Category: NHL

August is often a down period for NHL transactions, and that mostly has been the case this year after a very eventful July.

Many top free agency signings were done on July 1, Alex Ovechkin re-signed on July 2 and Patrick Kane made his decision to come home to the Chicago Blackhawks on July 23. The arbitration period ended with all 15 players settling before their hearings.

Also in July, the Philadelphia Flyers signed the Anaheim Ducks' Leo Carlsson to a record $18 million average annual value offer sheet, which the team matched. Blackhawks star Connor Bedard signed for $15 million AAV and the San Jose Sharks' Macklin Celebrini passed Carlsson to become the NHL's highest-paid player with an $18.8 million AAV extension.

The Pittsburgh Penguins broke the usual August doldrums on Aug. 6 with a surprising eight-year contract for Ville Koivunen. Does that mean NHL teams might ramp up again? There's more on their plates.

Here is some of what needs to be resolved as the start of the 2026-27 season approaches in late September:

Related reading: Who are highest-paid NHL players for 2026-27 season?

Red Wings general manager search

The Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported that team owner Chris Ilitch has employed a search firm to find a replacement for general manager Steve Yzerman. Yzerman will move up to a senior advisor position after seven years as GM. Assistant GM Shawn Horcoff is handling day-to-day responsibilities, though that does not extend to making trades, the Free Press said.

Dylan Larkin trade request

The Red Wings star's trade request happened after the regular season and leaked in early June. He has a no-trade clause and has listed the Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild as preferred trade destinations. Yzerman said after the draft that he would act only in the best interest of the team. That decision likely will fall to Yzerman's successor. Larkin has five years left on his contract, so the Red Wings don't have to rush to make a move. But things could get complicated for Larkin as team captain if the situation isn't resolved before training camp.

Quinn Hughes contract extension

The Wild sent a big haul to the Vancouver Canucks to land the coveted defenseman last winter and he's about to enter the final year of his contract. Minnesota would like to sign him to an extension.

"I've been talking to Quinn and his camp all along," general manager Bill Guerin said on the "Judd's Hockey Show" podcast this week. "These things take time. They're big decisions for players. They're big decisions for teams. It's a process to work through it."

A three-year extension through 2029-30 would line Quinn up with the end of the contract of his brother Jack, who's playing for the New Jersey Devils. Quinn Hughes should pass Chicago's Bowen Byram ($12.5 million) as the top-paid defenseman with his next contract − and likely Celebrini as the top-paid player.

Colorado defenseman Cale Makar, a two-time Norris Trophy winner, is also up for an extension and could set records.

Top remaining restricted free agents

Some big names still have to be signed.

Ducks forward Cutter Gauthier is coming off a 41-goal season, but after Carlsson's deal, Anaheim has a little more than $9 million left. Gauthier is expected to come in above that, meaning the Ducks will need to trade someone.

Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli also needs a new deal. He was drafted third overall in 2023 behind Bedard and Carlsson. Columbus has a little less than $14.5 million left in cap space.

Other unsigned restricted free agents include Carolina defenseman Alexander Nikishin, Detroit defenseman Simon Edvinsson and Montreal forward Zach Bolduc.

Top remaining unrestricted free agents

There are plenty left, though available roster spots are shrinking.

Vladimir Tarasenko is the biggest name. The six-time 30-goal scorer hasn't been at that level recently, but he had two 23-goal seasons over the last three seasons.

Other UFA forwards include Michael Bunting, who has an edge to his game, Eeli Tolvanen and James van Riemsdyk.

UFA defensemen include John Klingberg, Logan Stanley and Nick Blankenburg, and goalies include Connor Ingram, Matt Murray and Cam Talbot.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: These five questions still must be answered before NHL offseason ends

There is very little news coming out of the NHL these days, but on Thursday, the Pittsburgh Penguins signed Ville Koivunen to an eight-year contract extension with a $4 million cap hit. What’s surprising about that deal is that the winger only has a total of 47 games of experience in the NHL, in which he has put up two goals and twelve assists for a total of just 14 points. However, in the AHL, he has 97 points in 97 games over the last two seasons.

While that’s a lot of money to give to an unproven player at the NHL level, the fact that the salary cap is growing exponentially in the league means it has very little chance of blowing up in Kyle Dubas’ face. Furthermore, if he really doesn’t perform, it also gives the Pens two years of evaluation time, as they can use a one-third buyout until he turns 26 years old.

Dobson Tops League In Goal Scoring From Right Side Of The Blueline Over Last Five Years
What To Expect From The Canadiens’ Captain This Season
Canadiens: Hughes' Top Three Moves Since Being Appointed

Could Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes be tempted to sign Zach Bolduc to that kind of contract? It appears highly unlikely right now. This is not the Habs’ GM modus operandi. While the former player agent does like very long-term deals when he’s dealing with a player who has a large enough body of work to be a proven asset, he doesn’t tend to go down that route with an unproven player.

With that contract, Dubas is betting on Koivunen’s potential and while one could argue that Hughes did just that when he signed Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov to eight-year contract extensions after just one season, they both had played complete and convincing 82-game rookie seasons. With all due respect to Koivunen, they both had shown much more potential than the 23-year-old forward.

The Montreal Canadiens’ way, with a player that has yet to really prove what they can do, is to go for a bridge deal, as they have with Kirby Dach (four-year and $3,362,500 cap hit) and Alex Newhook (four-year and $2.9 million cap hit) in the past.

Koivunen’s deal is a lot like the Jesperi Kotkaniemi deal the Carolina Hurricanes signed the Finnish winger to after he hadn’t even played a full season in their organization. After poaching him out of Montreal with a one-year, $6.1 million offer sheet, the Canes signed him to an eight-year contract extension with a $4.82 million cap hit. Clearly, they did that because they knew he wasn’t worth what they had initially given him to get out of Montreal, and they didn’t want to have to go as high as his qualifying offer would be out of that contract.

They believed he would live up to that cap hit, but halfway through the deal, he clearly hasn’t, and even with the salary cap rising exponentially, they have been unable to move Kotkaniemi despite trying for a long time. He only played 42 games last season and clearly isn’t part of the organization’s plans in the future; he didn’t see a single game of action in the playoffs, but the length of his contract would make a buyout a long and painful process.

Hughes is not the kind of negotiator who likes to take that kind of risk. Before considering inking Bolduc to a long-term deal, he’ll have to see more of the player, and chances are, the Trois-Rivieres native is after a higher cap hit than the $4 million Koivunen got out of Dubas. The winger has 75 points in 175 games in the NHL, which works out to 0.43 points per game, while Koivunen’s PPG average stands at just 0.33.

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It's been an interesting off-season for the Chicago Blackhawks. They added Patrick Kane late in the free agent window, made some significant draft selections, and traded for Bowen Byram ahead of the draft. 

Are these moves going to help them take a step in their development? Will it start to show in 2026-27, or will it take some time? It is going to be a young, exciting team to watch, but whether or not they take a jump in the standings remains to be seen. 

The Hockey News is ranking each NHL team's off-season from 32nd to 1st, and the Chicago Blackhawks did not land in an ideal spot as the 30th-best. 

NHL Off-Season Rankings: No. 30, Chicago BlackhawksTheHockeyNews.com is ranking the NHL's 32 teams for their performance throughout the off-season, with today's focus being on the Chicago Blackhawks. Do they have enough new talent to make the playoffs, or is more pain ahead?

The logic behind their landing in 30th place is that the additions they made, along with the subtraction of Louis Crevier and Ilya Mikheyev, won't help them take a step forward. They are relying on young players to carry the team, which makes it difficult to see the plan working right away. 

Below them are the Anaheim Ducks at 31 and the Detroit Red Wings at 32. Neither of them had good off-seasons at all, especially Detroit, but they are both currently ahead of the Blackhawks in terms of their NHL roster.  

The only way for the Blackhawks to prove any doubts wrong about thier off-season moves is for Bowen Byram to look like the number one defenseman they are going to pay him to be, and for Kane to be an incredible mentor for the young guys, both on and off the ice. Winning also solves everything when it comes to a team's perception.

It wasn't all negativity when it comes to lists involving the Chicago Blackhawks, however. The Hockey News ranked the top three centers in the Central Division earlier in the week and was very kind to Connor Bedard. 

Top Three Centers In The NHL's Central DivisionTrue to its name, the Central Division has some of the best and most exciting centers in the NHL. But who are the three best heading into the 2026-27 NHL season?

Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche is one of the three best centers in the world, which made him the clear-cut number-one guy within the division. It's also fair to see Wyatt Johnston of the Dallas Stars ranked second, as he's become one of the premier players in the sport as well. 

Connor Bedard came in at third, which is a result of his first breakout season in 2025-26, where he was a 30 goal/point per game player for the first time in his NHL career. 

By coming in third on this list, he beat out Mark Scheifele, Robert Thomas, and Ryan O'Reilly, amongst some other great centers in the Central Division. 

The next step for Bedard is to reach the 40-goal plateau and then possibly the 50-goal plateau, while taking a step in his point-per-game journey. He also needs to work on getting his shoulder right, as he is expected to miss the first month of the season recovering from surgery. If there are no setbacks, he should be able to put that behind him for good. 

There is a lot of organizational faith in Connor Bedard and his future, but they are going to need many other young players to reach their NHL potential if they are going to become a winning franchise again. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay up to date on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Today on the seventh day of the eighth month, it’s Sidney Crosby’s birthday. There’s always reason to celebrate one of the greatest hockey players of all time.

Earlier in the summer we took a look at some of the best age-39 seasons ever. Despite injury, Crosby maintained one of the best age-38 seasons in NHL history last year with 74 points in 68 games in 2025-26. There could be some survivorship aspects going on, but the good news is that there historically hasn’t been as much of a drop-off for hockey players going from 38 to 39 as much as the usually big drop going from 37 to 38.

Looking at past cases of players going from 38 to 39 years old and how it might apply to Sidney Crosby next season.https://t.co/j47etLFsSf

— PensBurgh (@Pensburgh) May 20, 2026

What’s next for Sid? The future looks to be whatever he wants it to be.

As of March, Crosby will have been the captain of the Penguins for 50% of his entire life. That will come with another NHL record, 2026-27 will be the 20th season for Crosby as captain of the Pens, surpassing Steve Yzerman’s 19 playing seasons with Detroit. If you give credit for time served, Yzerman (who missed one season due to the lockout) was the Red Wings captain for 19 years and six months, Crozby will pass that this year as well.

There’s more history sure to follow. Crosby is at 1,761 points in his career, 39 points away from 1,800. Reaching that mark would make him just the fifth player in NHL history to get to 1,800 career points, the first since Jaromir Jagr got the milestone during the 2014–15 season. Getting to 1,800 would also mean passing Marcel Dionne (1,771) and Ron Francis (1,798) along the way. Up next would be the chase of another legend known for a long career, Gordie Howe (1,850).

Overall Crosby is 160 points behind Jagr (1,921) for second place all-time in NHL scoring. Should Sid play two more years, he just might be able to get there. If he decides to play three more seasons, it could be a lock that Crosby will end up with the most points in NHL history besides Wayne Gretzky.

As Crosby told Josh Yohe in Switzerland this spring at the World Championships, stepping away from the game isn’t in his mind.

“I’m saying year to year based on contracts,” he explained. “It just seems to make sense. I mean, it could change. We’ll see. Kyle (Dubas) and I haven’t even talked about it. But I’ll talk with Pat (Brisson) and Kyle later this summer. We’ll talk about it and do what makes sense. If it does make sense to sign for a couple of years, then we’ll do that.”

…

At the end of the day, I’m just going to do what’s best for the team. It’s got nothing to do with how long I want to play. It’s not like that at all.”

Any team would be lucky to have Crosby, even at an advanced age. Luckily for the Penguins, it’s still an easy decision to hold onto a player that’s woven into the very fabric of the franchise at this point.

At now 39 years old, the end is closer than the beginning for Crosby’s playing days. On this day, like all days, it’s a celebration of greatness to witness a master still so sharp at his craft.

After backchecking and forechecking for the Philadelphia Flyers this past season, former Toronto Maple Leafs left winger Nikita Grebenkin has earned his paycheck.

The 23-year-old signed a two-year contract extension with the Flyers, the team announced on Thursday, which will cost $1.1 million against the salary cap in the NHL.

This is Grebenkin's first standard NHL contract since signing his entry-level deal with the Maple Leafs in late April 2024. It also comes after his first full season in the NHL with the Flyers.

The Russian was selected by the Maple Leafs in the fifth round of the 2022 draft with the 135th overall pick. Since being drafted, Grebenkin has only spent one year with the Maple Leafs organization.

He played seven games in the NHL and 39 appearances with the AHL's Toronto Marlies. He didn't score any points in the NHL for that 2024-25 campaign, but notched nine goals and 21 points with the Marlies.

'His Biologic Age Is Younger Than Is Chronologic Age': How New Maple Leafs VP Of Sport Performance Views 37-Year-Old Goalie Sergei BobrovskyO'Brien was a guest on TSN's 'First Up' On Wednesday, where he talked about Bobrovsky's fitness and why he took his new role as Maple Leafs VP of Sports Performance.

Grebenkin made his first scoring impression in the NHL with the Flyers this past season. He recorded four goals and 14 points in 55 contests, while averaging 11:17 of ice time. He registered his first NHL point in his debut for Philadelphia, then marked the first goal of his career eight games later against the Montreal Canadiens.

The last game Grebenkin played for the Flyers was on March 21. He didn't feature for the rest of the regular season and didn't appear in the Stanley Cup playoffs. 

Former Maple Leafs Prospect Eyeing Return To Toronto, But How Realistic Could That Be?Former Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Semyon Der-Arguchintsev is apparently seeking a return to the club and the NHL. But with the current makeup of the Maple Leafs, how realistic is that?

Finding ice time with the Flyers won't come any easier for the coming 2026-27 season with the winger depth that Philadelphia has compiled. The likes of Travis Konecny, Porter Martone, Matvei Michkov, Owen Tippett, Tyson Foerster, and a few others all stand before him on the depth chart.

Therefore, the youngster can expect to see more time in the American League with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. In 2025-26, he played 11 games for the Flyers' AHL affiliate and produced three goals and seven points. He also provided an additional four points in seven contests during the Calder Cup playoffs.

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PensBurgh’s 2026 edition of the Top 25 Under 25 countdown rolls on with a lottery ticket defenseman that joined the organization at the end of the 2025-26 season.

Catch up on the previous entries for this year:

Pensburgh Top 25 Under 25: Graduates and Departed players in 2025
Top 25 Under 25: The best of the rest
#25: Chase Pietila, D
#24: Ryan Miller, F
#23: Finn Harding, D
#22: Peyton Kettles, D
#21: Zam Plante, F
#21 (bonus): Brady Peddle, D
#20: Melvin Fernstrom, F
#19: Tanner Howe
#18: Tomas Galvas
#17: Pierce Mbuyi

#16: Jake Livanavage, D

2025 Ranking: n/a

Age: 22 (May 6, 2004)

Acquired via: Signed as undrafted free agent

Height/weight: 5’10”, 185 lbs

Elite Prospects resume:

Defenseman Jake Livanavage was one of the more sought after undrafted free agents that was available late last season, and the Penguins were able to snag him after he completed his collegiate career at North Dakota. It never hurts to take fliers on talented players that may have snuck through the cracks, and Livanavage certainly has the skill and production to be a potential diamond in the rough.

The undrafted free agent path has a wide range of potential outcomes, and while it’s rare for one of these guys to become a top-line or top-pairing player, you can still find some good value if you get lucky and bring the player along correctly.

Livanavage was always a worthy gamble for the Penguins.

Not only because you can never have too many defensemen in your organization, but also because the Penguins have a serious long-term need on the left side of their defense.

When it comes to the NHL roster, their left-side remains one of the bigger weaknesses on the roster, with only Sam Girard, free agent acquisition Declan Carlile, Ilya Solovyov and veteran Ryan Graves possessing a left-handed shot. Trevor van Riemsdyk is capable of playing on the left side, but it’s his offside as a right-handed shot. It’s not exactly a deep depth chart, and that remains true when you get down into the farm system.

Owen Pickering plays on the left side, but his development has hit a bit of a plateau for the time being. Tomas Galvas possesses a left-shot, but he was just drafted this past year and has never played a game in North America. He’s probably a ways off.

What I’m trying to say here is that when Livanavage was looking for a potential pathway toward the NHL, he probably saw an opportunity here that could get him into the show a little faster.

Not only as the Penguins attempt to find younger talent anywhere they can, but also because the depth chart lines up well with a potential opportunity for a young, talented player.

He comes to the Penguins with a reputation of being a strong two-way defender that is a capable defender in his own end, while also possessing the skating and puck skills to contribute offensively. He recorded at least 25 points in each of his three full seasons at North Dakota

His skating is definitely one of his strengths.

For those wondering why I called Jake Livanavage a great skater…. https://t.co/a6OyMuXacr

— Jesse Marshall (@jmarshfof) April 10, 2026

If there is a knock on him at this point, it’s the same problem that has existed with a lot of Penguins players, and especially defensemen, over the years — size and strength. Livanage said back at the Penguins prospect development camp that his goal this summer has been to get bigger and stronger, and that he has put on 15 pounds this offseason.

“This summer it’s just been getting bigger and stronger — being able to play against men,” Livanavage said. “Coming out and working as hard as I can, being ready for a training camp from the first day. I feel good right now. Super excited to get going.”

Shortly after signing, Livanavage had an opportunity to play one game for the Penguins, logging more than 25 minutes of ice-time in their meaningless regular season finale. He took some lumps in that game, but that was also probably to be expected given the circumstances.

While he will almost certainly have a chance to make the opening night roster, especially given the state of the depth chart on the left side, he seems destined to start the season in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. But that does not mean he will not be in Pittsburgh at some point, even for a limited look. Keep in mind the Penguins used 15 different defenseman a year ago, 13 the year before, and nine the year before that. They will probably be somewhere in that same range this season. People will get hurt. People will get traded. Some people will not be as good as you hope or will struggle. There are going to be opportunities.

The Penguins are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to trying to find young talent. They have made 25 draft picks over the past three years, including nine in the first two-rounds of those drafts. As of now they have 23 draft picks over the next three years, including 10 in the first two rounds. That is a lot of picks, and a lot of higher picks. They have also been trying to trade for players in their early-to-mid-20s in the hopes that they break out and take big steps in their development after getting to Pittsburgh. Those are the expected paths for finding talent. Every once in a while, though, you can find a player that contributes in the undrafted free agent ranks. Livanavage has a long way to go before he becomes one of those players, but he is certainly one of the more interesting undrafted free agent signings they have made in recent seasons.

The “32 in 32” series has begun at the Official NHL site, so it must be August and we must be inching forward in the offseason. With a shorter preseason and training camp — but 84 games now…yay?! — the summer will have an even longer slow window.

Still, some Islanders (and ex-Islanders) bits from the past week follow, plus a curious long-term bet in Pittsburgh.

Islanders News

• The Islanders have poached a new assistant GM/head of their AHL affiliate, grabbing Gold from the Bruins organization. Chris Lamoriello remains in the front office but is no longer GM of the AHL team. [Isles | Newsday | Post]
• Has it really been 10 years under the new ownership? Jon Ledecky, Mathieu Darche and others look back and ahead. [Newsday]
• Kyle Palmieri says his rehab is great and he’s ready for the season, as one does. [Newsday]
• An update on Marcus Gidlof, a sort of afterthought inclusion in the Brayden Schenn trade, but one who still might have potential to be a pro in North America. [STLtoday]
• Speaking of ex-Isles, Hudson Fasching (latest of the Blue Jackets) has now signd in Sweden. [THN]
• And very short-term ex-Isles Mike Reilly had fun in his day with the Cup. [NHL]

Offseason grades, Metro Division [Sportsnet]:

Islanders grade: D. While there’s plenty to like about this roster construction, it’s hard not to look at this quiet summer and feel like it’s a missed opportunity — especially while Schaefer remains on his rookie deal.

2027-28 third-jersey vote update:

#IslesNation – Because of the incredible number of jersey submissions, we're expanding the voting to an 8️⃣ jersey bracket.

More details on timing coming soon. 👀

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) August 5, 2026

Elsewhere

• What history tells us about Elias Pettersson’s dramatic decline. [Canucks Army]
• With 14 points in 47 games across two seasons, the Penguins decided to give Ville Koivune an Engvall extension. [Post]
• The WHL underager (and now NCAA Michigan-bound) projected top pick Landon DuPont discusses his path. [NHL]
• But he’s one of many top prospects being eyed at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. [Sportsnet]

Up until Thursday, the only outstanding order of business for Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins was to lock up RFA forward Ville Koivunen for the 2026-27 season.

And, on Thursday, he did indeed get locked up. But it was on terms that almost no one expected.

The Penguins and Koivunen agreed to terms on an eight-year deal worth $4 million annually, the team announced. The long-term contract comes with no trade protection, takes effect in the 2026-27 season, and runs through the end of the 2034-35 season. And because of the new rules regarding contracts under the new CBA that takes effect on Sept. 16, Koivunen could very well be the last NHL player to sign an eight-year deal, as extensions in the future will be capped off at seven years.

When taking a gander at some of the other NHL players signed to eight-year deals, Koivunen doesn't exactly fit the mold. He's played in just 47 NHL games and has two goals and 14 points, which means he is a largely unproven young player who wouldn't typically fetch that term.

However, Dubas pointed to the rapidly changing market, among other factors, as a big reason behind the term.

"There were many factors that led to us going down this path," Dubas said via email with local Penguins' reporters. "But the primary factor was watching the way the market evolved over the season and especially the summer and trying to best plan for the future of the Penguins. We view the contract as a bet – on Ville, his potential, and our belief that he is going to do the work in to reach that potential."

He expanded on this: "The evolution of the market is a key factor, for sure. The way that older forwards who have lower lineup ceilings were paid as free agents and watching the way the restricted free agent market took shape led us to take a different view on how we wanted to handle our own players, for sure."

Penguins Re-sign Ville Koivunen To Eight-Year ContractThe Pittsburgh Penguins re-signed Ville Koivunen to a huge contract on Thursday.

In other words, the Penguins are betting pretty big on Koivunen here. Sure, the $4 million average annual value isn't the end of the world, but the eight-year term is a big commitment that will take the 23-year-old Koivunen through age 31. It also makes him somewhat waivers-proof, as Pittsburgh currently has 15 forwards on their NHL roster and most certainly will be forced to waive a player or two at this point - barring no further moves - and teams are unlikely to take on Koivunen's contract on the waiver wire.

Even with the term, though, it will be very difficult for this contract to hurt the Penguins in any substantial way:

- If Koivunen plays up to his ceiling potential as a top-six winger, $4 million AAV will look like one of the NHL's most bargain contracts.

- If Koivunen doesn't quite play up to his ceiling potential but becomes an NHL regular, he will pretty much meet the value of his $4 million AAV.

- If Koivunen is a bust, the Penguins will have several options, including a sub-26 buyout window, burying the contract, or trading him somewhere else (given the low enough AAV of the contract).

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2026, No. 17: Cerebral Center Keeps Pushing Forward In DevelopmentNext up on THN's Top-20 Penguins' Prospects list is an NCAA center who, even with a questionable ceiling, continues to make adjustments and push that ceiling higher and higher.

So, the contract itself isn't necessarily the issue here. 

It's the precedent that the contract sets.

Koivunen is the first in a wave of Penguins' prospects who, while trying to make his big break into the NHL, became an RFA in need of a new contract. Again, he is largely unproven, even more so than Egor Chinakhov, who just signed a three-year extension worth $6.25 million annually. 

Next summer, goaltender Sergei Murashov, defenseman Owen Pickering, and forwards Rutger McGroarty, Avery Hayes, and Tristan Broz will all be RFAs in need of new contracts. All of them will likely see the NHL at some point this season, and each of them will have varying degrees of NHL experience and varying degrees of potential and production.

Even if none of the above have what amounts to a breakout NHL season, what if they put up similar numbers to Koivunen in a similar NHL sample size? What if they exceed Koivunen's production prior to signing his long-term deal?

Koivunen's eight-year contract only sets a precedent for these players that, should they match or best his NHL sample size up to this point, they'll feel they've earned a similar type of contract. This is especially true in the cases of Murashov, McGroarty, and Pickering, who - like Koivunen - are expected to have ceilings a bit higher than the others. 

Is It Finally Owen Pickering's Chance To Stick With Penguins?Pickering, one of the Penguins' best defensive prospects, still has a chance to be a long-term solution on Pittsburgh's blue line.

So, if that precedent is set with this contract, what will McGroarty ask for and expect next season? Murashov? Pickering? Hayes and Broz? What about Ben Kindel and Harrison Brunicke in a few years? The reality is that this contract has set the bar higher for those fringe NHL prospects and even the more surefire NHL talents, and they will expect nothing less than what Koivunen got if they outperform or continue to outperform what he's done so far.

Sure, given the ludicrous amount of cap space the Penguins are set to have in the next several years, they can afford a few Chinakhovs, Koivunens, and other "betting on potential" contracts. But if none of the above players truly break out (Kindel aside) next season but are in the same situation Koivunen found himself in this summer, how many "betting on potential" contracts can the Penguins hand out while still keeping the books open for proven NHL talent and furthering their agenda to take steps toward sustainable contention?

All in all, this contract isn't a huge issue on its own. The big question is how it will change the approach to contracts for the Penguins' homegrown young players moving forward. It's a good thing that Dubas and the organization is willing to bet on their own young talent, and deals like this will look even better if they pan out.

But if they don't, they may have just backed themselves into an obligatory corner that will be difficult to escape.

Pittsburgh Penguins' 2026-27 Lineup Projections: ForwardsIf Pittsburgh's roster remains status quo heading into the 2026-27 seasons, they will have some interesting decisions to make on the forward front.

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We all knew the Philadelphia Flyers drafted a big, strong, defenseman when they drafted Maksim Sokolovskii in the 2026 NHL Draft, but we may have underestimated how strong the 18-year-old already is.

As a 6-foot-7, 240-pound rearguard who scored only eight points last year, that is the strength of Sokolovskii's game, after all.

But he's a young, developing prospect who won't really be working out and doing significant amounts of training until next year, when he joins the University of Maine at the NCAA level.

In the meantime, the OHL London Knights had Sokolovskii flip a... 1,000-pound tire in an offseason training video as part of their promotion for their tickets, which go on sale on Friday, according to their post.

1000 lbs? Light work for Soko 💪😤
TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY!@NHLFlyerspic.twitter.com/6g5lePXVYQ

— London Knights (@LondonKnights) August 5, 2026

The Russian Flyers prospect was only 17 when he was drafted by Philadelphia in the 2026 draft at the end of June, for some context. Imagine how strong Sokolovskii will be in six, seven, or eight years from now?

Obviously, other parts of Sokolovskii's game will need to come along as he progresses in his development. He does have some puck skills and flair, but his puck handling and passing are inconsistent and reduce his ceiling as a player.

If nothing else, though, Sokolovskii's training eliminates any concerns, if there ever were any, about being able to handle competition against older players at the collegiate level next year, since he can already bully anybody he faces in the OHL.

Following an impressive showing at Flyers development camp early last month, Sokolovskii is the undisputed top Flyers prospect at the left defense position, and this only cements his place further.

Barring something unforeseen, the Philadelphia Flyers more or less have their NHL roster set heading into training camp next month.

After a long wait, the Flyers finally re-signed exciting forward prospect Nikita Grebenkin on Thursday evening, inking the Russian winger to a two-year, $2.2 million contract with a $1.1 million AAV.

Grebenkin, 23, recently switched agents, going from Gold Star Hockey powerhouse Dan Milstein to Adel Mansurov of Newport Sports, who wrapped up this lengthy but relatively straightforward negotiation with the Flyers.

And now that Grebenkin is signed, the Flyers have 14 NHL forwards under contract. Unless general manager Danny Briere and Co. swing a trade in the next five weeks, or an injury happens, Grebenkin and his 13 peers are your NHL forwards going into opening night.

The former Toronto Maple Leafs prospect will have to battle with Carl Grundstrom and Noel Acciari for playing time after suffering a season-ending injury in March.

Veterans Luke Glendening and Garnet Hathaway had filled in for Grebenkin after his injury, but Denver Barkey and Alex Bump have established themselves, and Noel Acciari got a decent chunk of money with his $2.8 million cap hit earned in free agency. Tyson Foerster is healthy now, too, so Grebenkin will have to work for the minutes he gets next season and moving forward.

As for the rest of the roster, the last remaining free agent the Flyers have is defenseman Hunter McDonald.

Top Flyers Prospect Will Benefit Learning from Ryan GetzlafOver the next few months, Philadelphia Flyers prospect Jack Nesbitt will be learning from former star forward Ryan Getzlaf.

The 6-foot-4, 24-year-old defenseman played in the Flyers' season finale against the Montreal Canadiens last year, making his NHL debut and recording his first NHL point--an assist--in 15:11 of ice time, posting a +3 rating and four penalty minutes.

The Flyers still rate McDonald highly, as further evidenced by his traveling with the team as a ringer in case of injury last season, even though they were never forced to call his number.

McDonald will, however, turn 25 late next season, and the time to establish himself as an NHL player is quickly running out.

Nick Seeler no longer has trade protection, and newcomer Simon Benoit is under contract for only one more year.

The same is true for Rasmus Ristolainen, who has long been a trade candidate and an ace in the hole for the Flyers if and when the right offer comes across their desks.

Like Grebenkin's, that negotiation shouldn't be too difficult for either side, but both sides will assuredly be making their cases on their view of an NHL fit in the meantime.

Grebenkin has new contract as Flyers near the end of their offseason work originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Danny Briere crossed off his second-to-last restricted free agent of the offseason.

The Flyers agreed to terms with Nikita Grebenkin on a two-year, $2.2 million contract Thursday night. The deal has an average annual value of $1.1 million. Grebenkin will remain a restricted free agent when the contract expires after the 2027-28 season.

The 23-year-old winger had four goals and 10 assists in 55 games last season, his first with the Flyers. The rookie played 11:17 minutes per game. He missed the final 13 games of the regular season and the playoffs because of an upper-body injury that ended up costing him more time than expected.

“Initially we thought it was going to be something short,” Briere said in May, “and it just never got better.”

Grebenkin was rehab skating in late June and early July while the Flyers had development camp. He joined the prospects for some drills and looked pretty good. It’s looking like he’ll be healthy and good to go for training camp, according to a report by Charlie O’Connor of PHLY Sports.

Nikita Grebenkin looking pretty good here as he’s taking part in a session with the prospects.

He ended the season with an upper-body injury and there’s some uncertainty about his status to start next season.

But this looks like a decent sign. pic.twitter.com/1Kzlig6MkG

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) June 30, 2026

A product of the Scott Laughton trade two seasons ago, Grebenkin turned some heads last training camp. He won a job, showing his ability to hunt the puck and battle for it. His speed and competitiveness made him an intriguing guy in the Flyers’ bottom six.

But he’ll have a ton of competition when this season’s training camp arrives next month. Porter Martone, Denver Barkey and Alex Bump are young wingers coming off difference-making performances down the stretch and in the playoffs. Martone is poised for a big role this season, while Barkey and Bump could be in the lineup on opening night.

Hunter McDonald is the Flyers’ final restricted free agent who needs to be re-signed. The 24-year-old defenseman made his NHL debut last season in the team’s regular-season finale. He’s projected to open this season with AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.

The Buffalo Sabres made it into the Stanley Cup playoffs last season, ending a 15-year playoff drought. Buffalo went on to beat an upstart Boston Bruins team in the first round before falling to the Montreal Canadiens in the second round. 

The Sabres’ step forward in 2025-26 means TheHockeyNews.com’s annual process of grading the Sabres will result in mainly-positive grades, Buffalo is far from a perfect team, but when we’re analyzing their individual performances from last season, we must be more generous than not.

That said, in this particular “Sabres Grades” file, we’re focusing on goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukonen. The 27-year-old Finn appeared in 36 games this past season, posting a .910 save percentage and a 2.52 GAA. But his playoff performance was less than ideal, as he had an .876 SP and 3.18 GAA in six appearances, and in four of six playoff appearances, his SP was .880 or worse.

So, while we’re going to acknowledge Luukkonen’s strong stretches this year, we’re not going to give him an ‘A’ – at least, not just yet:

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Position: Goaltender

Grade: B+

The Skinny: Prior to this past season, Luukkonen had been a workhorse for the Sabres, as he’d played a combined 109 games in two seasons from 2023-2025. But the lesser workload this season resulted in a significant bounce-back season from him this past year. Luukkonen has put up a .910 SP in two of the past three seasons, so you can see why the Sabres have kept him as their de facto starter. 

Luukkonen also is signed to a team-friendly contract paying him $4.75-million for the next three seasons. But backup Alex Lyon (.907 SP, 2.77 GAA) provided him with healthy competition, and youngster Colten Ellis is also in the picture. Luukkonen has some no-trade protection – a five-team no-trade list – and if Buffalo did choose to go in a different direction in net, Luukkonen would get a lot of attention based on his strong play in two of the past three years.

Had Luukkonen come into the 2026 post-season and showed consistency between the pipes, his grade here would easily move into ‘A’ territory. But he gets a B+ because his playoff performance left much to be desired.

Let’s not forget – the Sabres were linked to rumors about Winnipeg Jets superstar netminder Connor Hellebuyck. But if Buffalo does pull the trigger on that trade, you have to think Luukkonen would be the player going the other way, so long as Winnipeg isn’t on Luukkonen’s modified no-trade list.

But if that doesn’t happen, much of Buffalo’s season is going to be dependent on how well Luukkonen performs. The Sabres’ defense corps has undergone massive change this summer, and not for the better in the short-term. So Luukkonen will be leaned on at least as much next season, if not more than they leaned on him in seasons before then.

Luukkonen gave Buffalo a great regular-season performance last season. But the goaltending business is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately line of work – and the lasting memory of Luukkonen last season was him faltering when the games mattered most. 

The Sabres may eventually go in another direction, but this series grades Buffalo’s performances last year, and Luukkonen’s efforts were a tale of two worlds. Luukkonen needs to be more consistent next season, because if he can’t, the Sabres will almost assuredly go with another goalie sooner than later.

One of the more contentious rivalries in the NHL in recent years has been between the two Stanley Cup contenders in Florida.

After coming into the league a year apart back in the early 1990s, the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning have seen plenty of each other over the past three-plus decades.

It wasn’t until both teams were playoff-worthy and started locking horns during the postseason that the rivalry between the interstate rivals really kicked into high gear.

Two of the players who have been at the forefront of the rivalry in recent years has been Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk and Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel.

Both are considered top players for their respective clubs, making the animosity shared between them that much more fun to behold.

This week, Hagel made an appearance on the Cam & Strick Podcast and was asked about Tkachuk and the rivalry with Florida.

"I don't know him personally at all, to be honest,” Hagel said. “We kind of just went at it, and I'm sure he goes at it with a lot of guys.”

In addition to the combative contests played between the Cats and Bolts, Tkachuk and Hagel have seen their conflict go beyond the NHL, as both are also among the first players selected to represent their countries – Tkachuk with the United States and Hagel with Canada – when the time comes for international play.

Most recently, that has been at the 2026 Winter Olympics and the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, which famously featured a fight-filled opening matchup between the U.S. and Canada in which Tkahcuk and Hagel went toe-to-toe just seconds after the opening faceoff.

“I thought he was tough, to be honest,” Hagel said. “When he asked me at the 4 Nations, I was like, 'Oh boy, I've never squared up in my life, like ever, and now I'm doing it on the biggest stage.’ My heart was just like, 'All right, here we go.’ When you're in the thick of things, and obviously fighting him then and fighting him again, it's kind of one of those things that I'll do it whenever.”

Hagel admitted that dropping the gloves with Tkachuk on a massive stage that had tons of eyeballs on it was one of the cooler things he’s been involved with during his career.

“You couldn’t really make it up,” he said. “Obviously he’s really good at what he does, his job and doing what he has to do. (My phone) was definitely blowing up.”

One of the plays that has helped endear Hagel to the Panthers and the rivalry was a massive hit on Florida captain Sasha Barkov during the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Hagel was given a five-minute major for interference on the play and was subsequently suspended for the following game while Barkov initially went to the locker room but ultimately was no worse for the wear.

“I saw him coming and (the puck) got chipped past (Lightning defenseman Ryan) McDonagh, so in my head I’m just going to line (Barkov) up because he’s going to hit the puck,” Hagel said. “I thought he hit it but McDonagh hit it, so I blew him up. From that standpoint, it is what it is.”

Ultimately, Hagel feels the way that most players and hockey fans do.

As long as nobody is getting hurt, its all a majorly entertaining part of playing hockey and something that makes the sport so unique and interesting.

“Everything that goes on, I think its so good for the game,” said Hagel. “It’s bringing back that rivalry type of thing. You get in a fight, you get punched in the head, you get a broken nose or a black eye, whoop-de-doo, you’re good and you can still play in the game type of thing. I think it’s so good for hockey. I think they’re an unbelievable team, I think they have that winning mentality, and we have that winning mentality too, and those are probably two of the best teams going at it three of four times a year and potentially in the playoffs. Obviously, no one wants to get injured, but I think whatever is going on there and everyone (knows) going into the game, its actually fun to be a part of and I think its so good for the game.”

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Photo caption: Feb 28, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wingMatthewTkachuk(19) and Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Brandon Hagel (38)fightfor the puck in the first period at Amalie Arena. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports)

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It's now been 10 years since the Detroit Red Wings last played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, a far cry from the days when they were one of the NHL's model franchises. During their run of 25 straight postseason appearances, they reached six Stanley Cup Finals and won four championships.

Things have gone downhill since Detroit was last viewed as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender around 2012. Although the Red Wings made the playoffs from 2013 through 2016, they managed to win just one series during that stretch.

Now, the franchise finds itself in even more uncertainty. The Red Wings are without a general manager following Steve Yzerman's departure last month, and they could soon lose captain Dylan Larkin as well after he requested a trade shortly after the end of the season.

While Yzerman made his share of mistakes during his time as Detroit's general manager, there's no denying that the club's fortunes could have been different had it not been for multiple notable Draft blunders before his return in 2019. 

After missing the postseason for the first time in 25 years in 2017, the Red Wings entered that year's Draft with the ninth overall pick, which was used on forward Michael Rasmussen. 

While hindsight is 20/20, that selection proved to be another notch in a series of complete misses by former GM Ken Holland and Amateur Scouting Director Tyler Wright, and continues to haunt the Red Wings nearly a decade later, considering what the players they passed on have accomplished. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

At 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds, Michael Rasmussen has the physical profile of a prototypical power forward, but he has rarely played that way. Although he scored a combined 63 goals in 97 games over his final two seasons with the WHL's Tri-City Americans, that offensive production has never translated to the NHL.

His best goal-scoring season with the Red Wings came in 2021-22, when he recorded 15 goals in 80 games. He followed that with a career-high 33 points (13 goals, 20 assists) in 2023-24, but his production has declined since, totaling just 21 and 14 points over the past two respective seasons. 

Making that harder to swallow is the fact that players like Owen Tippett, Martin Necas, Nick Suzuki, Robert Thomas, Jason Robertson, and Josh Norris were all selected after Rasmussen. All of them have made significant contributions since entering the NHL, leaps and bounds ahead of what Rasmussen has provided for Detroit. 

Red Wings Utilizing Search Firm To Identify Steve Yzerman's Successor According to longtime beat writer Helene St. James of The Detroit Free Press, the Detroit Red Wings are utilizing a search firm as they look for a replacement for GM Steve Yzerman.

The Red Wings also missed a major opportunity in the 2018 NHL Draft, opting to select Filip Zadina over hometown product Quinn Hughes from the nearby University of Michigan. Zadina has become one of the most notable draft busts of the past decade, while Hughes has developed into one of the NHL's premier players.

There were other notable misses in prior drafts. In 2015, the Red Wings selected Evgeny Svechnikov with the 19th overall pick over names like Brock Boeser, Timo Meier, and Travis Konecny. The following season, Detroit selected defenseman Dennis Cholowski over names such as Alex DeBrincat and Tage Thompson. 

Those multiple misses set the Red Wings back years, and made the situation that Yzerman inherited all the more difficult. 

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Throughout the entire history of the San Jose Sharks organization, only a single player has ever worn the number 56 during a regular season game: Ethan Cardwell.

Cardwell, who the Sharks drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft as an overage player, has been a key piece for the Sharks' American Hockey League affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda in recent years.

While Cardwell's stock has certainly risen drastically since his draft year, there's still a lot of unknown surrounding his long-term future. He has the potential to turn into an effective bottom-six forward due to his strong work ethic and tendency to not turn away from physicality, but it's also possible he gets stuck between the NHL and the AHL like many players tend to do. 

Injuries hampered Cardwell considerably during the 2025-26 season, so he's fallen a bit more under the radar this summer, but he should be a major asset for the Barracuda this coming season.

Cardwell has appeared in 13 games for the Sharks at the NHL level, and since he has now played six or more games in two consecutive seasons, he is no longer classified as a rookie. Meanwhile, at the AHL level, he's played 158 games for the Barracuda scoring 41 goals and 65 assists during that time.