

Hellebuyck is widely regarded as the best goaltender in hockey, while Skinner has shown through three deep playoff runs with the Edmonton Oilers that the moment rarely feels too big for him.

The move is a good one for Winnipeg on paper, but it complicates things for the Jets' top goalie prospect, Thomas Milic. The 23-year-old was hoping to compete for the backup job this fall after Eric Comrie, last season's backup, departed in free agency to sign with the San Jose Sharks. Instead, Milic now finds a veteran with legitimate NHL starter pedigree standing in his way.

The signing comes at an awkward time for Milic, who is coming off a strong season in the AHL, posting a 20-13-8 record with a 2.64 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage for a New Westminster, B.C., native looking to take the next step in his development. 

Thomas Milic became the first #MBMoose goaltender since Mikhail Berdin in 2019-20 to record back-to-back shutouts 🪄⁣
⁣
🥅 Unbeaten in 119:48⁣
🥅 61 combined saves⁣
🥅 8th in the AHL in SV%⁣
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STAY HOT, MILLY 🔥 pic.twitter.com/dn0M4CewrZ

— Manitoba Moose (@ManitobaMoose) March 11, 2026

Milic did see NHL action last season, appearing in three games while Hellebuyck was sidelined with injury, but he was hardly given an easy runway. All three of his appearances came against playoff teams in the Edmonton Oilers and Buffalo Sabres, and his lone NHL start came against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.

Simply put, Milic has not been given a fair shake at the NHL level, and the addition of another veteran goaltender only makes his path to regular NHL minutes in Winnipeg murkier. That raises an obvious question of do the Jets now consider moving their young netminder?

The goaltending market around the league remains active, with teams constantly looking to add depth or upside wherever they can find it. Winnipeg could look to flip Milic for future assets, such as draft picks, while also giving the young goaltender a genuine chance to win a roster spot elsewhere. 

Some MILLY MAGIC 🪄🎩 to start our game off! pic.twitter.com/Pes5MPZMRF

— Manitoba Moose (@ManitobaMoose) February 26, 2026

A blockbuster return isn't likely, but modest value is still on the table. The Toronto Maple Leafs, for example, were able to package their third-string goaltender, Dennis Hildeby, along with a pair of draft picks, to acquire impact depth forward Nick Paul from the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Winnipeg could look to pursue a similar type of deal, one that would net immediate roster help heading into what looms as a pivotal season for a team with legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations.

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It's been an oddly Philadelphia-themed offseason for Senators fans.

It started with the Sens re-signing Nick Cousins, who was drafted by Philadelphia and spent his first four pro seasons in that organization. Cousins got a two-year contract worth $1.59 million a season.

Later in the day on July 1st, GM Steve Staios addressed his backup goalie riddle, re-signing newly-acquired RFA Samuel Ersson, who had spent the past five seasons with the Flyers.

Then, after false reports that he'd gone back to Philly, veteran free agent Claude Giroux signed on for a fifth season in Ottawa and explained to the media on Tuesday why he did so.

Finally, on Wednesday, the NHL announced that the Senators will open their new 42-game home schedule against the Philadelphia Flyers on October 8 at Canadian Tire Centre. 

For Giroux, the decision to return to Ottawa wasn't simply about playing another NHL season. It was about staying with a group he's grown so close to over the past four years.

"I chose to come back because I want to be here. I'm excited to be an Ottawa Senator," Giroux told reporters Tuesday during a Zoom media availability.

"Being around those guys for four years, we got really close. The team feels like a family. I just care for those players."

The Senators officially announced Giroux's new contract on July 7. The one-year deal carries a base salary of $2 million, with the veteran forward eligible to earn up to another $3 million in performance bonuses.

Two million dollars of those bonuses are tied to games played, reaching the 10-game and 40-game marks, while the remaining bonuses depend on Ottawa's playoff success.

Giroux's future had been the subject of plenty of speculation after free agency opened. At one point, inaccurate media reports even suggested he had agreed to return to the Flyers, which naturally got tongues wagging in Philly. There was also talk that he may be in the mix in Toronto and Edmonton.

Instead, the 38-year-old appears to be happy to walk into the NHL sunset with Ottawa, the place he's called home since moving here from Hearst, Ontario, at age 14.

While Giroux chose to stay in Ottawa, another player with Flyers ties is just arriving.

Goaltender Samuel Ersson is expected to begin the season as Ottawa's backup behind Linus Ullmark after signing a two-year contract carrying an average annual value of $2.2 million.

As an RFA, Ersson was moved earlier this summer in the deal that saw Philadelphia acquire Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Speaking in an interview posted on the Senators' website, Ersson said he's looking forward to the opportunity and excited for a fresh start.

The Senators' crease now features three goaltenders on NHL contracts, with Ersson joining Ullmark and Leevi Meriläinen, who also signed a one-year contract earlier this offseason. While Meriläinen remains in the picture, Ersson appears to have the clear inside track on the backup job heading into training camp.

Now, the former Flyer won't have to wait long to see his old teammates.

The NHL announced Wednesday that Ottawa's home opener will come against Philadelphia on October 8 at Canadian Tire Centre.

The NHL season starts on September 29th this fall, so that means the Sens will likely open with a two- or three-game road trip. The full regular season schedule, now 84 games long, comes out tomorrow.

With two new extra games to be played in 2026-27, who'd be surprised if one of them is against Philly?

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News