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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Jan 23, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward David Kampf (64) pursues New Jersey Devils forward Paul Cotter (47) in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sabres extend Zach Benson for seven years
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 27: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins take the ice against the St. Louis Blues at PPG PAINTS Arena on October 27, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
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.
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.
PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 10: Kevin Hayes #13 of the Pittsburgh Penguins controls the puck in front of Brayden Pachal #94 of the Calgary Flames at PPG PAINTS Arena on January 10, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
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.
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).
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Former Vancouver Canucks defenceman Aaron Rome is taking on a new but familiar role as an assistant coach with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL.
Rome, who played in the NHL for eight seasons and three as a Canuck, spent last season as the head coach of the Wheat Kings’ U-17 AAA team. Previously, he has also taken on a role with the Wheat Kings as a skills coach (2017–18 to 2018–19), while also serving as an assistant coach in 2016–17. In his first season as an assistant coach for Brandon, the Wheat Kings put together a record of 31–31–7–3, putting them at fourth in the WHL’s East Division.
As a player, Rome spent a total of five full seasons playing in the WHL. He began his WHL career with the Saskatoon Blades (1998–99 to 2000–01), before moving on to the Kootenay Ice (now Wenatchee Wild) for two seasons. He spent nearly three seasons with the Swift Current Broncos following that, before heading to the Moose Jaw Warriors for the back-half of his final WHL season in 2003–04.
After NHL stints with the Anaheim Ducks and Columbus Blue Jackets, Rome headed to Vancouver for three seasons. This, of course, included the Canucks’ 2011 Stanley Cup run, during which Rome was suspended for four games of the Stanley Cup Final after a hit on Boston Bruins forward Nathan Horton.
As it stands, the Wheat Kings’ roster is currently set to include Ducks prospect Brady Turko, defencemen Ilari Kapanen and Josh McGregor, and forward Colin Grubb. Marty Murray is currently the club’s head coach and general manager.
Feb 26, 2012; Dallas, TX, USA; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Aaron Rome (29) defends against the Dallas Stars attack during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Stars defeated the Canucks 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
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TORONTO, ON - APRIL 29: NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, with Colorado Avalanche's Rick Pracey, Director of Amateur Scouting, with the "golden ticket" which gives the Avalanche the 1st overall pick in the NHL Draft, at the TSN studios in Scarborough. (Rick Madonik/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
The past thirty years of Avalanche hockey have featured incredible highs, and some very, very dismal lows.
As an avid fan of The Simpsons, I’ve witnessed plenty of “best of times” moments, but also been subjected to a smattering of unpleasant “blursts” of times. In this latest edition of an ongoing off-season series, I take a look back through the past thirty years, highlighting one moment that stands among the best, and comparatively, the worst (or blurst, if you will) each season.
Here are the best and blurst moments from another five years of Colorado Avalanche history.
2010-2011
The Best: Foote’s Farewell Finale (April 10, 2011)
Two words: The Shift.
With the Avs fresh off a six game winning streak prior to the start of the holidays, there was little reason to panic. However, after treading water in January, things fell apart rather quickly: the team had a disastrous finish to the season, going 10-34-4 heading into the team’s final game on home ice against the Edmonton Oilers.
Avs captain Adam Foote was also playing in his final game, as he had previously announced he would retire at the end of the season.
With Avs fans having been deprived of giving Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg (spoilers) a proper farewell on home ice, they wouldn’t let this opportunity slip away with Foote. In return, Foote gave the Pepsi Center crowd a memorable final shift.
With both teams tied at three in overtime and the clock winding down, Foote skated onto the ice and into the Avs zone. With a flip of his wrists moments later, his stick caught and launched the stick of Edmonton defender Ladislav Šmíd high into the air, then proceeded to repeatedly manhandle Edmonton winger Teemu Hartikainen along the end boards (in plain view of the referee) before shoving him down to the ice and finishing him off with a check in the corner.
The fans in attendance roared in appreciation as Foote skated to the bench, his final shift at an end.
Not long after, David Jones would tally the game-winner in overtime, ensuring a 4-3 victory for the Avs. Foote was named first star of the game and received a rousing ovation before skating off the ice for the last time as a player.
A rare bright spot in a largely forgettable season.
The Blurst: St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (February 14, 2011)
Many people have a love/hate relationship with Valentine’s Day.
For Avs fans, this particular Valentine’s Day was filled with both.
It didn’t start out that way. Love was in the air, and the reunion with Peter Forsberg, who had just signed a pro-rated contract for one (likely) final return with the Avs just days earlier, was imminent, or so they thought. Rather than discussing his return with the media who assembled at Pepsi Center, Forsberg made the following statement:
“I played hockey my entire life,” he said, “but I decided I played my final game.”
The Avs were in the middle of a four game road trip when Forsberg made his return to hockey. They lost in Columbus by a score of 3-1 on February 11, and lost in Nashville by a 5-3 score the next night. Instead of a heartfelt reunion on Valentine’s Day, Avs fans were now reeling from heartbreak.
The breakup was official, and there’s no worse time for a breakup than Valentine’s Day.
Both the roster and the fanbase had little time to come to terms with the news, as there was still a game to be played that night against Calgary. If there was anything that could help perk up the brokenhearted, getting their first win of the post-Forsberg era would be a great start.
Not on this night.
Any hopes that the Avs could be competitive vanished almost immediately after puck drop, as Calgary scored eighteen seconds into the contest. By the end of the first period, the Avs trailed 5-0. The Avs would score the only goal of the second period, but Calgary added another four goals in the third to win by a 9-1 margin.
The loss was the eighth in a row for the Avs, and eighteenth in their past twenty-four games. The Avs would muster only five more wins during the regular season.
It’s hard to play with any heart when it was broken by one you love.
Sheryl Crow said it best: the blurst cut is the deepest. Or something like that.
2011-2012
The Best: Milan Hejduk Named Captain (November 14, 2011)
It had been over six months since Adam Foote skated into retirement, and the Avs had yet to announce who would succeed him as captain.
“This is obviously a big honor,” Hejduk told The Denver Post. “It is a big accomplishment. I’ve been in the league a long time, and this is pretty cool.”
Head coach Joe Sacco had plenty of praise for his new captain. Citing his tenure and on-ice success, Sacco said of Hejduk, “He’s been an Avalanche now for 13 years. He’s won a Stanley Cup. He’s a product of the system here, and he’s what we want our young players to strive for.”
Hejduk was the first European-born captain in Avalanche history, and the second captain from the former Czechoslovakia in franchise history. His tenure as captain lasted only one season, with Gabe Landeskog succeeding him on September 4, 2012.
A well-deserved honor, and a bright spot in an otherwise vanilla campaign for the Avs.
The Blurst: Yaroslavl Lokomotiv Plane Crash (September 7, 2011)
The worst moment of this season for the Avs didn’t take place during a hockey game.
In fact, it didn’t even take place in the Western Hemisphere.
On September 7, a small aircraft carrying Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) hockey team Yaroslavl Lokomotiv crashed shortly after takeoff. Of the forty-five passengers on the aircraft, all but one perished.
Several former NHL players had been part of the Lokomotiv roster and coaching staff. Two of the victims were former Avs defensemen Kārlis Skrastiņš and Ruslan Salei.
Skrastiņš, who was acquired from Nashville in June 2003, spent four seasons with the Avs. In 275 regular season games, Skrastiņš scored nine goals and collected thirty-three assists for a total of forty-two points. He appeared in 20 playoff games, collecting three assists.
Skrastiņš most notable moment with the Avs took place in February 2007, as he skated in his 487th consecutive game, setting a League record for consecutive games played by a defenseman. He played a grand total of 832 regular season games in the NHL, spending time in Florida and Dallas in addition to his time spent with Nashville and Colorado.
Ironically, both players were traded for each other. In February 2008, Skrastiņš was sent to Florida, along with a 2008 third-round pick, in exchange for Salei. Salei spent parts of three seasons with the Avs, scoring eight goals and collecting twenty-six assists for a total of thirty-four points in 101 regular season games. He scored one goal and added four assists in eleven playoff games.
Throughout his fourteen year career in the NHL, Salei spent the first nine seasons with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim before joining Florida, and he played his final season with Detroit after leaving the Avs to wrap up his NHL tenure. He played a grand total of 917 regular season games and 62 playoff games.
As reported by Reuters, a September 2012 investigation by Russia’s lead investigative agency determined that the pilots of the aircraft did not receive the necessary training that was required to fly the plane, and that they had been given permission to fly on the basis of “falsified documents”.
Vladimir Markin, spokesperson for the agency, named Vadim Timofeyev, deputy head of the airline operating the flight, responsible for “blatant violations” and charged with violation of air safety rules. He was sentenced to five years in prison, but was amnestied and released.
Everything about this incident goes far beyond hockey, and the negligence involved could have been completely avoided.
Though their time with the Avs was brief, may the memories of them as fathers, family, friends, and hockey players, remain timeless.
2012-2013
The Best: Milan’s Magical Milestone (February 04, 2013)
In a previous edition, I covered Patrick Roy’s historic milestone of 1000 appearances as a goalie. While reaching this milestone as the first goalie to do so is incredible, it’s important to keep in mind that, out of the 1029 games that Roy played, more than half of those games (551) were played as a member of the Montréal Canadiens.
This context doesn’t diminish Roy’s legacy by any means. Nor the legacy of Adam Foote or Joe Sakic, both of whom also eclipsed the 1000 game milestone, but played quite a few games for teams based in other markets.
On this night, Milan Hejduk became the first ever player in franchise history to reach the 1000 game milestone, and to do so entirely as a member of the Avalanche. In a pregame ceremony prior to hosting the Dallas Stars (who had future Hall of Famer and fellow Czech Republic teammate, Jaromír Jágr, on their roster at the time), Hejduk received a commemorative gift of crystal, along with a silver stick from Sakic and a standing ovation from the Pepsi Center crowd.
With Dallas leading in 2-0 in the first period, Hejduk gave the crowd something else to cheer about, as he opened the scoring for the Avs. P.A. Parenteau tied the game in the second period, but Dallas captain Jamie Benn responded with the go-ahead (and game-winning) goal shortly after.
Hejduk may not have been the household name like some of the other franchise greats, but there’s something fitting about him being the first (and still, only) player to do so entirely in an Avs sweater. He didn’t have the punishing, physical style of a Peter Forsberg or the swagger of a Roy. Although not as lethal as Sakic’s, his shot and his hands were his greatest assets, allowing him to routinely find the back of the net and stealthily climb up the franchise scoring ranks. He was already well-respected in the locker room and viewed as a leader among his peers, exemplified by succeeding Foote in his brief stint as Avs captain, and again as an assistant for the youngest captain in franchise history (at the time), Gabe Landeskog.
And on this unassuming night in the middle of an unnecessarily truncated season (spoilers), the best moment belonged to the man who quietly, and fittingly, made franchise history on his own terms.
The Blurst: Bettman Locks The Doors…Again (September 15, 2012)
Here we go again.
Labor peace had been the standard in the NHL ever since the lockout that cancelled the 2004-2005 season came to an end. The salary cap structure ushered in an era of parity across the majority of the League, much to the delight of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. Surely, neither side would allow the same thing to happen again.
Gulp.
On September 15, with a single day remaining until the expiration of the seven-year long collective bargaining agreement that had been in place since 2005, Bettman announced that the players would be locked out once more. As was the case in announcing the previous lockout, Bettman again cited a failure to come to terms on a new agreement as primary reason for this lockout.
This lockout, however, wasn’t a battle over the institution of the salary cap system. Rather, the central focus was on hockey-related revenue (HRR) and how the entirety of that revenue was divided between the owners and the players. Another area of focus was the duration of player contracts.
Although several proposals were exchanged between both sides, neither could find common ground. By the time that the 2012-2013 season was set to begin, both sides remained far apart. As negotiations continued, portions of the season schedule were cancelled as the months ticked by. By the end of November, the Winter Classic between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs, and the NHL All-Star Game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, had also been cancelled.
The NHL Players Association appealed to the hearts and minds of their fans in a video that featured several of the League’s marquee players (including a very fresh-faced Gabe Landeskog) in support of their cause. In contrast to Bettman’s statements placing blame on the players, they spoke plainly about their love for the game and the concessions they’ve made in order to foster an agreement with the League. (You can check out that video up above.)
The two sides finally reached a tentative deal on January 6, 2013. A new salary floor and ceiling of $44 million dollars and $66 million dollars, respectively, were announced, along with the new contract lengths (seven years for new contract signings, while current contracts could be extended for eight years), a temporary window allowing teams to buy out contracts, and a fixed arbitration award of less than $3.5 million dollars.
The NHL’s Board of Governors ratified the new agreement three days later on January 9, and the NHL Players Association followed suit on January 12. Instead of a fully cancelled season, a shortened regular season totaling 48 games began on January 19.
The Avs opened the shortened season on the same day at the Xcel Energy Center, falling to the Minnesota Wild by a score of 4-2. Notably absent from the roster was center Ryan O’Reilly, who had yet to come to terms on a new contract with the Avs during the work stoppage. He would rejoin the club on February 28, hours after the team matched a two year offer sheet tendered by the Calgary Flames.
Had it not been for a reenactment of the labor stoppage between the NHL and the Players Association, perhaps the fortunes of O’Reilly and the Avs may have turned out differently, or they could have played out exactly as they did.
We’ll never truly know, but what is known is that both—the lockout more than anything—was definitely blurst material.
2013-2014
The Best: Central Division Champions (April 13, 2014)
With first-year coach Patrick Roy behind the bench for the 2013-2014 season, many didn’t envision the Avs having much success. In fact, more focus was placed on Roy than the roster from the early going due to his emotional outburst towards Anaheim Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau on opening night.
The team raced out of the gates, winning fourteen of its first sixteen games. Even on nights—and there were many—when the ice was heavily tilted in goaltender Semyon Varlamov’s direction, the Avs still kept winning. Bucking the early season projections, the Avs clinched their first postseason appearance since 2010 with a 3-2 victory over the visiting San Jose Sharks on March 29.
Not content with merely securing a spot in the playoffs, the Avs set their sights on the top spot in the Central Division. However, the St. Louis Blues also had their eyes on a first place finish. The young Avs sent a message to the more seasoned Blues in a 4-0 victory at Scottrade Center on April 5, but it took until the very last day of the regular season for the playoff standings to settle.
Despite losing their final regular season game in overtime to Anaheim, the Avs narrowly squeezed past St. Louis to claim the Central Division crown. This marked the first time in eleven years that the Avs had won their division.
Against all odds, and with a rallying cry of, “Why Not Us?” as their mantra as the regular season concluded, the playoff-bound Avs were set to host the Minnesota Wild, who had previously defeated the Avs in the postseason eleven years earlier.
Surely, the only thing better than making the playoffs is a strong showing in the playoffs…right?
The Blurst: Another Meltdown Against Minnesota (April 30, 2014)
After winning the first two games against Minnesota on home ice, the Avs headed to St. Paul, where a win at Xcel Energy Center could solidify their grip on their first round series.
Both teams went scoreless throughout regulation, but a flagrant kneeing incident from Minnesota’s Matt Cooke injured defenseman Tyson Barrie, who would be lost for the remainder of Game Three due to the injury from the hit. The NHL suspended Cooke for seven games for his hit, but the damage had been done: the Avs would be without their best defenseman through the rest of the series.
Semyon Varlomov was sensational throughout this game, stopping forty-four shots through regulation. For their part, the Avs didn’t test Minnesota goaltender Devan Dubnyk nearly as much, mustering just twenty shots through three periods. Mikael Granlund scored the game-winner in overtime to secure the victory for Minnesota.
Two nights later, Minnesota would tie the series with a 2-1 victory in Game Four. The Avs responded on home ice in Game Five with a 4-3 victory. Minnesota staved off elimination back in St. Paul with a 5-2 victory in Game Six to set up the second straight Game Seven between both clubs at Pepsi Center.
Both teams traded goals throughout the game, but an open shot from Erik Johnson gave the Avs a 4-3 lead with less than ten minutes to play in the third period. With time winding down in regulation, Minnesota’s Jared Spurgeon fired the puck into the top corner past Varlamov to tie the game.
In the overtime session, Minnesota’s Dany Heatley sent the puck to an open Kyle Brodziak at center ice. Brodziak skated into the Avs zone with Nino Niederreiter. As Johnson had jumped up for an offensive chance in the Minnesota zone moments earlier, defenseman Nikita Zadorov was left to defend the oncoming rush on his own. He timed his play to take the low part of the net away from Niederreiter, but the Minnesota winger flung the puck up high, finding the far corner behind Varlamov for the series-clinching goal.
For the second time, Minnesota eliminated the Avs in a sudden death outcome in a Game Seven.
This blurst does have a silver lining: as Avs fans now know, the next meeting between both clubs turned out much differently.
2014-2015
The Best: Avs to Host Detroit at Coors Field for 2016 NHL Stadium Series (January 24, 2015)
Since the advent of the Winter Classic and the subsequent debut of the NHL Stadium Series, Avs fans began to wonder when they would get their shot at participating in one of the League’s outdoor events.
Once Avs fans began seeing League darlings like Boston, Chicago, and Pittsburgh get repeat invites to partake in the outdoor games, anticipation turned to irritation. While it’s understandable that the League wants to market its stars on the biggest stages possible, playing an outdoor game with the Rocky Mountains in the background has to have some appeal to the NHL, right?
Finally, the wait was over: the Avs would get their opportunity to host an outdoor game as part of the 2016 NHL Stadium Series. The spectacle would take place the following year at Coors Field, with the Detroit Red Wings as their opponent.
Everything about the announcement was perfect. Coors Field would make for the perfect venue to host an outdoor game, with the trademark Colorado sunsets amid the Rockies providing the scenic appeal for those in attendance and for eagle-eyed viewers on television. Longtime fans of both teams would be able to reminisce and revel in the rivalry of old, and pass those legendary tales to a new generation of fans who came after its peak.
The announcement of the future overshadowed the Avs of the present, and was the highlight of that season for good reason.
February 2016 couldn’t come soon enough for Avs fans.
The Blurst: Brad Stuart’s Two-Year Contract Extension (September 29, 2014)
As the free agency period opened on July 1st, Avs general manager Joe Sakic made some splashy moves.
Having just acquired Daniel Brière from Montréal the day before, he signed future Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla to a three year contract. This move was followed up with the signings of center Jesse Winchester (who was forced to retire due to complications after sustaining a concussion in preseason play), and defensemen Zach Redmond and Nick Holden.
Sakic made other moves to shore up the talent for the AHL farm team, the Lake Erie Monsters, but there was one more big name that Sakic reeled in via trade that raised eyebrows: defenseman Brad Stuart was acquired from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2016 second round pick and a 2017 sixth round pick (the Avs would later reacquire both picks to draft left wing Cameron Morrison and defenseman Denis Smirnov in their respective draft years).
While the idea of acquiring a veteran defenseman seems good on paper, giving that player a contract extension without careful evaluation of how that player fits into your system is hardly a recipe for success. Yet, that’s exactly what Sakic did in this case: on September 29, Stuart signed a two-year, $7.2 million dollar extension through the 2016-2017 season with the Avs, well in advance of the start of the regular season.
A veteran of fourteen NHL seasons, Stuart’s best days were clearly behind him as the 2014-2015 season got underway. He played 65 regular season games that year, scoring three goals and ten assists for a total of thirteen points.
Injuries limited Stuart to six games and zero points the following season. He was placed on waivers on June 29, 2016, and his contract was bought out the next day.
The signing may have been one of Sakic’s earliest missteps as a general manager, but we can all agree that the highlight goal of Stuart’s tenure with the Avs was his center ice goal he scored on Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford. Now that is a blurst!
Was there a best (or blurst) from these five years of Avalanche hockey that was overlooked? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Carolina Hurricanes majority owner Tom Dundon holds the Stanley Cup in the air during the team's championship celebration June 20 in Raleigh, N.C. (Karl B DeBlaker / Associated Press)
Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jordan Staal is on there.
Their coach, Rod Brind’Amour, also is on there, as is general manager Eric Tulsky.
A total of 53 names have been engraved onto the Stanley Cup to represent the 2026 champions. At the very top of the list is team owner Tom Dundon ... and his wife and their five children, whose ages are believed to range from single digits to mid-20s.
The Dundon family comprises the entire first two rows of names on the iconic chalice, even though Papa Dundon is the only one who holds a position within the organization.
According to the NHL’s website, up to 55 names per championship teams can be engraved on the Cup. Players who appeared in at least 41 regular-season games or one Stanley Cup Final game automatically make the cut, and teams can petition the commissioner for permission to include other players. The team determines which names from the management staff are engraved on the trophy, but all names must be approved by the Hockey Hall of Fame and NHL.
So it would seem that all the names submitted by the Hurricanes would have required approval before being etched into immortality. The Hockey Hall of Fame told the Associated Press it is not directly involved with the engraving.
The NHL did not immediately respond on Friday to a request for comment from The Times.
Owners have included family members’ names on the trophy before. In 1984, Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington had the name of his father, Basil Pocklington, engraved even though Basil held no position with the team. Apparently the NHL was initially unaware of this addition, and the elder Pocklington’s name was later covered with a row of X’s.
Penny Vinik, then-wife of Tampa Bay Lightning majority owner Jeffrey Vinik, was included with the 2021 championship listing. She didn’t hold a traditional position within the organization but was largely considered a co-owner and was active in team operations.
The wife and three children of Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola were included on the Cup following the team’s titles in 2024 and 2025. All of them, however, are designated as alternative governors on the team.
While the entire Dundon clan made the cut, some notable Hurricanes omissions include defenseman Joel Nystrom (who played 38 games with Carolina this season); development coach Jesper Fast (who played four of his 11 NHL seasons with the Hurricanes); nutritionist Kristin Pirigyi; and three investors (Brett Jefferson, Marc Grandisson and Bobby Farnham) who joined the team’s ownership group in March.
Dundon’s move was widely criticized — and ridiculed — after the Hurricanes on Thursday posted a picture of the engravings on social media. The team declined to comment for this story.
NHL reporter and broadcaster Chris Johnston, who also covers hockey for the Athletic, called the matter “embarrassing.”
“Let me be crystal clear here: If you didn’t give every last piece of your being to earn this thing, you don’t deserve to have your name engraved,” Johnston wrote on X. “If you’re in primary school in Dallas when a team wins in Raleigh ... forget it.”
Hockey broadcaster Jeff Marek had an interesting idea.
“Compromise - if the Carolina Hurricanes owner wants to do this how about just engraving ‘The Dundon Family’ instead of each name?” Marek wrote on X.
Former NHL player and current analyst Anthony Stewart posted a doctored image of the engraving that featured his name in place of two of the Dundons as well as in several other spots down the list.
“I see zero issues with the names on the Stanley Cup,” he wrote.
Defector deputy editor Barry Petchesky may have had the funniest observation of all. He wrote of the first two lines of names on the Cup: “That’s more Dundons than an episode of Law & Order.”
The Buffalo Sabres suffered a notable loss to their roster this off-season. This is because they sent forward Alex Tuch to the Washington Capitals in a major sign-and-trade.
Tuch was a very important part of the Sabres' top six during his time in Buffalo. However, with the Sabres being able to come to terms on a new deal with the then pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), it made sense that they traded him instead of losing him for nothing.
Now, due to this, the Sabres are being predicted to make a big move next season to replace Tuch.
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Lyle Richardson predicted that the Sabres would trade for Detroit Red Wings star forward Alex DeBrincat at the 2027 NHL Trade Deadline.
"Having traded Alex Tuch to the Washington Capitals, the Sabres could be in the market for a top-six winger by the trade deadline if they haven't addressed that need by then. If the Detroit Red Wings are out of playoff contention again, winger Alex DeBrincat could be available," Richardson wrote.
If the Red Wings shop DeBrincat, it would make a lot of sense for the Sabres to try to acquire him. This remains the case whether it is this summer or next season. The Sabres could use another star in their top six, and landing DeBrincat would give them just that.
DeBrincat appeared in 82 games last season for the Red Wings, where he posted 41 goals and set new career highs with 44 assists and 85 points. With numbers like these, he would be a strong pickup for a Sabres club that is looking to continue to head in the right direction.
It will be interesting to see if the Sabres pursuing DeBrincat. If they acquired him, he could work well on their second line with Ryan McLeod and Jack Quinn.
Senators general manager Steve Staios has turned his attention toward some of his Belleville free agents, and for the second straight day, he signed a 2021 first-round draft pick to a one-year, two-way contract for next season.
After Xavier Bourgault re-signed on Thursday, it was Tyler Boucher's turn on Friday.
Like Bourgault, Boucher is coming off his best pro season, by far, this past year and the Senators are hoping he can take another step this fall.
Senators European scout Anders Ostberg describes Jonas Lagerberg Hoen, Ottawa's top pick in last month's draft
Over 47 games, Boucher had 12 goals, 14 assists, and 26 points with the Belleville Senators, which over a full 72-game AHL season, would be a valuable 40-point pace.
That was not only a good step, it earned him another contract. But games played will remain the key statistic for Boucher, as it does every year.
Looking back to the draft five years ago, Boucher was seen by most analysts as a very good prospect at the 2021 NHL Draft, and probably the most physical forward available, but almost no one, except for the Senators, saw him as top-10 overall material.
He'd love a chance to prove everyone wrong but he'll need to dodge that injury bug that always seems latched on to some part of his body. In the five seasons since his draft day, he's played only 177 hockey games total between his time at Boston U, the Ottawa 67s and the Belleville Senators.
The Senators are obviously hoping (and banking) on Boucher being able to take another step this fall.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published on The Hockey News Ottawa Senators site. For full coverage of the Senators, check out one of the latest headlines below:
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.
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.
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?
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.
