PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Flyers have reached a four-year contract agreement with forward Trevor Zegras with an average annual value of $9.125 million, the team announced on Wednesday night.
The 25-year-old Zegras had a career-high 26 goals and 67 points last season, the second-most on the team. He added two more goals and four assists in the playoffs.
“We’re thrilled to have Trevor committed to our organization for the next four years,” general manager Danny Briere said in a statement. “The growth he showed this past season, proving that he is the skilled player he entered the league as, reinforced our belief that he will be an impact player for the Flyers for the years to come."
Selected ninth overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2019 NHL draft, the 6-foot, 185-pound Boston University product has played in 349 career NHL games, and has 93 goals and 160 assists for 253 points. He has 60-plus point seasons in three of his six seasons in the league.
Zegras has also represented the United States on five occasions, most recently at the 2024 World Championships where he had a goal and an assist in eight games. He also played in back-to-back World Junior Championships in 2020 and 2021. In 2021, he helped the U.S. win gold and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player with seven goals and 18 points in seven games.
Curtis Douglas, the newest Seattle Kraken forward, is no stranger to a long road to the NHL.
After being selected 106th in the 2018 NHL Draft, the forward spent two seasons in the OHL before moving on to four seasons in the AHL. He made his NHL debut in 2025-26 with the Tampa Bay Lightning, seven years after he was drafted.
“There were times when I’ll admit, I thought it might not work out for me,” he told NHL.com. “But I never stopped trying.”
Douglas signed as a free agent with Toronto on March 22, 2022, before being traded to Arizona for Conor Timmins on November 23, 2022, and then he was transferred from Arizona to Utah on June 13, 2024.
After that, Douglas was claimed off waivers by Tampa Bay from Utah on October 6, 2025.
Three days later, Douglas made his NHL Debut against the Ottawa Senators on October 9, 2025. Douglas skated for five minutes in his first game, then appeared in 29 more games that season with the Lightning.
In the 2025-26 season, the 6-foot-9 center recorded two assists.
He was then claimed off waivers by Vancouver from Tampa Bay on March 6, 2026.With the Canucks, Douglas appeared in 14 games, recording one goal and one assist.
“This whole process doesn’t really feel real yet,” Douglas said. “I don’t think it will feel 100% real until I put the jersey on. If you were to have told me last year, after I got sent down by Utah that I’d go on to play 40 NHL games, I think I would have probably slapped you across the head. It was pretty special the whole year, and I’m just in awe about the whole experience with Tampa, Vancouver and now this next chapter with the Kraken. I’m just so excited.”
Douglas signed with the Kraken on July 1, 2026.
Seattle Kraken General Manager Jason Botterill announced the team had agreed to terms with Douglas on a two-year contract ($1.25M AAV).
When the announcement was made, Botterill released a statement on the signing.
“Curtis adds size and a strong physical presence to our forward group,” Botterill said to NHL.com. “He competes with an edge, brings energy, and is difficult to play against. We look forward to seeing him in our lineup next year.”
Douglas is a tall presence on the ice, as one of the tallest players in NHL history. He is known for his grit, dropping the gloves in his first NHL shift.
He will now join the Kraken for the next few seasons as the 26-year-old continues to grow in the major leagues.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have some incredible coaching staffs, some incredible mentors that were basically telling me, ‘Hey, you’ve got to get your foot in the door, and the way to do that is to throw your weight around and to fight a little bit more than maybe you want to,’” Douglas said.
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A prodigy is defined as a person, especially a highly talented child, who exhibits extraordinary abilities or skills far beyond what is typical for one's age.
Macklin Celebrini is no longer a child, but the prodigy title still applies. He's only 20 years old.
Celebrini just accomplished another feat ― gracing the cover of EA Sports' NHL 27. He's the youngest ever to appear on the video game's front page.
The cover features two different looks: one of Celebrini donning the teal and black home jerseys as he looks to the rafters; and another in their crisp white away jerseys as Celebrini screams in celebration.
The next generation is here. Macklin Celebrini is the youngest NHL cover athlete in history.
The Philadelphia Flyers' goaltending is looking strong heading into the 2026-27 season. Dan Vladar proved last season that he can be a legitimate NHL starting goalie, and the Flyers also acquired Joseph Woll from the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer.
While the Flyers now have a strong Vladar-Woll tandem, they also have an exciting goalie prospect in Yegor Zavragin. The 20-year-old has the potential to emerge as a good goalie in the NHL later down the road.
Because of this, Zavragin has now been named among the best goalie prospects in the NHL.
Scott Wheeler of The Athletic gave Zavragin the No. 10 spot on his top 20 NHL goalie rankings.
With how Zavragin has performed in Russia, it makes sense that he has been named one of the NHL's best goalie prospects. The 2023 third-round pick had a solid season in the KHL with SKA St. Petersburg in 2025-26, posting a .919 save percentage and a 2.63 goals-against average in 12 games. He also had an impressive .949 save percentage and 1.44 goals-against average in 18 games for SKA-VMF St. Petersburg of the VHL last season.
With numbers like these, it is hard not to feel excited about Zavragin's future with the Flyers. It will be interesting to see how he performs next season in Russia. If he has another year like he had in 2025-26, it should only create more optimism about his future in Philly.
Earlier this off-season, the Buffalo Sabres acquired defenseman Louis Crevier as part of the trade that sent Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks. While Crevier was not the main piece that the Sabres got back for Byram, he is still a player who Sabres fans should be excited about.
Crevier just put together an impressive breakout year with the Blackhawks in 2025-26. In 78 games with the Original Six club, he posted new career highs with seven goals, 18 assists, 25 points, 95 blocks, and 124 hits. With numbers like these, he provided some solid offense and grit from the blueline for Chicago. If he translates this kind of play over to the Sabres, he should be a strong addition to their roster.
Furthermore, with Crevier being only 25 years old and still in the early stages of his NHL career, he has the potential to hit a new level with the Sabres. If he improves his game as he continues to gain more experience, he very well could cement himself as a key part of the Sabres' top four.
Crevier is also one of the biggest defensemen in the NHL, standing at 6-foot-8. Big right-shot defenseman who throw the body are always valuable to have, and Crevier fits that description nicely.
Overall, there is a lot to like about the Sabres' decision to acquire Crevier. If he builds off his impressive breakout year as a Sabre, he should become an important blueliner on their roster.
The Pittsburgh Penguins will open the 2026-27 season against their biggest rival.
The NHL announced on Wednesday that the Penguins will open the regular season in Philadelphia against the Flyers on Sept. 30.
It will be the first time the two teams have played since the Flyers knocked the Penguins out in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Puck drop will be at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT.
The 2026-27 season will start with a tripleheader on Sept. 29. The Carolina Hurricanes will raise their Stanley Cup banner against the Florida Panthers at 5 p.m. ET before the New York Rangers play the Boston Bruins at 8 p.m. ET.
Finally, the Chicago Blackhawks will play the Vegas Golden Knights at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Trevor Zegras turned his career resurgence into a payday.
The 25-year-old forward agreed to terms with the Flyers on a new four-year, $36.5 million contract Wednesday night. The deal has a $9.125 million average annual value, making Zegras the highest-paid player on the Flyers’ roster.
The contract has a limited no-trade clause in Years 3 and 4, according to a source.
Zegras was a restricted free agent with a player-elected arbitration hearing set for next Monday, per PuckPedia.com. But, as expected, the Flyers avoided arbitration. Zegras will be an unrestricted free agent when his deal expires after the 2029-30 season.
“We’re thrilled to have Trevor committed to our organization for the next four years,” general manager Danny Briere said in a statement released by the team. “The growth he showed this past season, proving that he is the skilled player he entered the league as, reinforced our belief that he will be an impact player for the Flyers for the years to come. He’s the type of player who can help take our team to the next level, and we’re excited to continue building alongside him.”
Zegras had career highs last season with 26 goals and 67 points, production that was sparked by a change of scenery. He came to the Flyers last summer in a trade from the Ducks. His time in Anaheim finished with two injury-riddled, disappointing seasons.
But in Year 1 with the Flyers, Zegras answered Rick Tocchet’s challenge. He put up five multi-goal games after having none the season prior with the Ducks. He also made the playoffs for the first time in his career.
“To find that passion for winning and success as a team was big,” Zegras said in May at his end-of-the-season press conference. “I think I had lost a little bit of that, the drive and the passion to win and be a really good team. We definitely had, in my opinion, a great, successful season.”
Zegras led the Flyers with six points in the playoffs. He had two goals and four assists in 10 games as the club made it to the second round, where it was swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes.
The biggest question facing Zegras this season will be his position. Is he a center or winger? Considering the money on his new contract, the Flyers probably would like to see him stick at center. It’s a premium position and one in which the Flyers need the most help.
Zegras will have to improve his faceoff numbers and continue to build on the all-around game he proved he could play last season. His goal-scoring ability came out on the wing when Tocchet had him there to build his confidence. But the head coach moved him back to center as the Flyers made their playoff push.
“I’m fine with playing both,” Zegras said. “I liked playing in the middle down the stretch just because there’s a little bit more space and you can kind of pick and choose where you want to go a little bit more. I think playing center in the playoffs was a good experience for me just in terms of how different it was, how hard the battles are and all that type of stuff. But I thought it was good.”
With the NHL salary cap only going up, Zegras was poised for a considerable raise. He’s only 25 years old and already has three seasons of 60 or more points. He could be in for a bigger deal at 29 years old if he takes his scoring and minutes to another level. The next step for Zegras could be 30 goals and 75 to 80 points.
For Briere, his next task is re-signing Jamie Drysdale. The restricted free-agent defenseman has an arbitration hearing scheduled for Monday of next week, but the Flyers should be able to get something done before then.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — The Winnipeg Jets re-signed Cole Perfetti to a five-year contract worth an average of $6 million annually, the team said Wednesday.
The 24-year-old forward had 12 goals and 20 assists with 20 penalty minutes in 68 games for the Jets last season. He set a career high with 15 minutes 37 seconds of ice time per game.
Perfetti was Winnipeg's first-round pick —10th overall — in the 2020 NHL draft. He had career highs of 50 points and 32 assists in 82 games in 2024-25 as the Jets won the Presidents’ Trophy with the best regular-season record.
He scored the latest tying goal in a Game 7 in NHL history to help Winnipeg overcome the St. Louis Blues in their first-round matchup.
Perfetti has 157 points — 59 goals, 98 assists — and 68 penalty minutes in 290 career regular-season games with Winnipeg.
Internationally, Perfetti had two goals and four assists in 10 games while helping Canada to the gold medal at the 2021 world championship.
Edmonton's odds moved from +1200 to +900 in two weeks, and only one other team in the league climbed that far.
It is important, however, to note that Florida, Colorado, and Carolina are still ahead of the Edmonton Oilers, and nothing that's happened this summer changes that. That said, the betting market shows a positive opinion of what Edmonton did, the same way it liked what Washington did when the Capitals went from +1800 to +1200 after Ovechkin decided to come back and the team added Tuch, Kyrou, and Jenner around him. That one's easy to explain. Edmonton's not so much.
The Oilers didn't sign anybody that particularly amazing. They hired Mike Babcock, regardless of the controversies surrounding his name, because they believed he was the guy to hold everyone accountable. McDavid reportedly wanted him anyway. Two Cup Final losses and a first-round exit will do that to a captain. Darnell Nurse went to San Jose. Shakir Mukhamadullin and Ryan Shea came the other way. Fredrik Andersen showed up in net, straight off a Stanley Cup win in Carolina.
While this is all great, none of it seems like a splash on its own. Together, it moved the Oilers down by 300 points, tying Washington for the biggest swing on the board.
Colorado barely had to lift a finger to go from +750 to +700, and the Avalanche were already close to the top of the board before the offseason started. That's a team the market trusts on reputation and roster continuity alone, not on anything it did this July.
Vegas is the one that doesn't fit a simple explanation. The Golden Knights lost their leading goal scorer this summer. Pavel Dorofeyev signed in New York for $11 million a year, and Vegas is short a real weapon in its top six and on the power play because of it. Their odds still improved, from +1200 to +1000. This is probably because of everything else still on the roster: Eichel, Marner, Stone, Hertl, a defence that mostly stayed together, and a coaching change under Ryan Craig that hasn't really been tested yet. Losing Dorofeyev hurt, but clearly not enough.
The rest of the Pacific is still as messy as it was last season. Anaheim didn't move, stuck at +2500. San Jose went from +4000 to +3500. Los Angeles actually got worse from +2500 to +3000. Maybe that's the Ducks and Sharks separating from the Kings or the Kings sliding on their own. There's no real way for the betting market to distinguish between the two, and neither should anyone try to read too much into a few weeks of trades and signings.
Outside the West, Ottawa went from +2500 to +3500 after trading captain Brady Tkachuk to Florida and bringing back William Eklund from San Jose to fill the void, using Florida's 9th-overall pick. Trading your captain, especially a Tkachuk brother, gets read as a step back regardless of what comes the other way. Eklund's talented. He's not Tkachuk.
The Montreal Canadiens went from +1800 to +2500, not because of anything they did wrong, but because of what they didn't do. Ivan Demidov and Jakub Dobes got extensions, which is fine, but Montreal came into the summer looking to add and left it mostly standing still.
None of these swings mean much in isolation. Add them up, though, and they sketch a rough shape of how sportsbooks are reading the league three weeks after the draft: Edmonton and Washington trending up on the strength of specific, explainable moves, Colorado untouched at the top, Vegas absorbing a real loss without losing its footing, and the rest of the league sorting itself out in smaller, messier ways that won't make sense until training camp settles things further.
The Winnipeg Jets made one of the more intriguing moves of the offseason on July 1, signing goaltender Stuart Skinner, a proven playoff performer with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, to a two-year contract carrying a $3.75 million annual cap hit.
For now, it appears Skinner will slot in as the backup behind three-time Vezina Trophy winner and Olympic gold medalist Connor Hellebuyck, even as trade speculation continues to swirl around the superstar netminder. Should the Jets keep both goaltenders, the tandem in Winnipeg's crease could be one of the best in the league.
Hellebuyck is widely regarded as the best goaltender in hockey, while Skinner has shown through three deep playoff runs with the Edmonton Oilers that the moment rarely feels too big for him.
The move is a good one for Winnipeg on paper, but it complicates things for the Jets' top goalie prospect, Thomas Milic. The 23-year-old was hoping to compete for the backup job this fall after Eric Comrie, last season's backup, departed in free agency to sign with the San Jose Sharks. Instead, Milic now finds a veteran with legitimate NHL starter pedigree standing in his way.
The signing comes at an awkward time for Milic, who is coming off a strong season in the AHL, posting a 20-13-8 record with a 2.64 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage for a New Westminster, B.C., native looking to take the next step in his development.
Thomas Milic became the first #MBMoose goaltender since Mikhail Berdin in 2019-20 to record back-to-back shutouts 🪄 🥅 Unbeaten in 119:48 🥅 61 combined saves 🥅 8th in the AHL in SV% STAY HOT, MILLY 🔥 pic.twitter.com/dn0M4CewrZ
Milic did see NHL action last season, appearing in three games while Hellebuyck was sidelined with injury, but he was hardly given an easy runway. All three of his appearances came against playoff teams in the Edmonton Oilers and Buffalo Sabres, and his lone NHL start came against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.
Simply put, Milic has not been given a fair shake at the NHL level, and the addition of another veteran goaltender only makes his path to regular NHL minutes in Winnipeg murkier. That raises an obvious question of do the Jets now consider moving their young netminder?
The goaltending market around the league remains active, with teams constantly looking to add depth or upside wherever they can find it. Winnipeg could look to flip Milic for future assets, such as draft picks, while also giving the young goaltender a genuine chance to win a roster spot elsewhere.
A blockbuster return isn't likely, but modest value is still on the table. The Toronto Maple Leafs, for example, were able to package their third-string goaltender, Dennis Hildeby, along with a pair of draft picks, to acquire impact depth forward Nick Paul from the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Winnipeg could look to pursue a similar type of deal, one that would net immediate roster help heading into what looms as a pivotal season for a team with legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations.
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It's been an oddly Philadelphia-themed offseason for Senators fans.
It started with the Sens re-signing Nick Cousins, who was drafted by Philadelphia and spent his first four pro seasons in that organization. Cousins got a two-year contract worth $1.59 million a season.
Later in the day on July 1st, GM Steve Staios addressed his backup goalie riddle, re-signing newly-acquired RFA Samuel Ersson, who had spent the past five seasons with the Flyers.
Steve Staios talked last month on NHL draft day about acquiring goalie Samuel Ersson.
Then, after false reports that he'd gone back to Philly, veteran free agent Claude Giroux signed on for a fifth season in Ottawa and explained to the media on Tuesday why he did so.
Finally, on Wednesday, the NHL announced that the Senators will open their new 42-game home schedule against the Philadelphia Flyers on October 8 at Canadian Tire Centre.
For Giroux, the decision to return to Ottawa wasn't simply about playing another NHL season. It was about staying with a group he's grown so close to over the past four years.
"I chose to come back because I want to be here. I'm excited to be an Ottawa Senator," Giroux told reporters Tuesday during a Zoom media availability.
"Being around those guys for four years, we got really close. The team feels like a family. I just care for those players."
The Senators officially announced Giroux's new contract on July 7. The one-year deal carries a base salary of $2 million, with the veteran forward eligible to earn up to another $3 million in performance bonuses.
Two million dollars of those bonuses are tied to games played, reaching the 10-game and 40-game marks, while the remaining bonuses depend on Ottawa's playoff success.
Giroux's future had been the subject of plenty of speculation after free agency opened. At one point, inaccurate media reports even suggested he had agreed to return to the Flyers, which naturally got tongues wagging in Philly. There was also talk that he may be in the mix in Toronto and Edmonton.
Instead, the 38-year-old appears to be happy to walk into the NHL sunset with Ottawa, the place he's called home since moving here from Hearst, Ontario, at age 14.
While Giroux chose to stay in Ottawa, another player with Flyers ties is just arriving.
Goaltender Samuel Ersson is expected to begin the season as Ottawa's backup behind Linus Ullmark after signing a two-year contract carrying an average annual value of $2.2 million.
As an RFA, Ersson was moved earlier this summer in the deal that saw Philadelphia acquire Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Speaking in an interview posted on the Senators' website, Ersson said he's looking forward to the opportunity and excited for a fresh start.
The Senators' crease now features three goaltenders on NHL contracts, with Ersson joining Ullmark and Leevi Meriläinen, who also signed a one-year contract earlier this offseason. While Meriläinen remains in the picture, Ersson appears to have the clear inside track on the backup job heading into training camp.
Now, the former Flyer won't have to wait long to see his old teammates.
The NHL announced Wednesday that Ottawa's home opener will come against Philadelphia on October 8 at Canadian Tire Centre.
The NHL season starts on September 29th this fall, so that means the Sens will likely open with a two- or three-game road trip. The full regular season schedule, now 84 games long, comes out tomorrow.
With two new extra games to be played in 2026-27, who'd be surprised if one of them is against Philly?
How the Dylan Larkin trade request was handled by GM Steve Yzerman was thought to be a possible watershed moment for his tenure in Detroit. As it turns out, someone else is going to land on that particular grenade.
The Red Wings announced July 15 that Yzerman is being relieved of his GM duties and moved to an advisory role to Chris Ilitch, leaving the organization with Yzerman as a lame duck in the meantime. As such, it stands to reason the Larkin move — should it happen — will be handled by whomever the team appoints to take Yzerman's mantle.
Larkin, of course, requested a trade from the Red Wings in June, and has expressed interest in waiving his no-movement clause for the Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, and Florida Panthers. The Dallas Stars have also been reported as a team Larkin would consider, but those reports are unconfirmed. Larkin has spent his entire professional career with the Red Wings since being drafted in 2014. They made the playoffs in his rookie year but haven't made it since. He was named captain in 2021.
Yzerman and Larkin's relationship has been chilly, at least to the public eye. Larkin criticized a passive trade deadline in 2025, and Yzerman said at the NHL draft whether Larkin would be moved depended on if the return was worthwhile. As a GM, Yzerman has been known to be cautious about trading pieces. Larkin has proven to be no exception.
The transition for the Red Wings creates two branching paths, and they hinge on a big question: Was Larkin's problem with the Red Wings? Or was it with Yzerman?
Path No. 1: Dylan Larkin stays with Red Wings
Yzerman is not exiting the Red Wings organization completely, but there is a world in which Yzerman being out of a decision-making role causes Larkin to rescind his trade request.
The center is on a team-friendly contract, and his extremely truncated list of contenders who would be unwilling to part with win-now pieces makes moving him difficult. The longer this saga drags out, the worse it looks for both parties. If Larkin perceives Yzerman's GM exit as the team choosing him over Yzerman (this is unlikely the case, but some will see it that way), perhaps he stays.
That's still complicated. Captains asking out doesn't happen especially often, so how the locker room would handle this path further muddies the waters of Larkin staying. But that's a bridge the team would have to cross if it gets there.
Path No. 2: A new GM comes in and negotiates a Larkin trade
The problem with trading a player like Larkin, a franchise stalwart, is the return has to be worthwhile. Not just to the person making the trade, but also to the fanbase at large.
Yzerman not making this deal takes every single piece on the board for a Larkin trade and moves it back to start. No passing go. No $200. If the Wild, Panthers or Golden Knights had any momentum in landing Larkin, that momentum has been completely arrested.
That can be good or bad. If Yzerman was asking for an unreasonable package for Larkin, another GM might ask for something more doable. With that being said, the new GM will be under tremendous pressure to get this move right. It can make or break a tenure before a single game has a puck dropped. And the Red Wings are not looking to go into another full-blown rebuild. Anyone will ask for pieces that get them back to the postseason.
Path No. 3: Absolutely nothing changes
This is not physics. Every action doesn't necessarily beget a reaction.
It's completely possible Yzerman moves on, Larkin still wants a trade and Yzerman's replacement can't negotiate anything either. Should that happen, trade talks with the aforementioned teams will resume.
From there, it's just a waiting game as both sides try to navigate the offseason. The Red Wings moving on from Yzerman is in no way a decision on Larkin. But if nothing else, it shows that progress wasn't happening fast enough for the powers that be in Hockeytown.
Holy Jumpin'! On "Leafs Morning Take", Chicago Blackhawks announcer Darren Pang confirmed a rumor that was swirling about EA Sports NHL. Pang, along with ESPN's John Buccigross, will be the broadcast team calling matches in the video game.
Pang, an employee of CHSN as a Blackhawks analyst, will complement Buccigross' play-by-play. He also confirmed that this is not a one-year deal; they have a multi-year agreement with EA Sports.
Pang is a wonderful broadcaster best known for his catch phrases that make fans smile on a nightly basis. In addition to his work with CHSN, he is also a national broadcaster with NHL on TNT, so his knowledge of the league as a whole is second to none. He's perfect for this role in the video game.
On Tuesday, EA Sports revealed that San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini is going to be on the cover of the game, which makes you wonder if Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard has the honor in his future. You'd think.
The next generation is here. Macklin Celebrini is the youngest NHL cover athlete in history. Tune in for the #NHL27 Reveal Trailer on July 16 at 11 AM ET.
The full reveal trailer, where you will likely hear Pang's voice in the game, will be published on Thursday, July 16th, at 10 AM CT. That will also come with preorder details, along with a release date.
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The New Jersey Devils are coming off a tough season that saw injuries and inconsistencies ruin their campaign. They missed the playoffs and are looking to bounce back in a big way.
Sheldon Keefe was not fired when the Devils overhauled their front office, led by new GM Sunny Mehta. Instead, he was allowed to fill out a new coaching staff in an attempt to get the team on the right path.
Leo Luongo, Ted Donato, AJ MacLean, and Dan Stewart have been named to the coaching/development staff.
Luongo is going to be the man who oversees all goaltending development. He will report directly to Martin Brodeur, who serves as the Vice President of Hockey Operations. Of course, Brodeur is one of the greatest NHL goalies to ever lace up the pads, so good minds are leading the way there.
Dan Stewart has been hired as the goaltending coach, and he will work together with Luongo alongside Utica Comets goalie coach Brian Eklund and goalie scout/development coach Manny Legace.
Drafting and developing goaltenders has been an issue for the Devils since the retirement of Brodeur, who they relied on so much for parts of three decades. Now, they will move their philosophy in a different direction.
AJ MacLean, son of former NHL head coach Paul MacLean, will serve as an assistant coach under Keefe. He is coming off a tenure with the AHL Syracuse team, which serves as the affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
MacLean worked with Keefe when they were together on the coaching staff of the Toronto Marlies.
As for Ted Donato, whose son Ryan is a forward for the Chicago Blackhawks, is a Harvard coaching legend. He recently stepped down from the head coaching position there after a remarkable 22 seasons. He was also an NHL player for parts of 13 seasons, including stints with the Boston Bruins, New York Islanders, and New York Rangers.
Donato was inducted into the Massachusetts Hall of Fame in 2010 for his dedication and strength as a head coach of a prominent NCAA program in the state. Now, he is back in the NHL as a New Jersey Devils assistant coach.
Are these the moves that will be the magic wand that gets the Devils back into Stanley Cup contention? Not on their own, but putting the right people in the right jobs is a great way for players to feel comfortable in their roles.
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Over the last few seasons, the Philadelphia Flyers have generally struggled to re-sign their own players to team-friendly deals, or to deals that at least make sense for the future of the franchise.
According to a new report, that unfortunate trend could very well continue for yet another offseason.
Two weeks on from the start of NHL free agency, veteran defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen remains with the Flyers despite years of intense trade rumors and reports of multiple kiboshed deals, especially over the last two seasons.
But, new intel from Flyers team writer Bill Meltzer, via the O&B PuckCast, tells us that this might not change any time soon. In fact, it might not even change for the foreseeable future.
That's because the Flyers are purportedly considering a contract extension for the 31-year-old Finn.
"From what I gather, they've actually talked to Rasmus Ristolainen about an extension, because he's an unrestricted free agent in a year," Meltzer said.
Ristolainen indeed has one year remaining on his contract at a $5.1 million cap hit, and while injuries have been a detractor for him, the former Buffalo Sabres defender has revived his career in Philadelphia.
The Flyers, with the help of ex-coaches Brad Shaw and John Tortorella, have morphed Ristolainen into a physical, reliable second-pair, stay-at-home defenseman who has figured out how to mitigate his average mobility and puck skills.
With that said, though, Ristolainen is not getting any younger, and the Flyers have refused to settle on any potential deals for their prized defender to this point, despite recorded interest from other NHL teams.
The Flyers also have recent trade acquisition David Jiricek, as well as second-year pro Oliver Bonk, pushing for roster spots this upcoming season.
In the prospect pipeline, the Flyers already have Spencer Gill, Carter Amico, and Luke Vlooswyk, and they just allocated a second-round pick to another right-shot defenseman in Brek Liske at the 2026 NHL Draft last month.
If the Flyers are indeed considering an extension for Ristolainen, this is not a rousing endorsement of their prospect pool; three of the four aforementioned names were second-round picks, while Bonk and Jiricek were first-rounders.
Of course, it is possible that the Flyers are simply trying to re-gain some leverage, as other NHL teams are surely aware of their situation, knowing that Ristolainen will eventually be squeezed out in a numbers game.
Potential suitors already struggled with the idea of taking on Ristolainen's $5.1 million cap hit, especially with more than one year of term attached, so it would make little sense for the Flyers to give Ristolainen several more years with age-based regression looming, on top of what we can expect to be a raise of some kind.
By giving Ristolainen a contract extension of any kind, the Flyers will make it harder on themselves to find a trade suitor, while also presenting a roadblock for many of their top prospects unnecessarily.
