The Columbus Blue Jackets will be a team to keep an eye on once free agency begins. The Blue Jackets could end up being a busy team on July 1, as they are entering the summer with multiple pending free agents and roster needs to address.
One area that the Blue Jackets could focus on this off-season is their center depth. This will especially be the case if they are unable to re-sign pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) forward Boone Jenner.
When looking at this year's free agents, one player who the Blue Jackets should consider signing for their bottom six is Vancouver Canucks center Teddy Blueger.
If the Blue Jackets signed Blueger, they would be bringing a veteran two-way center who works well in the bottom six and kills penalties. While he would not be the flashiest of off-season additions, he would give the Blue Jackets' forward group a bit of a boost as they look to take that next step and become a playoff team in 2026-27.
On a bad Canucks team in 2025-26, Blueger quietly had a strong season, even if he was sidelined for more than half of it. In 35 games this past season with the Canucks, he recorded nine goals, eight assists, 17 points, and 55 hits. This is after he had eight goals and 26 points in 82 games for the Canucks during the 2024-25 season. With numbers like these, he is capable of providing some secondary offensive production.
However, the Blue Jackets would not be signing Blueger for his offensive production. Instead, the 31-year-old center provides his most value when it comes to his defensive play and penalty killing ability. Because of this, he could be a sneaky good signing for the Blue Jackets if they signed him to a short-term deal.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if the Blue Jackets end up making a push for Blueger this off-season. He would have the potential to be a strong pickup for Columbus' fourth-line center spot, but also could move up the lineup if needed.
In 453 career NHL games split between the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, and Canucks, Blueger has recorded 58 goals, 111 assists, 169 points, and 603 hits. He also won the Stanley Cup with Vegas back in 2023.
Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14.
Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!
Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.
Let us know what you think below.
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.
The Buffalo Sabres have been talking trade involving defenseman Bowen Byram with the NHL Draft fast approaching, when it became apparent that the 25-year-old blueliner was intent on heading to free agency next summer and not signing a long-term extension. On Tuesday, the Sabres dealt Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks, along with winger Jordan Greenway, for the fourth overall pick on Friday, a 2026 second-round pick (45th overall), and defenseman Louis Crevier.
Byram is in the second year of a two-year, $12.5 million bridge deal and Buffalo GM Jarmo Kekalainen indicated last month that he was interested in extending him, coming off a career-high 42-point season, but there have been indicators that he is either looking for a new deal well out of the Sabres price range or that he wanted to go to another team where he could be the #1 defenseman.
The young blueliner played behind Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar in Colorado before being dealt to the Sabres for Casey Mittelstadt in March 2024, and the last two-plus seasons has been playing on the second pairing behind team captain Rasmus Dahlin.
Greenway was signed to a two-year, $8 million contract extension last March by former GM Kevyn Adams, coming off an injury-plagued season in which he had just eight points in 34 games. The 29-year-old winger’s mid-body injuries lingered into this season, where he scored just one goal in 40 games, which led to speculation that he could be bought out.
Crevier, 25, was a seventh round pick of the Hawks in 2020 and played in the AHL and NHL from 2023 to 2025, but last season played in Chicago, posting 25 points (7 goals, 18 assists) in 78 games. The 6’8”, 225 lb right-hander also showed a mean streak for the first time, compiling 63 penalty minutes.
With the trade, the Sabres now have two picks in the first round at fourth and 20th overall (acquired in the deal last week for Michael Kesselring). The expectation is that the Toronto Maple Leafs will select Gavin McKenna with the top pick, and after trading forward William Eklund to Ottawa for the ninth overall pick, there is speculation that San Jose will take Swedish forward Ivar Stenberg. If Vancouver selects Caleb Malhotra third, Buffalo will have their pick of the crop of a rich defensive class, headed by Soo Greyhounds blueliner Chase Reid, North Dakota’s Keaton Verhoeff, Latvian Albert Smits, or Prince George’s Carson Carels.
Tuesday was a huge day for trades around the National Hockey League. The Chicago Blackhawks joined the party in the evening when they acquired defenseman Bowen Byram and forward Jordan Greenway from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for the 4th overall pick, the 45th overall pick, and defenseman Louis Crevier.
The Blackhawks had a chance to draft Byram when they had the third overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. Instead, they opted to go with Colton Dach, who has since been traded away. The Colorado Avalanche selected him one pick later.
Byram won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2022 and was traded to the Sabres during the 2023-24 season. He has developed into a great defenseman over that period of time, which includes a career year in 2025-26.
During that career year, Byram had 11 goals and 31 assists for 42 points as a part of a defense core that's loaded with good players like Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Mattias Samuelsson. Buffalo ended its NHL-record-setting playoff drought in the process.
The biggest stat for Byram, however, was the fact that he played in all 82 games. He battled some injuries early in his career, but that all seems to be in his past.
Now, he will come to the Chicago Blackhawks and be one of their leaders on the blue line. Although he is a fresh 25-year-old, he has a lot of experience in big games under his belt. With most of their defensive players under the age of 24, he is the elder statesman now.
The Chicago Blackhawks had a lot of options with that fourth overall pick, but there was growing concern that the player(s) they wanted were not going to be available to them. Instead, they sent it to Buffalo in this deal for Byram.
Byram comes in with a $6.25 million cap hit for 2026-27. He will be an unrestricted free agent after that, so the Blackhawks will be in line to give him a massive extension. With him taking on a bigger role, it will be a hard contract to live up to.
Jordan Greenway comes to Chicago as a physical style 4th line forward. He will bring an element to the game that the Blackhawks are lacking.
In addition to that 4th pick, the 45th pick is a high-value pick that originally belonged to the New York Islanders. It's a steep price to pay for Byram, but that's the price for making trades these days.
Louis Crevier, also involved in this deal, is a big 6'8" defenseman who can consistently pump 100+ mph shots on the net. The Blackhawks did a great job developing him, but Buffalo will receive the fruit of that labor.
There is no denying that this is a risky trade for Kyle Davidson and the Chicago Blackhawks. There is a lot of stock being put in Bowen Byram with this deal, and that will only increase when he gets that inevitable extension.
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 on the article below on THN.com or by creating your own post in our community forum.
With the Brady Tkachuk trade to the Florida Panthers, there is some shakeup in the top 10 of the 2026 NHL Draft. The Chicago Blackhawks, however, will not see their fourth overall pick impacted by that move.
They still have to wait to see how things unfold with the Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks, and Vancouver Canucks ahead of them.
Early in the process, there was some chatter that the San Jose Sharks would take a defenseman, which could leave Ivar Stenberg for the Blackhawks if the Canucks took Manny Malhotra’s son, Caleb.
Now, the whispers are that the Canucks may not draft the son of their new head coach. This is what the draft could look like if Stenberg is not available to Chicago because Vancouver flipped the script at the last minute:
1. Toronto Maple Leafs - Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State
The Toronto Maple Leafs selecting Gavin McKenna would add another star to their crop of great forwards. Assuming they don't trade any of them, he would be wonderful on a power play unit with Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, William Nylander, and Darren Raddysh.
2. San Jose Sharks - Chase Reid, D, Sault St. Marie
The San Jose Sharks made some moves that suggest they are changing their thinking, but they could still use a high-end defenseman at the top of the draft. Chase Reid would provide them with that.
3. Vancouver Canucks - Ivar Stenberg, LW, Frolunda
The Vancouver Canucks pass on their coach's son here and select Ivar Stenberg. They have a strong history with Swedish forwards becoming stars, and Stenberg has that type of ceiling.
4. Chicago Blackhawks - Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford
With Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg off the board, the Chicago Blackhawks select the third-best forward in the draft, which is Caleb Malhotra. A selection like this would move one of Anton Frondell or Frank Nazar back to the wing.
5. New York Rangers - Keaton Verhoeff, D, North Dakota
The New York Rangers take a chance on Keaton Verhoeff's high ceiling with this selection at fifth overall. With Adam Fox's speed in question, Verhoeff would be a great compliment to him.
6. Calgary Flames - Carson Carels, D, Prince George
The Calgary Flames just traded for Simon Nemec, which adds a great young defenseman to their pool. Carson Carels is another one with an incredibly high ceiling to consider adding to that mix.
7. Seattle Kraken - Alberts Smits, D, Jukurit
The Seattle Kraken get what could turn out to be a star in Alberts Smits, who helped Latvian hockey take a big step in the Olympics and World Championships. They are desperate for stars, so taking a chance on this player with star potential is the perfect idea for them.
8. Winnipeg Jets - Daxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert
Things fall off a bit in terms of potential when it comes to defensemen following the selection of Smits, but Winnipeg is brilliant at taking young defensemen and turning them into great players. Daxon Rudolph would fit right in there.
9. San Jose Sharks via Ottawa Senators via Florida Panthers - Viggo Bjorck, RW, Djurgarden
This 9th overall pick, which originally belonged to the Florida Panthers, has done some traveling. First, it was traded to the Blackhawks, but it was top-ten protected. Then, Florida used it in the Brady Tkachuk trade with the Ottawa Senators. Finally, the Senators traded it to the Sharks for William Eklund. Now, in this mock, they use it on Viggo Bjorck after using the second overall pick on a defenseman. Bjorck was impressive all season, whether it was with Djurgarden, the World Juniors, or the World Championships.
10. Nashville Predators - Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University
The Nashville Predators had somewhat of a bounce-back year, but it wasn't enough to keep them from finishing with a top-ten pick. Tynan Lawrence, who may be a center or wing in the NHL, is the perfect project for them. At one point, he was projected to be a top-three pick, so taking a chance on his skills at 10 is perfect for Nashville.
11. St. Louis Blues - Ryan Lin, D, Vancouver
This is the first of three picks for the St. Louis Blues in the 2026 NHL Draft. Selecting a defenseman in Ryan Lin makes sense for them organizationally, but they could probably use a bit of everything at this point.
12. New Jersey Devils - Wyatt Cullen, F, USDP
Wyatt Cullen is a speedy forward who fits what the New Jersey Devils try to do offensively. His ceiling would allow him to play with one of Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier, which is a reason that they'd take a chance on him.
13. New York Islanders - Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor
Ethan Belchetz, who will play for Michigan State in 2026-27, is in a great spot for him to work on his abilities. The New York Islanders would have two successful first rounds in a row if they made a selection like this.
14. Columbus Blue Jackets - Adam Novotny, LW, Peterborough
Adam Novotny is a forward who has some very good goal-scoring skills, and the rest of his offensive game is solid. The Columbus Blue Jackets, who have some wonderful young players, are still trying to build up. This makes Novotny's ceiling worth considering for their long-term plan.
15. St. Louis Blues via Detroit Red Wings - Oscar Hemming, RW, Boston College
The St. Louis Blues acquired the 15th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft in the Justin Faulk trade ahead of the deadline. On Tuesday, they traded Jordan Kyrou to the Washington Capitals, which makes adding a high-end forward prospect enticing. Oscar Hemming is a great option for them if he makes it to 15.
16. St. Louis Blues via Washington Capitals - Malte Gustafsson, LD, HV71
The Blues received the 16th overall pick in the Kyrou trade, which makes it back to back selections in the mid-teens and three in the top half of the draft. They do need a lot of help all over the roster, but there may be some extra emphasis on defense this year. Malte Gustafsson is one to consider with this selection.
On Monday, former Calgary Flames President of Hockey Operations Brian Burke earned induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. With a career spanning almost four decades, including a Stanley Cup championship with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007, this is one of the highest honors for Burke, who recently served as the Executive Director of the PWHL.
— Hockey Hall of Fame (@HockeyHallFame) June 22, 2026
In the NHL, Burke held many leadership positions with several clubs, including the Vancouver Canucks, Hartford Whalers, Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, and, of course, the Flames.
After serving as President, General Manager, and Senior Advisor with the Maple Leafs, he became the Flames' President of Hockey Operations on Sept. 5, 2013. Within three months, Burke fired then General Manager Jay Feaster, assuming the role for the remainder of the season.
Behind the bench, Bob Hartley was in his second season with the club, securing a 35-40-7 record for 77 points, improving upon a 19-25-4 record from the shortened 48-game 2012-13 campaign. However, the Flames finished sixth in the Pacific Division.
Interestingly, in the Flames' first trade under Burke, they acquired Joe Colborne from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sep. 29, 2013. Shortly after the season began, Calgary made its second-ever trade with its provincial rivals, the Edmonton Oilers, acquiring Ladislav Smid and Olivier Roy for Roman Horak and Laurent Brossoit on Nov. 8, 2013.
On Apr. 28, 2014, Burke hired Brad Treliving to be the Flames' eighth General Manager. At the 2014 NHL Draft, Burke's first with the Flames, they selected Sam Bennett with the fourth overall pick. Unfortunately, the rest of that year's draft class was a miss, as none of the five others ever played an NHL game.
In the 2014-15 season, the organization rebounded, qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs with a 45-30-7 record, defeating the Canucks in six games before losing to the Ducks in five, both organizations with deep connections to Burke. Yet the success was short-lived, as the team missed the playoffs again in 2015-16, posting an opposite record of 30-45-7. The inconsistencies led to Glen Gulutzan replacing Hartley for the start of the new season.
At least the Flames found some success in Burke's second draft in 2015. Without a first-round pick, they ended up selecting Ramus Andersson at 53rd overall, along with Oliver Kylington (60th overall) and Andrew Mangiapane (166th overall). Meanwhile, one of the biggest trades in franchise history took place on June 26, 2015, when the Flames acquired defenseman Dougie Hamilton from the Boston Bruins for three draft picks: a first- and two second-round picks in the 2015 NHL Draft.
While Calgary advanced to the playoffs for the second time under Burke's watch in 2016-17, losing to the Ducks in four games after posting a 45-33-4 regular season record, the franchise's future took shape at the 2016 NHL Draft. That year, the Flames selected Matthew Tkachuk with the sixth overall pick, following that up with Dillon Dube at 56th overall and future Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox at 66th overall. As many recall, all three eventually left the organization, with Fox the only one never dressing with the team.
In 2017-18, the Flames scraped by with a 37-35-10 record, missing the playoffs for the third time since Burke's hire. Moreover, the team cycled through goalies, with Burke and Treliving acquiring Niklas Backstrom, Brian Elliott, and Mike Smith while dealing away Chad Johnson and Eddie Lack. Additionally, on Feb. 27, 2016, they traded away fan favorite Jiri Hudler to the Florida Panthers.
At the 2017 NHL Draft, the Flames used their first round pick on Juuso Välimäki (16th overall) and then used their next pick on Adam Ruzicka at 109th overall. Their last three picks in the later rounds never made it into the league.
Despite many ups and downs, Burke stepped down as President of Hockey Operations on Apr. 27, 2018. However, in one of the final moves he oversaw before departing, the Flames relieved Gulutzan of his coaching duties and hired Bill Peters as head coach on Apr. 23, 2018. Under Burke's watch, the Flames went 197-178-35 and only won a total of five playoff games.
Despite the lack of overwhelming success during his time with the club, Burke is the one who hired Brad Treliving, who would go on to leave his fingerprints all over today's roster. Eventually, Treliving would trade Tkachuk for Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar and lose Johnny Gaudreau to free agency. On the other hand, he drafted Dustin Wolf, Connor Zary, Martin Pospisil, and Matt Coronato, pillars of today's rebuild.
Burke becomes the latest inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame with connections to the Flames, including the late Cliff Fletcher, Jarome Iginla, Joe Nieuwendyk, Mike Vernon, Al MacInnis, Joe Mullen, Doug Gilmour, Brett Hull, Sergei Makarov, Martin St. Louis, and Lanny McDonald.
On Tuesday morning, it was announced by the Detroit Red Wings that they will be hosting a four-team Prospect Tournament and Training Camp at the BELFOR Training Center inside of Little Caesars Arena in September.
This breaks from a longstanding tradition for the franchise that began in 1997 of holding Training Camp in Traverse City, Michigan.
The prospect tournament will feature players from not only the Red Wings but the Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Columbus Blue Jackets, starting on Sept. 12. Training Camp will commence on Sept. 17, followed by four exhibition contests.
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 23, 2026
This will mark only the third time since 1997 that the Red Wings don't hold Training Camp at Center Ice Arena. The first occasion was in the winter of 2013 at the start of the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign; Camp was held at Compuware Arena (now known as USA Hockey Arena) in Plymouth.
Additionally, before the shortened 2020-21 NHL season amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Camp was held at Little Caesars Arena.
“We’ve always known there was a chance they would do something different,” Spaulding continued. “I don’t know if this is a permanent deal.”
The tradition of Training Camp being held in Traverse City was the idea of Hall of Fame coach Scotty Bowman.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
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.
The Washington Capitals acquired right winger Brandon Kyrou in a trade with the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, keeping the player movement around the NHL spinning ahead of the draft later this week and with free agency on the horizon.
Washington sent veteran forward Connor McMichael, prospect Milton Gastrin and the 16th pick to St. Louis for the 28-year-old Kyrou, who is under contract for the next five seasons at a salary cap hit of $8.125 million.
Capitals general manager Chris Patrick foreshadowed making a move like this after doing more selling than buying at the deadline in March. Kyrou gives the team another player in his prime to join a core around Tom Wilson, Jakob Chychrun, Dylan Strome, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Aliaksei and Ilya Protas, Ryan Leonard and Logan Thompson — whether or not Alex Ovechkin returns.
“We believe he is an ideal fit for our team both now and for the long term,” Patrick said. “Jordan is an exceptionally talented and dynamic offensive player who will make an immediate impact on our club. His skill, creativity and ability to generate offense at an elite level will be a tremendous addition to our group.”
Kyrou had 18 goals and 28 assists in 72 games with St. Louis last season, producing below expectations for someone signed to be a key contributor. He is a three-time 30-goal scorer, reaching that mark consecutively from 2022-23 through 2024-25.
McMichael, 25, had 46 points in 78 games with the Capitals last season.
Gastrin, 19, was the 37th pick in the draft last year. Washington still has the 18th pick Friday night as part of the deal that sent longtime defenseman John Carlson to Anaheim in March.
In other trades Tuesday:
— The San Jose Sharks dealt William Eklund and forward prospects Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda to the Ottawa Senators for the ninth pick. The Sharks now have the Nos. 2, 9 and 27 picks in the first round of the draft Friday night. Ottawa got the No. 9 pick over the weekend as part of the return for sending Brady Tkachuk to Florida in the offseason’s biggest blockbuster so far. The Senators also received a pair of picks the Panthers got from Seattle for Mackie Samoskevich, along with a 2029 first-rounder.
— The New Jersey Devils sent Simon Nemec and Maxim Tsyplakov to the Calgary Flames for two future conditional first-round picks, as well as No. 35 overall this year and prospect Etienne Morin.
The Washington Capitals acquired right winger Brandon Kyrou in a trade with the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, keeping the player movement around the NHL spinning ahead of the draft later this week and with free agency on the horizon.
Washington sent veteran forward Connor McMichael, prospect Milton Gastrin and the 16th pick to St. Louis for the 28-year-old Kyrou, who is under contract for the next five seasons at a salary cap hit of $8.125 million.
Capitals general manager Chris Patrick foreshadowed making a move like this after doing more selling than buying at the deadline in March. Kyrou gives the team another player in his prime to join a core around Tom Wilson, Jakob Chychrun, Dylan Strome, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Aliaksei and Ilya Protas, Ryan Leonard and Logan Thompson — whether or not Alex Ovechkin returns.
“We believe he is an ideal fit for our team both now and for the long term,” Patrick said. “Jordan is an exceptionally talented and dynamic offensive player who will make an immediate impact on our club. His skill, creativity and ability to generate offense at an elite level will be a tremendous addition to our group.”
Kyrou had 18 goals and 28 assists in 72 games with St. Louis last season, producing below expectations for someone signed to be a key contributor. He is a three-time 30-goal scorer, reaching that mark consecutively from 2022-23 through 2024-25.
McMichael, 25, had 46 points in 78 games with the Capitals last season.
Gastrin, 19, was the 37th pick in the draft last year. Washington still has the 18th pick Friday night as part of the deal that sent longtime defenseman John Carlson to Anaheim in March.
In other trades Tuesday:
— The San Jose Sharks dealt William Eklund and forward prospects Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda to the Ottawa Senators for the ninth pick. The Sharks now have the Nos. 2, 9 and 27 picks in the first round of the draft Friday night. Ottawa got the No. 9 pick over the weekend as part of the return for sending Brady Tkachuk to Florida in the offseason’s biggest blockbuster so far. The Senators also received a pair of picks the Panthers got from Seattle for Mackie Samoskevich, along with a 2029 first-rounder.
— The New Jersey Devils sent Simon Nemec and Maxim Tsyplakov to the Calgary Flames for two future conditional first-round picks, as well as No. 35 overall this year and prospect Etienne Morin.
Apr 5, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; New Jersey Devils defenseman Simon Nemec (17) looks on during warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
David Kirouac-Imagn Images
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The New Jersey Devils traded Simon Nemec to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday, getting draft picks for the 22-year-old defenseman.
In new general manager Sunny Mehta’s first major roster transaction, the Devils received two future conditional first-round picks, as well as No. 35 overall this year and prospect Etienne Morin for Nemec and winger Maxim Tsyplakov.
There had been buzz in recent weeks that Nemec was interested in a change of scenery. The right-handed shooting Slovak is just 22 years old and 159 games into his NHL career since New Jersey selected him with the second pick in the draft in 2022.
The first-rounders are top-10 protected, with Calgary potentially parting ways with one in each in some combination of 2027, ‘28 and ’29.
Morin, 21, is a left shot defenseman who spent last season in the minors.
Apr 5, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; New Jersey Devils defenseman Simon Nemec (17) looks on during warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
David Kirouac-Imagn Images
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The New Jersey Devils traded Simon Nemec to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday, getting draft picks for the 22-year-old defenseman.
In new general manager Sunny Mehta’s first major roster transaction, the Devils received two future conditional first-round picks, as well as No. 35 overall this year and prospect Etienne Morin for Nemec and winger Maxim Tsyplakov.
There had been buzz in recent weeks that Nemec was interested in a change of scenery. The right-handed shooting Slovak is just 22 years old and 159 games into his NHL career since New Jersey selected him with the second pick in the draft in 2022.
The first-rounders are top-10 protected, with Calgary potentially parting ways with one in each in some combination of 2027, ‘28 and ’29.
Morin, 21, is a left shot defenseman who spent last season in the minors.
AS Roma owner Dan Friedkin meets the player Stephan El Shaarawy during the training session at Centro Sportivo Fulvio Bernardini on October 08, 2025 in Rome.
They say everything is bigger in Texas, and that could include the NHL’s footprint in the Lone Star State.
The NHL is exploring the expansion process in Texas, as Houston and Austin are being eyed as potential cities to land a franchise. The matter was discussed at the NHL’s board of governors meeting in Manhattan on Tuesday.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters that the league has been in conversations with the Friedkin family about a potential expansion team in Houston or Austin for two years, according to ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun.
Bettman said that Houston and Austin would need new arenas as part of any expansion bid and the expansion fee would be a whopping $3.5 billion if it happens in either city.
AS Roma owner Dan Friedkin meets the player Stephan El Shaarawy during the training session at Centro Sportivo Fulvio Bernardini on October 08, 2025 in Rome. NHLI via Getty Images
The NHL will take its time before making a decision and Bettman said it would take a six-month process to make up its mind whether it will go forward with expansion in one of those markets. Dallas has been home to the Stars since the franchise relocated from Minnesota in 1993,
Canadiens owner Geoff Molson, a member of the NHL’s board of governors executive committee, told reporters, according to ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski, that expansion in Texas is “just an exploration at this stage and it’s an important decision.”
Dan Friedkin, whose net worth is estimated at $10.3 billion per Bloomberg, emerged as a possible ownership option last year when he was written about by ESPN.
Friedkin is the CEO of The Friedkin Group, a conglomerate that has its hands in everything from Toyota distributors to award-winning resorts, according to the company’s website.
The company is based in Houston and Friedkin already has a growing portfolio of sports assets through Pursuit Sports, which is a company dedicated to TFG’s sports properties.
AS Roma owner Dan Friedkin meets the player Stephan El Shaarawy during the training session at Centro Sportivo Fulvio Bernardini on October 08, 2025 in Rome. AS Roma via Getty Images
The company owns Italian soccer club AS Roma in Serie A and The Friedkin Group took majority control of Premier League club Everton.
“Pursuit Sports, our family’s global sports ownership and operating platform, has reached an agreement with the NHL that provides us with the exclusive rights to bring an expansion NHL team to the State of Texas, with a primary focus on both Austin and Houston as potential markets,” the Friedkin family told the Houston Chronicle in a statement.
“Each city brings unique attributes that would make a new team a huge success — both have the infrastructure, passionate fan bases, and economic strength needed to support a championship-caliber franchise for years to come.
“We have wanted for some time to bring an NHL team to Texas, and we are excited that the process has now begun. Selecting a new market for an NHL franchise is a special and important responsibility, and we are grateful to the league for their faith in us and their support. Working with Commissioner [Gary] Bettman and the NHL, we will undertake a principled, disciplined, and methodical process to ensure we find the right long-term home for this new franchise.”
Houston is the biggest market in the United States or Canada that does not have a pro hockey team, and was home to the American Hockey League’s Houston Aeros until the team relocated to Des Moines, Iowa, in 2013.
The Devils have made a move ahead of this week’s NHL Draft.
New Jersey sent defenseman Simon Nemec and winger Maxim Tsyplakov to the Calgary Flames in exchange for a prospect and a package of draft picks.
The first of those selections is the Rangers’ second rounder for this year, and the other two are conditional top-10 protected first-round picks via the Golden Knights and Avalanche.
The Devils now hold six picks in this year’s draft, and a total of five first rounders over the next three years.
Nemec landed in New Jersey as the second overall pick in the 2022 Draft.
He played parts of three seasons after debuting with the club and is coming off his best statistical campaign to this point, finishing with 11 goals and 15 assists over 68 games.
The 22-year-old RFA is set to receive a big payday this summer.
Tsyplakov appeared in just 22 games down the stretch with the Devils after being acquired from the Islanders as part of the return for Ondrej Palat ahead of the trade deadline.
Etienne Morin, the prospect sent to New Jersey, is a 22-year-old d-man who skated in 42 AHL games last season.
The Devils have made a move ahead of this week’s NHL Draft.
New Jersey sent defenseman Simon Nemec and winger Maxim Tsyplakov to the Calgary Flames in exchange for a prospect and a package of draft picks.
The first of those selections is the Rangers’ second rounder for this year, and the other two are conditional top-10 protected first-round picks via the Golden Knights and Avalanche.
The Devils now hold six picks in this year’s draft, and a total of five first rounders over the next three years.
Nemec landed in New Jersey as the second overall pick in the 2022 Draft.
He played parts of three seasons after debuting with the club and is coming off his best statistical campaign to this point, finishing with 11 goals and 15 assists over 68 games.
The 22-year-old RFA is set to receive a big payday this summer.
Tsyplakov appeared in just 22 games down the stretch with the Devils after being acquired from the Islanders as part of the return for Ondrej Palat ahead of the trade deadline.
Etienne Morin, the prospect sent to New Jersey, is a 22-year-old d-man who skated in 42 AHL games last season.
One of the Montreal Canadiens' top goals this off-season should be to bring in another right-shot defenseman.
Unfortunately for the Habs, one of the top right-shot defenseman trade candidates is no longer a potential option for them.
This is because the Calgary Flames have acquired defenseman Simon Nemec from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for the Vegas Golden Knights' 2027 first-round pick, the Colorado Avalanche's 2028 first-round pick, the New York Rangers' 2026 second-round pick, and defenseman Etienne Morin. The Flames also added forward Maxim Tsyplakov from the Devils in the deal.
With Nemec being a 22-year-old right-shot defenseman with high potential, he would have had the potential to be an excellent addition to the Canadiens' roster. He could have fit very nicely in the Canadiens' young core, but alas, he is heading to the Flames instead.
With Nemec no longer available, the Canadiens will need to consider other options if they hope to land a new right-shot defenseman this off-season. The top right-shot defenseman trade candidates right now are Dougie Hamilton, Braden Schneider, and Rasmus Ristolainen. This year's top pending UFA options currently are John Carlson, Rasmus Andersson, and Jacob Trouba.
One of the Montreal Canadiens' top goals this off-season should be to bring in another right-shot defenseman.
Unfortunately for the Habs, one of the top right-shot defenseman trade candidates is no longer a potential option for them.
This is because the Calgary Flames have acquired defenseman Simon Nemec from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for the Vegas Golden Knights' 2027 first-round pick, the Colorado Avalanche's 2028 first-round pick, the New York Rangers' 2026 second-round pick, and defenseman Etienne Morin. The Flames also added forward Maxim Tsyplakov from the Devils in the deal.
With Nemec being a 22-year-old right-shot defenseman with high potential, he would have had the potential to be an excellent addition to the Canadiens' roster. He could have fit very nicely in the Canadiens' young core, but alas, he is heading to the Flames instead.
With Nemec no longer available, the Canadiens will need to consider other options if they hope to land a new right-shot defenseman this off-season. The top right-shot defenseman trade candidates right now are Dougie Hamilton, Braden Schneider, and Rasmus Ristolainen. This year's top pending UFA options currently are John Carlson, Rasmus Andersson, and Jacob Trouba.
