Last off-season, the Montreal Canadiens acquired forward Zachary Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for defenseman Logan Mailloux. This was one of the NHL's most intriguing trades of last summer, as it involved two first-round picks from the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
Bolduc had an up-and-down first season with the Canadiens, but it was still a solid year overall for the 23-year-old forward. In 78 games with the Atlantic Division club, he posted 12 goals, 18 assists, 30 points, and a career-high 170 hits. With numbers like these, the young forward provided some secondary offensive production and plenty of grit. He also had three goals and seven points in 19 playoff games for Montreal.
Yet, Bolduc did see a slight decrease in offense during his first season with the Habs. This is because he posted career highs with 19 goals, 17 assists, and 36 points in 72 games with the Blues during the 2024-25 season. Due to this, it will be interesting to see if the 6-foot forward could increase his offensive production next season for the Canadiens.
With Bolduc still being in his early 20s and in the early stages of his NHL career, it is very possible that he has not hit his ceiling yet. Because of this, the possibility of him hitting at least the 20-goal and 40-point marks next season should not be ruled out. If he does, it would be big for a Canadiens club that is looking to be top contenders in 2026-27.
Former Detroit Red Wings defenseman, a Dearborn Heights, Michigan native who played college hockey with the Western Michigan Broncos, has officially decided to hang up his skates.
Oesterle, 34, announced his retirement from the NHL after having skated in 409 career games, 97 of which were spent with the Red Wings between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.
Jordan, you showed the hockey world that hard work pays off. From going undrafted as a college free agent to creating a 12 year pro hockey career, there's no doubt you left your impact on the game and serve as an inspiration to others looking to follow in your footsteps.… pic.twitter.com/4Vd4Z0ixlf
Never drafted into the NHL, Oesterle signed an entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers in 2014, and would skate in 25 total games with the organization while mostly playing in the American Hockey League before joining the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017.
Eventually, the Blackhawks traded him along with the contract of former Red Wings forward Marian Hossa to the Arizona Coyotes in July 2018.
Oesterle then took the opportunity to play for his hometown team, inking a two-year, $2.7 million contract with the Red Wings in the summer of 2021. During his time with Detroit, he tallied a total of four goals with 15 assists.
Following his time with the Red Wings, Oesterle would suit up for the Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins, and Nashville Predators.
Ultimately, he registered 23 goals and 73 assists in 409 career regular season games, while adding a goal with three assists in nine Stanley Cup Playoff games.
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The National Hockey League community loves comparing draft prospects to current players. Right now, every undersized offensive defenseman gets the comparison to Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens.
Hutson is a small defenseman who is a top-five offensive player at that position, and he is only a few years into his NHL career. The Montreal Canadiens were able to snag Hutson with a second-round (62nd overall) pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, and his size played a huge role in him falling that far.
When he started to dominate at Boston University after being drafted, the other 31 teams started to realize the mistake that they made letting him get outside of the top five, let alone well into the second round.
In his first NHL season, 2024-25, Hutson won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie. One year later, 2025-26, Hutson had 12 goals and 66 assists for 78 points, and was good for 6th place in the Norris Trophy voting. He has also played in all 82 games both years.
During the 2026 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks selected a player named Xavier Villenueve, who fits a similar draft year profile. As an offensive defenseman, he stands at 5'11" and 163 lbs. It may be trendy to compare Villenueve to Hutson, but the tools are there to make it an accurate statement.
Would it be unfair to expect the young Blackhawks prospect to turn into a superstar quickly, as Hutson has? Of course it would be. However, you can expect him to develop into a player who can make the Blackhawks a better team thanks to his similar skill set.
"The skill-set I have is pretty rare, without being too cocky," Villenueve said after being drafted. My smartness and my feet help me get over (his size). I'm pretty confident."
If you don't believe you can overcome your size, which is mostly out of your control as a player, it will be even more difficult to make it in the NHL. Villenueve doesn't lack confidence, clearly.
There are plenty of people outside of him and his family who believe in him as well, including Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson and Director of Scouting Mike Doneghey.
"His only downfall is that he's 5'11," Doneghey said. "What if he were 6'1"? Well, then he's probably (near the) top of the class. He's in that top-10 skill set with the guys who went (in the first round)."
Like Hutson, Villeneuve will go to Boston University. There, he is sure to gain some weight while also developing his skills. Every offensive defenseman has that worry surrounding them when it comes to their defensive game, but the NCAA will be good for him in that regard.
After that, Villeneuve will have to adapt to the pro game while finding what works in the attacking zone. Playing under Jay Pandolfo at BU will be incredible for him as he learns what will be necessary to succeed.
It looks less and less likely that Kevin Korchinski is going to be a long-term player every day. With Bowen Byram now in the mix, along with some other highly drafted defensemen in the system, can Villenueve fill that void as the offensive defenseman Kyle Davidson was looking for? That's a question that will have a lot more clarity in the next 24 months.
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The Detroit Red Wings' farm system saw one of its most notable breakout performances in recent memory this past season in winger John Leonard, who dominated at the AHL level for the Grand Rapids Griffins.
The 27-year-old finished the year with 33 goals and 21 assists for 54 points in just 47 games, leading the Griffins in scoring during a record-breaking season for the franchise and earning a spot on the AHL's Second All-Star Team for the second consecutive year.
When Leonard finally got extended NHL minutes, he made the most of them too, recording two goals and two assists for four points across 11 games with Detroit over a pair of recalls. It was enough to have some believing he could carve out a role in the bottom of Detroit's lineup, and he'll need to bring that same level of production next season as he enters a contract year, having signed a one-year extension in April.
Detroit could look to give the former San Jose Sharks sixth-round pick, 182nd overall in 2018, an extended NHL look this coming season. Leonard has been an AHL standout for years now, first with Charlotte and now Grand Rapids, but hasn't gotten a real, extended chance at the NHL level since his rookie season back in 2021-22, when he was still in the San Jose organization.
Since then, he bounced through Nashville and Arizona before signing with Detroit last summer, using a career-high 36-goal season in Charlotte to earn his one-way deal.
If Leonard can't find his way into a full-time role with the Red Wings this season, the hope internally would likely be that Detroit can either finally carve out a spot for him in the bottom six or, if that doesn't materialize, find a trade partner willing to give him the full-time NHL opportunity he's earned through his AHL production.
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The Detroit Red Wings will have plenty of interesting questions to sort out with their lineup heading into next season, and one of the more compelling ones centers on hard-checking winger Carter Mazur.
The 24-year-old Jackson, Michigan native has long been vocal about his dream of representing his hometown team, and when Detroit declined to extend him a qualifying offer on June 30th, it briefly looked like that dream might be over.
However, on July 1st, Detroit brought Mazur back on a two-year, $1.75 million contract carrying an $875,000 average annual value, giving the former Denver Pioneer another shot at cracking the roster of the only team he's ever wanted to play for.
Mazur's production has been trending in the right direction when he's been healthy enough to play. This past season, injuries limited him to 16 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins, but he made the most of them, posting 11 goals and five assists for 16 points, a point-per-game pace, before adding six points in eight Calder Cup playoff games.
His strong finish earned him a late-season call-up to Detroit, where he got his first extended look at the NHL level, appearing in eight games. The results were quiet on the scoresheet, with no points and a minus-three rating.
However, it's worth noting Mazur plays a physical, hard-checking style that tends to matter more on the forecheck than on the stat sheet, and with Detroit looking to add more grit to its bottom six, he could carve out a spot there if he can find a way to start translating his AHL scoring into NHL production.
His modest $875,000 cap hit makes him a low-risk, cost-effective option for a fourth-line role, one where he could occasionally chip in offensively while providing the physical edge the Red Wings have said they want more of. The biggest question, as it has been for two seasons now, is health.
Mazur's development has been repeatedly interrupted by injuries, including a dislocated elbow just seconds into his first career NHL shift and a lower-body injury that cost him much of this past season before he returned to post a point-per-game stretch in Grand Rapids.
If he can stay on the ice and have a productive summer, the former third round pick certainly shouldn't be ruled out of Detroit's plans when training camp and preseason arrive. It will likely come down to whether he can finally stay healthy long enough to show what he's capable of at the NHL level.
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The Rangers and Braden Schneider avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $5.5 million contract.
Braden Schneider and the Rangers avoided arbitration Monday, with the sides agreeing to one-year deal worth $5.5 million, according to The Post’s Mollie Walker.
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Schneider, who was the Blueshirts’ first-round pick in 2020 and who has been involved in trade rumors dating to last season, became a restricted free agent — after receiving the qualifying offer — when his two-year, $4.4 million deal expired and was set for an arbitration hearing July 29, according to multiple reports.
He’ll be a restricted free agent next summer, too.
This whole process didn’t lead to any long-term clarity between Schneider, who collected two goals and 18 points while skating in all 82 games last year, and the Blueshirts.
The rumors won’t fade, especially if he’s on the roster at the start of the season and the Rangers struggle again ahead of the trade deadline.
The Rangers and Braden Schneider avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $5.5 million contract. Getty Images
But, to this point, it also hasn’t led to a new team, either — and the defenseman, who has skated in at least 80 games since the 2022-23 season while encountering growing pains and struggles along the way, said at the end of last season that he’d love to remain with the Rangers.
“We think Braden is a really good young talented defenseman,” president and general manager Chris Drury told reporters July 2. “We drafted him, developed him, we like the skill set and what he does for us. I know he, along with us, are just trying to do everything we can to be better and help him be better, but he’s an exciting player and a terrific all-around, high-character person in our organization.”
They also overhauled their blue line once July 1 arrived, with right-handed defenseman Sean Durzi part of the return package in the Vincent Trocheck-Mammoth trade and Marcus Pettersson — able to fill the second pairing on the left side behind Vladislav Gavrikov — joining the Blueshirts’ top four after getting acquired from Vancouver in exchange for a top 10 protected first-round pick in 2030.
Will Borgen was also traded to the Bruins in exchange for a pair of draft picks.
A former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman is hanging up the skates, as Jordan Oesterle has retired from professional hockey. O2K Sports Management announced the news.
Oesterle's retirement comes after he posted 14 goals, 32 assists, and 46 points in 69 AHL games for the Milwaukee Admirals last season. He also played one game for the Nashville Predators in 2025-26.
Oesterle was a member of the Chicago Blackhawks for the 2017-18 season. In 55 games with the Original Six club during that campaign, he recorded five goals, 10 assists, 15 points, 62 hits, and 97 blocks. His time in Chicago ended when he was traded to the Arizona Coyotes in a multi-player deal during the 2018 NHL off-season.
Following his time with the Blackhawks, Oesterle had stints with the Coyotes, Detroit Red Wings, Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins, and Predators. In 409 career NHL games over 12 seasons, the 6-foot blueliner recorded 23 goals, 73 assists, and 96 points.
As Travis Green gets set for his third season as Senators head coach, it's easy to forget he enjoyed a long and successful NHL playing career of his own.
The hockey world was reminded of that on Saturday night when Green was inducted into British Columbia's Hockey Hall of Fame. Green entered the Hall with former NHLers Andrew Ladd, Josh Gorges and Darryl Reaugh (builder category), along with former NHL referee Malcolm Ashford (official) and the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 Vernon Vipers of the BCHL (team).
After the inductees were announced, Green was asked about the honour and was briefly at a loss for words.
Senators GM Steve Staios describes the two prospects the Sens received last month in their deal with the San Jose Sharks.
"Man, I don't even know if it's really sunk in yet," Green told the Donnie and DhaliI podcast in his appearance last month. "I think the first thing that comes to mind is humbling. You know, as a kid growing up in Castlegar, I pretty well only dreamed about playing in the NHL.
"Never once did I dream of being in the Hall of Fame. Even when they called me, it was, it was humbling. It's just a great honour."
As a player, he appeared in 970 NHL games in a career that took him to the New York Islanders, Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Phoenix Coyotes, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Anaheim again, and then Toronto again.
Green finished with 193 goals and 455 points over 14 NHL seasons, and his two years in Toronto placed him right in the line of fire in the Battle of Ontario. Green didn't mind the villain's role, and always let the Senators know he was there.
While Green was honoured on Saturday for his playing career, he's also putting together an impressive NHL coaching resume.
The Senators' season opener this fall will be Green's 500th regular-season game as an NHL head coach. His career record is 230-216-53.
When he was hired in 2024, the Sens hadn't made the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2017, but Green helped them finally end that drought with postseason appearances in both 2025 and 2026. Those seasons, based on won-loss record, are the best of Green's coaching career so far.
The next step is to see if he can turn the Senators into a legitimate contender.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
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Phillip Danault and Josh Anderson are not the only two veterans Montreal Canadiens playing in their contract year; Alexandre Carrier and Samuel Montembeault will also be playing for new deals when the puck drops on the season.
If Montembeault felt he put too much pressure on himself last year with the possibility of making Team Canada for the Olympics, one can wonder if playing for a new deal, or better yet, competing to play for a new deal, won’t have the same effect. The netminder is coming off a disastrous season, which saw him go down to the AHL on a conditioning stint, come back up to the NHL only to fail to perform again before being sent to the press gallery for the rest of the season and the playoffs in early March.
Montembeault finished the season with a 10-8-4 record, a 3.43 goals-against average and a .872 save percentage. His fall from grace opened the door for Jakub Dobes to grab the starting job and for Jacob Fowler to graduate to the NHL.
At the end of the season media availability, Montembeault said he was ready to turn over a new leaf and get a fresh start, which he feels he can do in Montreal. So far, despite plenty of goaltender moves in the NHL, the Becancour native remains a member of the Canadiens.
With one year left at a very reasonable $3.15 million cap hit, one would have thought a team would be willing to take a chance on Montembeault, but there have been no takers so far. While he feels he can start again with the Habs, there is little doubt that Montembeault would be best served by joining a team that hasn’t got as crowded a crease. When training camp starts, he won’t be battling for the number one job but rather to prove to his teammates that last year’s collapse was a one-off and that he’s worthy of their confidence. That won’t be an easy task, with Dobes having signed a new three-year contract and Fowler seen as the goaltender of the future in Montreal.
Perhaps he’ll be traded by the start of training camp, but wherever he is, he will need to prove that the real Montembeault isn’t the one who crashed out of the NHL last season.
Meanwhile, Alex Carrier will also need to have a big year on the blueline. The soon-to-be 30-year-old rearguard was a blessing for the Habs’ defence corps when he was acquired from the Nashville Predators for Justin Barron in the 2024-25 season. In both of his seasons with the Habs, he posted a 0.30 PPG pace, which would project to 25 points over an 82-game season. The difference this past season was how much higher his shooting percentage was. 12.5% of his shots found the back of the net, up from 3.7% the year before.
In an ideal world, Carrier is a bottom-pairing blueliner, but the lack of right-shot defenseman has meant he played in the wrong chair a lot this past year. The veteran is much more efficient when paired up with Mike Matheson, Kaiden Guhle and Lane Hutson than when he’s skating alongside Arber Xhekaj.
When training camp opens, expect David Reinbacher to be given every opportunity to make the Canadiens this season. The fact that Hughes has been unable to find a real top-four right-shot defenseman in the free-agent or trade markets makes it all the more important that the Austrian fifth-overall pick in 2023 live up to his potential.
Chances are the Canadiens would ease him into the third pairing, but he would ideally prove he can handle more and pass Carrier on the depth chart. If that is the case, Carrier could still be given an extension, since other right-shot options in the Habs’ system may need more time to develop in the AHL. Bryce Pickford, fresh off a season for the ages in the WHL, had to undergo shoulder surgery, which should delay the start of his pro career with the Laval Rocket, while Bogdan Konyushkov will be playing in Russia this year and will likely need to adapt to the North American style of play.
Adam Engstrom is also knocking on the Canadiens’ door, and while he’s a left-shot blueliner, he has shown that he can play on his off-side as well. Unless the Canadiens use him to fill another need via trade, he may very well push a defenseman out of Montreal. Who could that be? Well, it depends on how Martin St-Louis chooses to deploy him. One thing is certain, however: Carrier will need to have a big year to earn a new contract with the Canadiens given how many youngsters are chomping at the bit to get their shot in the NHL.
May 6, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres center Peyton Krebs (19) on the ice before the start of the third period against the Montréal Canadiens in game one of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres announced on Monday they signed forward Peyton Krebs to a four-year, $18 million contract.
Krebs set career highs with 12 goals and 27 assists last season.
For his career, Krebs has 42 goals and 91 assists with Buffalo and Vegas.
Krebs, 25, has represented Canada at international competitions including the 2023 world championships.
Krebs was a first-round pick by Vegas in the 2019 draft and was acquired by Buffalo in the deal that sent Jack Eichel to Vegas.
They are supposed to be rebuilding. They are supposed to be collecting draft picks, clearing contracts, and waiting years before they become a serious threat again.
Instead, they have quietly put themselves in one of the most fascinating positions in the NHL.
They have a young foundation beginning to emerge, nearly $15 million in projected cap space, and an astonishing collection of draft capital that currently includes 30 selections through the 2030 NHL Draft.
And that raises an interesting question:
What if the Flames don't want to wait?
What if, instead of slowly building toward contention, Calgary decides to accelerate the process with the kind of move that changes the direction of an entire franchise?
What if Connor McDavid became available?
Yes, that sounds far-fetched.
Maybe even impossible.
But hockey is a sport where the impossible has a funny way of becoming reality.
And if the Edmonton Oilers captain — arguably the most talented player of his generation — ever hit the market, few teams would have the combination of assets, financial flexibility, and motivation that Calgary currently possesses.
The Flames have spent the last several seasons attempting to reshape their organization without completely tearing everything down. They have accumulated young talent, maintained flexibility, and avoided putting themselves into the kind of long-term cap problems that have limited other contenders.
That patience could eventually create an opportunity.
A superstar center is the one missing ingredient every championship contender searches for. Calgary has quality pieces, including a promising defensive group and emerging young talent, but adding an elite No. 1 center would immediately change the ceiling of the franchise.
McDavid would not just make the Flames better.
He would transform them.
Of course, acquiring a player of that magnitude would require an unprecedented package.
A hypothetical offer would likely have to include significant assets, and Calgary has the ammunition to at least enter the conversation.
A package built around defenseman Zach Whitecloud, veteran forward Jonathan Huberdeau with salary retention, and a massive collection of draft picks would represent the type of aggressive swing required to acquire a player like McDavid.
Would Edmonton accept something like that?
That is impossible to know.
Would Calgary even consider sacrificing that much of its future?
That is an even bigger question.
But the fact that the conversation can even be entertained says something about where the Flames currently stand.
Whitecloud, in particular, represents the type of valuable trade chip contenders covet. Acquired from Vegas as part of the Rasmus Andersson trade, the right-shot defenseman quickly proved he was more than a temporary cap piece. He has become a reliable top-four option, capable of handling difficult defensive assignments while providing leadership both on and off the ice.
At just $2.75 million annually through the 2027-28 season, Whitecloud is exactly the kind of contract teams around the league would love to add.
Calgary does not have to move him.
That is the important distinction.
The Flames have leverage because they are not desperate. Whitecloud fits their roster, helps stabilize a young defensive group, and provides veteran leadership around developing players.
But if the return is a franchise-altering superstar?
Everything has to be considered.
That is the luxury Calgary has created.
The Flames can listen on players like Whitecloud because they have depth. They can evaluate their future because they have accumulated assets. They can dream bigger because they are not trapped financially.
And that brings the conversation back to McDavid.
A player of his caliber rarely becomes available. Teams would line up. The bidding war would be historic. Every organization with championship aspirations would try to find a way.
Calgary would face obvious challenges. Edmonton trading its captain to a provincial rival would be almost impossible to imagine. The Flames would also have to convince McDavid that Calgary is the right destination for the next chapter of his career.
But hockey is unpredictable.
The idea of Wayne Gretzky leaving Edmonton once seemed impossible. The idea of superstar players changing teams has become increasingly common in today's NHL.
Could the Flames actually land McDavid?
Probably not.
But could Calgary be one of the few teams positioned to at least make the phone call?
Absolutely.
And sometimes, in the NHL, being prepared for the impossible is how franchises end up making history.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Sabres made a series of moves involving its forward corps Monday, signing Peyton Krebs to a four-year, $18 million contract and dealing Tyler Kopff to the Washington Capitals for fellow prospect Zac Funk.
The 25-year-old Krebs, who had been eligible for arbitration, set career highs with 12 goals and 27 assists last season. The former first-round pick by Vegas in the 2019 draft was acquired by Buffalo in the deal that sent Jack Eichel to Vegas. He has 42 goals and 91 assists with Buffalo and Vegas.
The Sabres also announced the hiring of veteran NHL executive John Davidson as senior adviser.
Davidson, 73, spent 18 seasons as president of hockey operations for St. Louis, Columbus and the New York Rangers. He is now reunited with Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen, whom he hired as GM in Columbus.
Following an NHL-record 14 seasons of futility, Buffalo clinched a playoff berth last season and reached the Eastern Conference semifinals where the Sabres lost to Montreal in seven games. The drought was among the four North American major sports’ longest active streaks, ranking second behind the NFL’s New York Jets, who last qualified in 2010.
“I am excited to join the Buffalo Sabres and look forward to the opportunity to help the organization in any way I can,” Davidson said. “The momentum in Buffalo is palpable throughout the entire league and the passion from Sabres fans makes this opportunity all the more exciting.”
Funk, 22, has two goals and four assists in 25 career AHL games with the Hershey Bears and 28 points in 34 career ECHL games with the South Carolina Stingrays. Kopff, 23, split last season in the same two leagues.
What if the Los Angeles Kings aren't standing still at all?
After an offseason that has left some fans questioning the lack of a blockbuster move, a growing theory suggests general manager Ken Holland may be positioning the franchise for something far bigger than another veteran addition.
The Kings may not be waiting for the next available piece.
They may be waiting for the player who changes everything.
According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, Los Angeles has been intentionally preserving as much financial flexibility as possible, with the belief that the right opportunity could eventually present itself. On the latest episode of 32 Thoughts, Friedman described the Kings' strategy as maintaining "maximum flexibility" for what he called an "LA-type move."
That phrase immediately sparked speculation across the hockey world.
Because if the Kings are truly keeping their financial options open, there are only a handful of players who would justify such patience.
Connor McDavid.
Auston Matthews.
Two of the most recognizable superstars in the sport. Two players who could instantly change the trajectory of any franchise fortunate enough to acquire them.
Neither player is available today, and there is no guarantee either ever reaches the open market. But if one of hockey's biggest names does become attainable, Los Angeles appears determined not to be eliminated from the conversation because of financial commitments made today.
That possibility changes the way the Kings' offseason should be viewed.
Instead of chasing a series of expensive short-term upgrades, Los Angeles has focused on adding experienced complementary pieces, bringing in players such as Corey Perry, Mats Zuccarello, and Erik Haula. Those moves provide depth, but they are not the type of transactions that define a franchise.
Perhaps that is exactly the point.
Friedman noted the Kings would still like to add a puck-moving defenseman, but any move would likely require money leaving the roster first. Los Angeles is operating in a "dollar in, dollar out" environment, making every decision with an eye toward maintaining future flexibility.
For months, critics have questioned whether the Kings should abandon their current core and begin a full rebuild. But perhaps the organization sees another path.
Maybe Los Angeles doesn't believe it needs to tear everything down.
Maybe it believes one transformational addition could change the entire equation.
And it's important not to underestimate Holland when it comes to making those kinds of moves.
The veteran executive has faced criticism for the Kings' cautious approach this summer, but history shows patience does not mean passivity. During his tenure as general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, Holland completely reshaped his roster before the 2001-02 season by acquiring future Hall of Famers Luc Robitaille, Dominik Hasek, and Brett Hull.
That trio helped Detroit capture the Stanley Cup.
The circumstances were different, with no salary cap limiting roster construction at the time. But the larger lesson remains the same: when Holland believes a championship opportunity exists, he has shown he is willing to make aggressive decisions and swing for the biggest prizes available.
That history is worth remembering as Los Angeles continues to keep its options open.
The Kings may not be preparing for a rebuild.
They may be preparing for a blockbuster.
If Auston Matthews were ever to leave Toronto, Los Angeles would immediately become one of the most fascinating destinations to watch.
Matthews' connection to the American Southwest runs deeper than most NHL stars. Born in California, he spent much of his childhood in Arizona, where his family still has strong ties. It was there that he first fell in love with hockey, famously becoming captivated after watching Alexander Ovechkin score a highlight-reel goal during his rookie season in 2006.
The Arizona Coyotes are no longer part of the NHL landscape, creating a unique situation for a player whose early hockey memories were built in the desert.
If Matthews ever decides he wants to return closer to where his hockey journey began, the Utah Mammoth could naturally enter the discussion as the league's newest western destination. Utah has quietly continued building its roster and establishing itself as a legitimate NHL market.
But the Kings offer something different.
They offer a proven playoff foundation, one of the league's biggest markets, and potentially the financial flexibility to make the kind of move that rarely becomes available.
The same applies to McDavid.
Landing the Edmonton Oilers captain would represent one of the largest transactions in modern NHL history. Few organizations could realistically enter that conversation, but Los Angeles has the market, the ambition, and potentially the patience to make itself part of it.
In the meantime, the Kings continue adding pieces that fit a contender's supporting cast.
Haula's arrival is a perfect example. The veteran forward signed a two-year contract worth $3.6 million annually and immediately leaned on familiarity when making his decision, reaching out to longtime friend Joel Armia. The two grew up together in Finland and even shared a room during the 2026 Winter Olympics, giving Haula an inside perspective on life in Los Angeles.
Those are the types of moves teams make while waiting for something bigger.
Whether that bigger move ever involves McDavid, Matthews, or another superstar remains impossible to predict. Superstar players rarely become available, and both remain under contract with their current teams.
But if Friedman's theory is correct, the Kings are not simply sitting through a quiet offseason.
They are positioning themselves.
And if the right opportunity arrives, Los Angeles may be ready to make the biggest move in hockey.
Settling early is typical during the salary arbitration hearing season, which runs from July 20 to Aug. 1 in Toronto. Both sides try to work out deals before the hearings.
This year, 15 restricted free agents filed to have an independent arbitrator determine their next contract. Both sides file salary requests and the arbitrator can award either number but often does something between.
The most interesting case is Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson, who made $7.75 million in his last deal and is due a big raise after a 96-point season. The record arbitration award was $7.5 million to future Hall of Famer Shea Weber in 2011.
Here are the salary arbitration dates, per puckpedia.com:
Monday, July 20
Jamie Drysdale, Philadelphia
Cole Perfetti, Winnipeg
Wednesday, July 22
Trevor Zegras, Philadelphia
Thursday, July 23
Jet Greaves, Columbus
Saturday, July 25
Xavier Bourgault, Ottawa (settled, one year, $850,000)
Jason Robertson, Dallas
Connor McMichael, St. Louis
Monday, July 27
Cole Sillinger, Columbus
Tuesday, July 28
Nick Robertson, Pittsburgh
Wednesday, July 29
Braden Schneider, N.Y. Rangers (settled, one year, $5.5 million)
The defenseman gets one year at $5.5 million, up from a $2.2 million average in his last two-year contract. Schneider averaged about three more minutes a game last season.
The forward averages $4.5 million in his new contract, a bump from his previous $1.45 million cap hit. Krebs had his first 82-game season and set career bests in goals (12), assists (27) and points (39).
