The 24-year-old defenceman, who was set to become a restricted free-agent at the end of this season, signed a one-year, two-way contract extension earlier today.
Thompson was acquired via trade for Jett Woo back at the start of March, heading to the Abbotsford Canucks from the San Jose Sharks organization. He impressed in his first few games with Abbotsford, recording two goals and three assists in his first two games. Thompson finished the 2025-26 season with three goals and 10 assists in 14 games with Abbotsford.
A third-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Thompson parted ways with the Lightning organization in the 2023-24 season. During the 2024-25 season, he split his time with the Sharks and the San Jose Barracuda, putting up four goals and six assists in 31 games at the NHL level. In 85 career games with the Barracuda, Thompson registered seven goals and 28 assists.
Thompson's signing comes less than 24 hours after the Canucks announced the hiring of new Abbotsford General Manager and Vancouver Assistant GM Richard Seeley. The defenceman was one of seven Canucks who were set to be restricted free agents come the 2026 off-season.
Photo Credit: @AbbyCanucks - X
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The Carolina Hurricanes are one win away from ending the 2026 Stanley Cup Final, and they'll look to do so in the desert on Sunday, June 14.
My Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights predictions and NHL picks expect Carolina to hoist the Cup in Game 6, with goaltender Brandon Bussi turning in another tidy performance in Game 6.
Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. ET from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with the game airing on ABC and Sportsnet.
Hurricanes vs Golden Knights Game 6 prediction
Hurricanes vs Golden Knights best bet: Brandon Bussi Over 21.5 saves (-110)
The two teams have also combined for 39 goals with six or more in all five games, and with the potential for earlier empty-net situations in an elimination game, I’m anticipating another high-scoring bout.
Carolina winger Seth Jarvis has marked the scoresheet in three of the past four games and paces Carolina forwards in ice time and on-ice expected goals during the series.
I'd play this SGP down to +280.
Hurricanes vs Golden Knights SGP
Hurricanes moneyline
Over 5.5
Seth Jarvis Over 0.5 points
Hurricanes vs Golden Knights odds for Game 6
Moneyline: Hurricanes -115 | Golden Knights -105
Puck Line: Hurricanes -1.5 (+210) | Golden Knights +1.5 (-260)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-125) | Under 5.5 (+105)
Hurricanes vs Golden Knights trend
Carolina has won 20 of its last 25 games (+13.75 Units / 34% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights.
How to watch Hurricanes vs Golden Knights 6
Location
T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Date
Sunday, June 14, 2026
Puck drop
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
ABC, Sportsnet
Hurricanes vs Golden Knights latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The NHL has announced the First and Second All-Star Teams, and Colorado Avalanche's Cale Makar has made the First Team, and Nathan MacKinnon has made the Second Team.
For Makar, this is his sixth consecutive season earning an All-Star honor; it's his third time being named to the All-Star First Team. With his nomination, he becomes the first player in Avalanche/Quebec Nordique history to earn six career postseason all-star honors and the first to be named to theNHL First All-Star Team on four occasions.
This is MacKinnon’s fifth total selection, which tied him with Michel Goulet for the 2nd most. This is also the 11th time in Avalanche history that multiple players were named to postseason All-Star Teams in the same season, which included All-Rookie Teams as well.
Historic Performances From Both Players.
Makar finished last season with 79 points (20g/59a) in 75 games, ranking among NHL rearguards in points (3rd), assists (T-4th), goals (6th), even-strength goals (16, 3rd), and time on ice per game (24:51, 7th). He was the runner-up for the 2026 James Norris Memorial Trophy, which helped him become the second player in NHL history to be a finalist in six of the first seven full seasons.
During the season, we saw Makar score his 500th career point in his 467th game against the Winnipeg Jets on March 28th, helping him become the fourth-fastest defenseman in NHL history to reach 500 points, only behind Bobby Orr (396 GP), Paul Coffey (422 GP), and Denis Potvin (465 GP).
He also became the fastest defenseman in NHL history to reach 25 career game-winning goals (399 GP) when he notched the game-winner on Oct. 16 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He tied his career-high in assists with four against the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 28. With the hot start of the team this season, he helped by starting the season with 10 points in his first 10 road games, which tied for the third-longest streak to start a season by a defenseman in NHL history.
MacKinnon capped off his historic season by taking home his first career Rocket Richard Trophy after leading the NHL in goals with 53, joining Milan Hejduk in 2002-03 as the only other Avalanche player to win the trophy. He also finished third in Hart Memorial Trophy voting.
His 127 points in 80 games are the third most points in franchise history, only behind his own 140 he set during the 2023-24 season and Peter Stastny’s 139 in 1981-82. Of his 127 points, 97 were even-strength points (42 goals and 55 assists), the most in a single season since Wayne Gretzky's 103 (33 goals and 70 assists) back in the 1990-91 season with the Los Angeles Kings. He also paced the NHL in multi-goal games (14), three-point games (20), third-period points (56), shots (350), and rating (+57) and was tied for third in assists.
During his campaign, he surpassed Joe Sakic for the most points by an Avalanche player (1,015) in October. He became the first player in NHL history to score a game-winning goal against 32 different franchises when he scored against the Utah Mammoth on Oct. 9.
While if you ask any Avalanche fan, or even Makar or MacKinnon, that this season would be even better with a Gold medal at the Olympics or another Stanley Cup, it's still important to look back at this season and admire the feats that these players are achieving. They put so much pressure on themselves that, yes, it's disappointing not seeing them win it, but it cements their legacy in what they are doing, not just with the team but in the NHL as a whole, and they are sure that they will look to improve even more next season.
Kyrou was originally drafted by the Blues in the second round (35th overall) in the 2016 NHL draft. Since then, he’s played 488 regular-season games, scoring 168 goals and 378 points.
Signed to an eight-year, $8.125-million contract, Kyrou owns a no-trade clause, so he’ll have to sign off on any deal. Reports have indicated that, depending on the team, Kyrou is willing to sign off on a trade.
Without further ado, here are three teams that could be great potential fits for Kyrou.
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators underwhelmed in the playoffs, losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in a sweep. The Senators didn’t generate enough offense, and Kyrou’s speed and skill could help make the Sens a competitor.
With centers like Tim Stutzle, Dylan Cozens and Shane Pinto, Kyrou could work with any of those three centers.
The Oilers are starved for secondary scorers outside of McDavid, Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins up front. Kyrou can come in and provide a major boost.
The one challenge facing the Oilers is whether they have the assets to acquire Kyrou.
Kyrou fits the bill of what the Islanders are looking for: a two-way scoring winger to pair with Mathew Barzal or Bo Horvat. The Islanders are building their team around superstar rookie Matthew Schaefer, and adding a skilled winger like Kyrou will help improve the roster.
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The Golden Knights coach lambasted a reporter who asked about the possibility of changing goaltenders with Las Vegas down 3-2 to the Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final.
“Oh, for Christ, that could be the stupidest question I heard,” the fiery Tortorella said Thursday night after a 4-2 road loss in Game 5.
The reason for the question, though, is rather obvious.
Carter Hart has become the first goalie in Stanley Cup history to let up four-plus goals in the first five games of the series — allowing exactly four in each.
The Golden Knights are out of rope with Carolina now one win from the Stanley Cup after back-to-back victories in Games 4 and 5.
One would think the idea of making a change could be tantalizing for Tortorella, given that their opponent has found success with the switch.
John Tortorella at the Game 5 post-game press conference NHLI via Getty Images
Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’amour pulled Frederik Anderson in the middle of Game 4 with the Hurricanes trailing 4-0. Backup Brandon Bussi held strong before giving up the game-winner in overtime.
He has since led the team to back-to-back wins.
Hart has played all 21 games this postseason for Las Vegas. He shut down one of the best offensive teams in the NHL in the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference finals in a shocking sweep.
Carter Hart warming up for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Backup Aidan Hill had a somewhat uninspiring regular season with a 3.04 goals against average in 27 appearances.
The Buffalo Sabres, as with many clubs looking to gain entry to the playoffs or advance further in the postseason, face a number of options depending how the dominoes fall leading up to the start of free agency. Some of those potential options were mentioned by The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta on a Thursday podcast.
Along with the revealed trade requests of Detroit’s Dylan Larkin and Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse, Pagnotta reports of unconfirmed reports that multiple Vezina Trophy winner and Olympic gold medal winner Connor Hellebuyck may be looking to play elsewhere. The 33-year-old has five years remaining on an eight-year deal at $8.5 million.
Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen said at his season-ending media availability that he was content with the three-headed monster of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Colten Ellis and Alex Lyon, but the inconsistency of UPL and Lyon in the playoffs was a big factor in Buffalo’s second round loss to Montreal. The cost for Hellebuyck would likely be prohibitive, which may prevent the Sabres from being serious challengers, but Kekalainen could be willing to investigate other possibilities on the goalie market.
What possible options do the Sabres have if Alex Tuch leaves
Pagnotta reiterated reports from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman earlier in the week that the is a gap between what the Sabres are willing to offer and what winger Alex Tuch is looking for. He went further to say that if the two sides were close, the deal would get done.
The 30-year-old is expected to draw the most attention on July 1 and is reportedly looking for more than $10 million per season on a long-term deal. The Sabres have only $12.9 million in available cap space this summer, and might have to make other moves to clear cap room if they wanted to re-sign Tuch. If Kekalainen does not trade his negotiating rights or do a sign-and-trade at or around the NHL Draft later this month, the Sabres could lose one of their top forwards without any kind of return.
Coming off an impressive showing in the playoffs, the speculation regarding a trade involving defenseman Owen Power has quieted, but if the Sabres lose Tuch in free agency, some clubs reportedly have kicked tires on the 2021 top overall pick to see what it would take to acquire him.
Joining Schaefer is Montreal Canadien's Ivan Demidov, Anaheim Ducks' Beckett Sennecek, St. Louis Blues' Jimmy Snuggerud, Carolina Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin and Montreal Canadiens' Jakob Dobes:
Schaefer, the first unanimous Calder Memorial Trophywinner since 1992-93, rewrote the League’s record book for production by an 18-year-old defenseman with 23-36—59 across 82 games. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, Schaefer became the youngest blueliner in NHL history to register a point in his League debut, the youngest player (at any position) in NHL history to score an overtime goal and the first defenseman in more than 90 years to lead rookies (outright or tied) in goals. His 23 goals matched the single-season NHL record for a rookie blueliner (of any age), while his goal and point totals surpassed Phil Housley (17-40—57 in 1982-83 w/ BUF) for the most by an 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history. Schaefer, who placed fifth among rookies in plus/minus (+13), achieved these feats while topping New York and all NHL rookies with 2,023:59 of total time on ice – more than 500 minutes ahead of the next-closest rookie in 2025-26 and the second-highest figure by any rookie since the statistic began being tracked in 1997-98. Schaefer is the third defenseman in Islanders history who has been selected to the All-Rookie Team, following fellow Calder Trophy winner Bryan Berard (1996-97) as well as Vladimir Malakhov (1992-93).
While they didn’t quite make this list, two Vancouver Canucks rookies received votes for this season’s All-Rookie NHL Team.
For forwards, Linus Karlsson came ninth in voting throughout the NHL with one point, finishing behind Montréal Canadiens forward Oliver Kapanen. Zeev Buium finished third among defencemen with nine points total, with Cole Hutson (Washington Capitals), Yan Kuznetsov (Calgary Flames), and Axel Sandin-Pellikka (Detroit Red Wings) all finishing in fourth behind him.
Despite this not being his first stint in the NHL, Karlsson experienced a breakout during the 2025–26 season — the first in which he played more than 25 games. He scored a career-high of 15 goals and 20 assists in 79 games, finishing the season tied with Marco Rossi for fifth on the team in points. At the beginning of January, he signed a two-year deal worth $2.25M AAV.
Buium’s journey with the Canucks began when he was traded to Vancouver in the Quinn Hughes deal conducted with the Minnesota Wild. In his first game as a Canuck, he scored both the game-winning goal and an assist to defeat the New Jersey Devils by a score of 2–1. He finished the 2025–26 season with three goals and nine assists in 45 games with Vancouver and a grand total of six goals and 20 assists on the season.
The 2026 NHL All-Rookie Team features Ivan Demidov (Montréal), Beckett Sennecke (Anaheim Ducks), and Jimmy Snuggerud (St. Louis Blues), defencemen Matthew Schaefer (New York Islanders) and Alexander Nikishin (Carolina Hurricanes), and goaltender Jakub Dobeš (Montréal).
Dec 16, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Vancouver Canucks center Linus Karlsson (94) and defenseman Zeev Buium (24) fight for the puck against New York Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson (29) and left wing Will Cuylle (50) during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Matthew Schaefer continues to rack up accolades from his spectacular rookie season.
Schaefer already took home the Calder Trophy unanimously a few weeks ago, and now he’s become the first defenseman in Islanders history to crack the NHL All-Rookie Team.
The youngster is one of six skaters to earn the honors, as voted on by the PHWA.
He’s also the sixth player in franchise history to crack the team -- joining David Volek (1989), John Tavares (2010), Michael Grabner (2011) and Mathew Barzal (2018).
Schaefer completely took the league by storm, sliding in seamlessly on the backend for New York after being selected with the top pick in last year’s NHL draft.
He set the franchise record for average time on ice by an 18-year-old (24:41).
Schaefer also broke the Islanders' record for the most goals (23), points (59), power-play goals (8), overtime goals (4), and game-winning goals (4) by a rookie defenseman.
The summer hasn't really even begun, but the Edmonton Oilers have made a mockery of what dates have passed by in this NHL offseason. From their coaching search, to their coaching changes, and now a very public trade narrative unfolding with Darnell Nurse, this is a summer that will go down as one of the most embarrassing in franchise history.
Understanding that there is plenty of time for the Oilers to course correct, or frankly, make things a whole lot worse, let's rank what's happened to date.
At the end of a disappointing season, general manager Stan Bowman said that the Oilers would reevaluate everything. From top to bottom, it was time to look inward and figure out what went wrong. Why did this Oilers team take a step back?
That would include a review of management, the coaching staff, and the roster. What wasn't known until later, was that the Oilers had already started looking into changing out the coach. They inquired about an interview with former Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy while the playoffs were ongoing. The most ruthless team in the NHL said, 'Nope, not right now.'
When it became public, the Oilers decided to fire Kris Knoblauch before his new three-year contract had even kicked in. Bowman wouldn't confirm his specific interest in another coach, but did say that it was time for a different voice. Without coming right out and saying it, the Oilers hinted that talking to other candidates while you still had your coach employed was standard practice, and technically, it is. The problem? Edmonton didn't do a good job of keeping it under wraps.
In fact, we later learned that they were allegedly the ones to leak Vegas' refusal.
#4: Interesting Names Surface During Oilers Coaching Search
Now, without a head coach and with no guarantee the Oilers would get a chance to talk to Cassidy -- who, by the way, was telegraphed as "the guy," which meant a huge contract would have to follow if hired -- the Oilers started speaking to multiple coaching candidates.
Among them, Craig Berube, formerly of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Berube had just been fired by a team who performed much worse than the Oilers, and his numbers were abysmal in 2025-26. He was linked, almost solely because he'd won a Stanley Cup with the Blues and was a local guy who would have loved the opportunity to coach the Oilers. Of course the optics of hiring a Leafs coach with a bad record of not getting along with elite talent was not ideal.
At the same time, word leaked from Elliotte Friedman that John Tortorella might be a name to watch. His contract with Vegas would be done on June 30th and he was the kind of personality the Oilers might be looking to hire (commands respect and pushes players). And wouldn't you know it, around the same time, Tortorella refused to show up for a media obligation and was fined, with the Golden Knights penalized a draft pick by the NHL.
There's even been talk the Oilers spoke with Jim Hiller, and now there's speculation that Darryl Sutter might be in play.
#3: Kelly McCrimmon Blames Oilers For Cassidy Leak
Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon was on TSN OverDrive and said the Bruce Cassidy news wouldn't have been news if Edmonton hadn't leaked it. His allegation was that the Oilers were the ones who made Vegas' refusal to grant an interview public, hinting that the PR linked to that decision might pressure the Golden Knights into changing their minds.
While it's not been confirmed, it seems odd that McCrimmon would allege such a thing without knowing it was true. This was egg on the face of the Oilers. Not only did their plan backfire, but it backed them into a corner with Knoblauch, requiring they let him go and removing a ton of leverage they might have had in any coaching hire, not just with Cassidy.
All the while, Cassidy publicly says he wants to talk to any and all interested teams. He's not just eyeing Edmonton, but he's coming across as desperate to get back into the league as a coach.
Players ask for trades in the NHL. It happens. However, the Oilers got a trade request from defenseman Darnell Nurse because he became well aware they no longer wanted him. He beat Edmonton to the punch by submitting a list of three to five teams he'd go to, preemptively sparking what is going to be a trade the Oilers are unlikely to win.
Not only will the Oilers have to try and find a way to move his long-term $9.25 million contract, but they'll need to do so while he's got control over where he goes. All the while, the leadership group who wanted Nurse to be part of their success if they ever win a Stanley Cup won't experience it, or have to win it elsewhere.
There's no way that Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman and others are happy about how this all went down. Nurse was solid, but overpaid defenseman. It wasn't his fault the Oilers walked themselves into his contract.
#1: Oilers Pursue Mike Babcock, Investigation Begins
Clearly ranking in the top spot for most embarrassing is the Oilers' pursuit of Mike Babcock. After everything with Cassidy, Edmonton turned to one of the most controversial coaching options available, even though the optics of it are terrible.
Seemingly abandoning their interest in Cassidy, it's reported that the Oilers leadership group spoke with the former Blue Jackets coach and grilled him about what happened there. Either they were good with his answers or he didn't tell them everything, because they walked away thinking, "This is our guy."
Almost immediately, reports emerge of additional, previously unknown allegations tied to Babcock—serious enough to involve the NHLPA and the NHL. The NHLPA is not good with just letting Babcock come back, and they want the dropped investigation from 2023 to resume.
Now, the Oilers are waiting on word, with no idea how long it will take for the NHL to conclude its investigation or what it'll find. Again, Edmonton has telegraphed their move and has come across as so desperate to win and be pushed, they're willing to do so by a former coach that was exiled and still has players who can't stand him, many of whom might avoid the Oilers in free agency or via trade if he's hired.
Even NHLPA Executive Director Marty Walsh has chimed in during an interiew with @SiriusXMNHL, saying "managers and owners hire head coaches, not the players." That puts Edmonton's leadership group in a tough spot with other members of the players' association.
The Buffalo Sabres could be on the hunt for some forward help this summer. This is especially so if they are unable to re-sign top pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) forward Alex Tuch.
When looking at players who can hit the market on July 1, Boston Bruins forward Viktor Arvidsson could be an interesting player for the Sabres to bring in on a short-term deal.
Arvidsson showed this season with the Bruins that he can still make an impact. In 69 games this season with the Bruins, he posted 25 goals, 29 assists, 54 points, and a plus-20 rating. With numbers like these, he would have the potential to be a nice addition to the Sabres' middle six and power play if signed.
Arvidsson's experience also adds to his appeal, as he has played in 91 career playoff games. With the Sabres being a team on the rise looking to contenders, bringing in a veteran who has been on multiple long playoff runs like Arvidsson could interest them.
Ultimately, if Arvidsson hits the market on July 1 and the Sabres are unable to bring back Tuch, the Bruins winger could make sense for them to bring in on a short-term. Yet, even if Tuch stays, Arvidsson could be good to have around in a third-line role for more secondary scoring.
This year, the Montreal Canadiens will have the 28th overall pick in the first round of the NHL draft; had it not been for the Ottawa Senators’ penalty stemming from their Evgenii Dadonov trade, they would have been 29th. What are they likely to do with the pick? History suggests they are likely to move it.
Kent Hughes has said that his team’s run to the Eastern Conference Final won’t change the Canadiens’ course of action; they want to stick to the plan. Ever since the plan started, though, the Habs GM has been active on the draft floor (even when there wasn’t really a draft floor).
Some will tell you that trading picks in a rebuild is not a sound strategy, but it always depends on the return. Draft picks are essentially a gamble; you don’t know if the player you pick will even make it to the NHL, even first-round picks are not guaranteed to make it. When he used a draft pick to acquire Kirby Dach from the Chicago Blackhawks, he did it to get a 21-year-old who had already proven he could play in the league and fit in with his projected core age-wise. He couldn’t know at that stage that the pick he traded to the Hawks would become Frank Nazar and how the young center would pan out. Of course, he still used his own first pick to get Juraj Slafkovsky.
Fast forward a year later, and on the eve of the draft, he traded one of his first-round picks, a second-round pick, and Gianni Fairbrother for 22-year-old Alex Newhook from the Colorado Avalanche. Another young forward who had proven he could play in the show and fit in age-wise. Even though he traded one pick, he used his own pick to draft right-shot blueliner David Reinbacher.
Then, in 2024, the Canadiens used their own pick to draft Ivan Demidov and then traded the Winnipeg Jets' first-round pick (which they got for Sean Monahan), a second-round pick and a seventh-round pick to move up from the 26th overall pick to the 21st overall pick because they had their heart set on Michael Hage. That was the first draft in which Hughes used more than one first-round pick.
Finally, in 2025, the Canadiens held the 16th and 17th overall picks but used both to acquire Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders. That marked a shift in strategy. After his team made the playoffs, Hughes thought it was time to fix some needs, even if it wasn’t with very young players, not that Dobson was old; he was still just 25 years old, but he was a proven first-pair defenseman. The price tag was hefty: two first-round picks and Emil Heineman, but it was worth it. Dobson had already played through his ELC and a bridge deal, and wanted to sign a long-term deal, but not with the Islanders. He asked to be traded, and, looking at the Canadiens, he decided they were a team worth committing to in the long term. Even if the Habs didn’t pick in the first round, they traded up in the second round to swoop in and select Alexander Zharovsky, who was the man they had their eye on in the first round in any case.
Now, as the league prepares to crown its champions, the Canadiens stopped playing only a couple of weeks ago. They made a deep run in the playoffs, and it's fair to say that the Dobson trade panned out. Hughes and Jeff Gorton didn’t even make it to the combine this season. Montreal still has needs to address: a second-line center and another right-shot defenseman. This time, the Habs only have one first-round pick, and to get what they need, they may need to shell out more than that. Thankfully, they still have their first-round pick for the next three drafts as well and a full cupboard of prospects. The 28th overall pick isn’t guaranteed to make the NHL, and the young Canadiens are maturing. Captain Nick Suzuki will be 27 in a couple of months. The core is getting a little bit older.
You can expect Hughes to work the phones and work them hard. The Canadiens are sticking to the plan, but it's no longer about asset accumulation; it’s about addressing needs and adding players to the core, players that, like Dobson, will be ready to pitch in now, not in two, three or four years. Unless Hughes cannot find a player who fills a particular need, don’t expect the Tricolore to speak in the first round. If everything goes according to plan, you’ll hear Gary Bettman say, “We have a trade to announce,” and if he utters those six words, you’ll know Hughes and Gorton have done it again; they’ve found a way to improve their team immediately.
The New York Islanders continue their hunt to add scoring to their top-six, while not wanting to sacrifice any major prospects close to their NHL debuts.
That hasn't stopped rampant rumors about St. Louis Blues star forward Jordan Kyrou from spreading like wildfire across the Islanders' world.
Kyrou, who holds a full no-trade clause, is reportedly willing to waive it for the Islanders.
.@jprutherford was asked in his latest mailbag where he thought Jordan Kyrou (full NTC) would be willing to go.
The interesting part isn't that he mentioned the #Isles.
Kyrou, 28, is signed through the 2031 season at an annual cap hit of $8.125 million.
That 2031 end date is important. It's the same season that Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat are signed through. Kyrou fits their window perfectly, along with the Islanders' clear intention to remain, at a baseline, heavily competitive as Matthew Schaefer continues to develop.
The conversation around Kyrou often, and justifiably so, revolves around his offensive capabilities.
Kyrou scores 30+ goals annually, doing so in three straight seasons from 2022-23 through 24-25.
This year, as the Blues had a poor showing and were the center of all trade rumors around the deadline, Kyrou struggled.
The usual 30-goal man struggled this season, posting a low 18-goal, 46-point campaign in 72 games.
Those two figures are his lowest since 2020-21, when he played 55 games as a 22-year-old.
What those stats don't show is Kyrou's defensive impacts.
Kyrou is one of the best defensive forwards in the NHL, finishing 26th in Selke Trophy voting this year and earning as high as a second-place vote for the prestigious award.
It's the second straight season Kyrou's received votes for the Selke Trophy.
Kyrou often played with Brayden Schenn in a role where not only would the line produce well, but they'd also be tasked with shutting down the opponent's best lines.
Just like Barzal, that part of his game is often shushed down and wildly underrated across the league.
Kyrou's ability to dominate defensively is just another reason why he's beyond an ideal fit for the Islanders.
The Islanders struggled mightily defensively down the stretch, ultimately costing them their season.
Not only would Kyrou add that needed scoring punch, but he'd also be a phenomenal help defensively for New York.
The Buffalo Sabres have multiple pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) heading into the summer. One of them is defenseman Logan Stanley.
The Sabres acquired Stanley along with Luke Schenn from the Winnipeg Jets ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline to add to their defensive depth. Stanley ended up playing in 17 regular-season games for the Sabres following the trade, where he had five assists, 14 hits, and 29 penalty minutes. He also suited up for eight playoff games for the Sabres, where he had zero points and 19 penalty minutes.
While Stanley had a pretty quiet finish to the season with the Sabres, it is still quite likely that he is going to land a notable raise this off-season with his next deal. That remains the case if he ends up re-signing with the Sabres or testing free agency.
Stanley is coming off a career year, as he posted new career highs with nine goals, 17 assists, and 26 points. This increase in offensive production, even if it was primarily with the Jets, should help Stanley's value if he tests free agency. This is especially so when noting that he is one of the top left-shot defensemen who can hit the market on July 1.
Teams are also always willing to pay big hard-nosed defenseman, and the 6-foot-7 Stanley fits that description. With this, he has the potential to generate a ton of interest this summer if he tests free agency. With the Sabres having more important players to re-sign, it seems more likely than not that Stanley won't be back in Buffalo next season.
Along with longtime beat reporter Arthur Staple, we discuss Nino Niederreiter’s odd Islanders tenure and the lessons we can take away from it even today.
Nino Niederreiter was one of a string of high first round picks that, at the time, seemed like safe bets by the Islanders. Strong showings at the World Junior Championships and with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks didn’t change anyone’s minds. But after enduring one of the most trying and confusing rookie seasons of all time, and after being kept in the AHL as the 2013 NHL lockout ended, Niederreiter and his agent decided they were tired of waiting. His trade request was eventually granted, which begat yet another few years of debate and disagreement between fans. While Niederreiter went on to have a productive, well-traveled 1,000-game NHL career, his season and change on Long Island still raises many questions.
So, in an effort to get some answers, we turned to an expert who saw the whole saga unfold. Arthur tells us how mistakes made by team management led to sour feelings, how things could have gone differently and how a long-lambasted trade ended up being a boon for the Islanders. We also hear stories about that early rebuild team and the ties between the players, tales of even more draft picks gone awry and the time he almost got killed by a sleepy cab driver in Pittsburgh.
It’s always a pleasure having Art on. Once again, he doesn’t disappoint in this, his first ever single player appearance on Weird Islanders: The Podcast! Be sure to listen to him on Hockey Night New York and on the Tri State Hockey Podcast. This episode has a little Easter Egg hidden in it as well. See if you can find it!
We also have a quick Weird Islanders Extra! bonus episode with Art about a heated (and hilarious) confrontation he had with former Islanders coach Jack Capuano.
WEIRD BONUS MATERIAL
After a great season for Portland of the WHL, the Islanders selected Niederrieter fifth overall in the 2010 NHL draft. The pick was seen as a good one by most because of his size and skill.
Pierre McGuire called the selection, “Awesome.” That was expected but the appearance of Alyssa Milano at the TSN Draft Centre desk with James Duthie was not.
He was quickly signed to an entry level contract a few months later (also, no arena progress? The devil you say…).
Having another Swiss player on the team in captain Mark Streit was (probably) meant to make Nino’s transition to the NHL a little easier.
His NHL first goal was scored in Washington against the Capitals in a game on Versus (!) in the first week of the 2010 season.
Nino had a goal and an assist in a nine-game stint in 2010 before being sent back to junior. His next and final season for the Islanders is the stuff of legend, and not in a good way. Fifty-five games, one goal, zero assists, minus-27. His linemates were Jay Pandolfo and Marty Reasoner. It was a disaster on every level for player and team.
He spent the entire next season in Bridgeport and was good, not great, which is why he wasn’t invited to (post-lockout) training camp in January 2013. This was the final straw for him and, more importantly, his agent, and a trade request was emailed to Islanders GM Garth Snow. Nino’s trade request was kind of a big deal. It was just another day for that unstable version of the franchise.
After six years (and one huge playoff goal) in St. Paul, Niederreiter was traded to Carolina in an even more panned deal for barely useful forward Viktor Rask. That worked out pretty well for the Hurricanes.
We’re always open to suggestions about other Weird Islanders to discuss. Remember the criteria. Candidates must fulfill one of the two of the following:
Played one (1) season or less for the Islanders or very short stints over multiple seasons.
Be a veteran NHLer who is not generally associated with his time on Islanders.
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