Sharks sign Dmitry Orlov, claim Nick Leddy to surpass NHL's $70.6M salary floor originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Sharks have been busy filling out their roster since NHL free agency opened Tuesday, and they made two more important moves Thursday.

Veteran defenseman Dmitry Orlov signed a two-year contract with the Sharks worth $6.5 million annually.

Welcome to San Jose, Dmitry! 🦈

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) July 3, 2025

San Jose also claimed 34-year-old defenseman Nick Leddy off waivers from the St. Louis Blues.

Leddy’s headed to San Jose.

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) July 3, 2025

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman first reported news of Leddy being claimed.

Leddy has a $4 million AAV for the 2025-26 season, meaning the Sharks added $10.5 million in salary Thursday, putting them above the $70.60 million salary floor.

Per PuckPedia, the Sharks currently have $72.55 million in salaries — second-lowest in the NHL — for next season.

Orlov is a 13-year NHL veteran, having spent time with the Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins and most recently, with the Carolina Hurricanes.

In 76 games with the Hurricanes last season, Orlov scored six goals and recorded 22 assists. He has 327 points in 867 career NHL games.

“Dmitry is a strong, two-way defenseman who brings physicality and versatility on the ice,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier said in a statement released by the team. “He has a wealth of NHL experience, both in the regular season and playoffs, and his Stanley Cup championship pedigree is a valuable addition to our team. We are happy to have him.”

Leddy brings even more experience to the Sharks, having played for the New York Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings and Blues during his 15-year NHL career.

He appeared in just 31 games for the Blues last season, registering two goals and three assists. In 1,042 career NHL games, he has 416 points.

The Sharks are building an exciting young core, but the downside of that strategy is that they have one of the NHL’s youngest teams.

Adding Orlov and Leddy, both of whom have won the Stanley Cup, gives the Sharks two much-needed veteran leaders.

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The Philadelphia Flyers may have lost out on Maxim Shabanov, but they have plenty of in-house replacements who are just as good, if not better options.

Shabanov, 23, is wildly skilled indeed, but he's also a 5-foot-8 forward who can play either center or inverted right wing.

The problem is that Shabanov wasn't likely to play center for the Flyers, meaning that he would have been pigeonholed into the right winger position.

Many skilled Russians play and have played inverted in the past. Names like Alex Ovechkin, Ilya Kovalchuk, Nikita Kucherov, Matvei Michkov, might come to mind.

But is Shabanov that? Maybe, maybe not. But he certainly isn't proven, just like the Flyers' top options to replace him in a hypothetical lineup.

The Flyers love reigning NCAA champ Alex Bump, for example, and he's got quite the goal-scoring pedigree. It helps that he's a natural left wing to boot.

Bump, 21, is perhaps the favorite to crack the Flyers' opening night roster, especially in the wake of the offseason injury to Tyson Foerster. Bump's unrelenting will to prove himself while doing things the right way has quickly endeared him to Flyers management and will do the same with fans in short order.

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Aside from Bump, another contender for a roster spot will be Nikita Grebenkin, acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Scott Laughton trade.

The 22-year-old already has seven games of NHL experience and has dabbled in pro hockey since the 2021-22 season despite his relatively young age.

Between the KHL, AHL, and NHL, Grebenkin has already played 177 pro games, and that experience should serve him well as he competes with his fellow Flyers prospects.

Astute fans might recall that the Flyers actually brought Grebenkin up on an emergency basis once, only to send him back to the AHL 30 minutes later with the emergency conditions no longer present.

That's about as close to the NHL as someone can get without stepping on the ice.

Plus, the Flyers and Porter Martone himself have told us to never say never on the unusual but very plausible possibility that the teenaged draft pick makes the NHL come opening night.

And, if worst comes to worst - and fans will hate this - the Flyers will decide these prospects are best suited playing significant minutes in the AHL or elsewhere to start the season, they have some capable veterans at their disposal, too.

Rodrigo Abols is capable of flexing out to the flank if needed, and last year's preseason darling, Anthony Richard, is still under contract for one more year.

It's possible the oft-injured Samu Tuomaala, who has played two full seasons with the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, makes a case for an opportunity with his speed and heavy shot.

The Flyers will be disappointed not to have landed Shabanov, to be sure, but they have no reason to dwell on it or pivot to a Plan B.

This year should be about believing in and developing the guys they already have.

Like most NHL teams, the Montreal Canadiens are holding a development camp this week to get a look at the players they’ve just drafted and to assess those they drafted in previous years who are still in the development process. Yesterday, the prospects underwent various physical tests, and today, they finally took to the ice.

The first on-ice session featured the organization’s goaltending prospects: Alexis Cournoyer, Arseni Radkov, Mikus Vecvanags, and Yevgeni Volokhin. They spent the first 15 minutes working on skating and positioning drills before being joined on the ice by six forwards to face some shots.

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Michael Hage, Filip Eriksson, Sam Harris, Tyler Thorpe, Israel Mianscum, and surprise addition Jack Gorton, son of Jeff Gorton, who plays with Boston University, all spent over an hour testing the goaltenders with various kinds of shots and in different drills.

The forwards and defensemen then went to the ice on two separate rinks. The forwards participated in several drills, the first of which was a one-on-one scenario. Despite being the shortest player at camp, LJ Mooney displayed a lot of agility and an ability to hang onto the puck. Even though he’s not tall, he’s strong and hard enough to move off the puck. They then worked an interesting drill, which started as a two-on-two before a third attacker joined the play.

On the other ice, the blueliners were put through their paces with various passing and shooting drills under the watchful eye of Montreal Victoire coach Kori Cheverie, one of the guest coaches. Speaking of watchful eyes, Kent Hughes, Jeff Gorton, and Trevor Letowsky were keeping a close eye on proceedings by the forward’s rink.

The Canadiens made some of the prospects’ media availability available online, and these kids seem to have their heads on straight. LJ Mooney was an interesting interview to watch; he’s Logan Cooley’s cousin and said that he grew up with him, but was also fortunate enough to train with him. When asked if he was still growing, he only shrugged and said he didn’t know and didn’t think it mattered. As for someone to look up to in the game, he mentioned Cole Caufield right away.

Centre L.J. Mooney is the smallest player at Canadiens development camp at 5-foot-7 and 162 pounds, but also one of the most skilled. #Habs selected him in fourth round (113th overall) of last Friday’s NHL Draft. He is inspired by Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson. pic.twitter.com/m3Bllgr7pZ

— Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) July 2, 2025

As for Aatos Koivu, he looked incredibly excited to be there. He wasn’t at development camp last time around and had a bit of a rough year after catching mononucleosis and being out for five weeks, but he did add that he learned a lot from the challenges of the latest season. He’s in town with his whole family, and while some people have recognized his father on the streets, the fans have been respectful, and no one has gone overboard. He was blown away by the Bell Center and the organization and said it would mean everything to one day play for the Canadiens. Kovu also repeated numerous times how much he loves the city.

Alexis Cournoyer was still beaming with excitement and sought advice from his cousin, Olivier Cournoyer, who is a boxer who has competed at the Olympics. Asked which goaltender he idolized growing up, he answered it used to be Carey Price, but it’s now Samuel Montembeault. In the Summer, he’s been training with the Canadiens’ goaltender for years, and he texted him right after he was drafted. Asked about the fact he’d be facing the best Canadiens’ prospects at camp, he replied right away that he’s not worried about it since he’s one of the best as well. Describing his compete level, the goaltender said he constantly battles to the very end for a puck; he never gives up. As for whether his dad went through his draft promise on social media, the youngster laughed and said Oh no, I made sure of it.

Michael Hage, who was in his second development camp, enjoyed his day at camp, saying it was tough but a lot of fun. He mentions that he still needs to get stronger and work hard in the gym; he has put on 10 pounds; he has realized in the NCAA that it’s not easy to play against older players. He said that he will be at Team Canada’s camp at the end of the month, unlike last year. Asked about what he thinks when he hear people suggest the Canadiens need to sign a center as a stop gap solution until he’s ready, he explained that he doesn’t listen to that kind of noise and focuses on becoming the best player he can be, the type of a player a coach knows what he’s going to get when he puts him on the ice.

Michael Hage est en forme. pic.twitter.com/mJ2a8a1tvF

— Anthony Martineau (@Antho_Martineau) July 2, 2025

Tomorrow, the prospects will return to the ice for the final day of development camp, which will feature a Red vs. White scrimmage. It'll be the last bit of organized action in Brossard until rookie camp starts in September, and until then, we’ll be keeping an eye on Hughes. You never know when the GM will surprise the league with another deal.

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Michael Pezzetta is living his childhood dream.

Several hours after signing a two-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs carrying a $812,500 annual average value, the 27-year-old Toronto, Ontario native sat in his childhood room at his parents' house thinking, "How crazy is this?"

"I got a big picture of Mats Sundin on my wall and a couple of pictures of CuJo (Curtis Joseph) and some other guys," Pezzetta smiled as his dream had come full circle. "I get to fight for the opportunity to put this sweater on, and it's just something that I've dreamed of my whole life, and I'm just, it feels amazing."

A sixth-round pick by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2016 NHL Draft, Pezzetta didn't have it easy. Usually, selections that late become career AHL players, but throughout the years, the forward fought tooth and nail—quite literally—to earn his spot on an NHL roster.

"I think it was just always believing in myself and just putting the work in. I mean, especially in the summers and during the seasons, I'm just in love with getting better and in love with that grind, and it's what drives me every day," Pezzetta said over Zoom on Wednesday afternoon.

"It's what I wake up and I love to do."

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After five seasons of OHL hockey with the Sudbury Wolves and Sarnia Sting, Pezzetta turned pro, playing his first year with the AHL's Laval Rocket, along with a cup of coffee down in the ECHL with the Maine Mariners.

Following two more seasons with the Rocket, Pezzetta finally got his first taste of NHL action, making his debut with the Canadiens on Nov. 2, 2021. Nearly a lifetime of hard work paid off with the forward playing on one of the most coveted franchises in the league.

"It took me, I think, five or six years to get my first exhibition game with Montreal and the organization from when I got drafted," Pezzetta said. "But when I did [get that game], I was ready for it because I put all those hours in."

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Pezzetta prides himself on being a hard-working forward, always ready to stand up for his teammates while playing strong at both ends of the rink. Over his time in the NHL, the forward's defensive game has improved, and that'll be an area of his game which'll make or break his spot in the lineup with Toronto.

"It gives us some more depth and he's got a skill set in terms of his physicality, good foot speed, able to get in on a forecheck," Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving said on Tuesday after signing Pezzetta. "Certainly, excellent teammate. Those are the sort of boxes he checks, and happy to have him with us."

In three seasons with the Canadiens, Pezzetta has scored 15 goals and 23 assists in 200 games. He played 25 games last season and didn't register a point, but said on Wednesday that's not what his game is.

"I know in the years prior, pretty steady player, kind of always getting my 10-15 points in the 50 or so games that I played, and I'm pretty confident I can continue to do that in terms of a points perspective," he said.

"But I think a lot of my game is just being hard to play against, being someone that is defensively responsible a coach can trust, and then you're gonna go out there and you can change the shift of a game with a big hit or just good forecheck, make a good play, and really change the energy and the energy in the room on the bench."

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After signing with his hometown team, Pezzetta says plenty of people in his circle are happy for him, especially his close family members.

"Yeah, like I'm insanely fired up. They might be even more over the top," he laughed.

"I know my mom's super excited that I get to stay home, it's been a while. And then even all my friends and everybody's like all Leafs fans, just through and through, and they're so excited. So many people messaged me the last day-and-a-half now, and it's just surreal. Like, to think that it's a possibility I get to put this sweater on, so I'm just really grateful for the opportunity."

If there's one moment that sticks out to Pezzetta when reminiscing on the Montreal/Toronto rivalry, it's his first point against his hometown team. It was a primary assist on Rafael Harvey-Pinard's second-period goal on Jan. 21, 2023, a game the Canadiens won in overtime.

"I got a nice assist one time against them," Pezzetta said, "and my family was there, and some of my friends were at the game in Montreal, so that was pretty cool. Then we've just had some good battles, where especially when I started in Montreal, we weren't the best team in the standings, and we had beat the Leafs, and it was always a good feeling."

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Pezzetta will be on the other side of the rivalry now, and he'll wear the jersey once worn by his favorite player, Mats Sundin, but with the name "Pezzetta" on the back of it.

"It's hard not to cheer for the Leafs being from Toronto. I can't even explain how stoked I am right now," Pezzetta said.

"It was just like kind of a whirlwind of emotion. I almost, like, couldn't believe it. Came into free agency, and just first time being an unrestricted free agent, and you're wondering how things are going to go. I had some options to go to different places, but to have the opportunity to sign in Toronto, like, I just couldn't pass up on that."

(Top photo of Pezzetta: David Kirouac / Imagn Images)

The Florida Panthers will wrap up their 2025 Development Camp on Thursday.

Over the past three days, 31 Panthers prospects have participated in on-ice work and off-ice training, getting a small taste of how the big club does it while being hosted at their practice facility in Fort Lauderdale.

On Thursday, the hard work put in all week will culminate with a scrimmage.

Every player at D-camp will be on the ice, showing off what they’ve learned and trying to make one last strong impression before heading back to their respective summer homes.

Some of these players will be invited back for the Panthers official training camp in September, which will present a good opportunity to show they absorbed what was taught and put it to good use.

One cool note about the scrimmage is that the goaltenders will be wearing some very special jerseys.

Each of the jerseys worn by Florida’s goalies during the scrimmage were specially decorated by patients at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Fort Lauderdale during a visit with the Panthers prospects on Wednesday afternoon.

For fans who would like to check out the scrimmage, the pucks drops at 11 a.m. and it will be open to the public and free to attend.

Seats are available at a first come, first served basis inside the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale.

A full camp roster can be found below:

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Photo caption: Florida Panthers prospects take part in a Development Camp practice at the Baptist Health IcePlex on July 2, 2025. (Florida Panthers)

As Day Two of unrestricted free agency draws to a close, there aren’t too many bigger names left on the market.

The biggest name - and only impact name left, really - is forward Nikolaj Ehlers, who registered 24 goals and 63 points in 69 games last season with the Winnipeg Jets. If the latest updates on Ehlers’s situation are to be believed, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Washington Capitals are the frontrunners to land him.

And - as discussed Tuesday with forward Bryan Rust’s situation - Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins’ phone lines will get a whole lot busier once Ehlers is signed.

Rust is one of Pittsburgh’s primary trade targets for other teams, as the 33-year-old veteran put together a career season with 31 goals and 65 points in 71 games in 2024-25. He is highly coveted, but Dubas said that the price to acquire Rust will be very high given his production, the term on his contract, and his tenure with and meaning to the organization.

But, there may be a very intriguing second option for teams if they can’t land Rust. And that is forward Rickard Rakell.

There has been interest in Rakell going back to the trade deadline, and - like Rust - he enjoyed the best year of his career last season. He put together a 35-goal, 70-point campaign - both career-high marks - and it is the third time in Rakell’s career that he hit the 30-goal mark. 

30-goal scorers don’t grow on trees in the NHL, and that’s especially true for guys who manage to do it on a pretty consistent basis. And it’s even rarer for 30-goal scorers - especially with the cap skyrocketing - to be locked in for three more years at just $5 million average annual value.

Suffice to say, whoever lands Rakell is getting their hands on a proven goal-scoring winger for term and for cheap. And - while that’s going to come at a cost - it’s a price worth paying for teams that are either in win-now mode or that are looking to take the next step. 

Here are four potential landing spots for the Penguins’ top goal-scoring winger.

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Carolina Hurricanes/Washington Capitals

We’re going to group them into one here, because - again, if the Ehlers rumors have merit - one of these teams is going to lose out on him.

And when that happens, either team should immediately be giving Dubas a call. 

For Carolina, they have been missing out on a lot of the big names on the market, even if they’ve come their way for a brief time. Jake Guentzel decided to walk after being dealt to Raleigh by Pittsburgh at the 2024 trade deadline. The Canes traded for star forward Mikko Rantanen well in advance of the deadline only to trade him again to the Dallas Stars leading up to this year’s trade deadline.

They desperately need a win, and they desperately need top-line scoring help. The Canes are a great team structurally, but they lack oomph on offense and don’t have the high-end talent to get them over the hump.

Carolina Hurricanes In On Top Free Agent Target Nikolaj EhlersThe Carolina Hurricanes made quite a splash on Tuesday, landing defenseman K'Andre Miller from the New York Rangers for a package of just picks and prospects.

While neither Rakell or Ehlers is cream-of-the-crop like Guentzel and Rantanen, they’re still very good players. Carolina was rumored to be in on Rakell at the deadline, and they will probably be again if they lose out on Ehlers.

As for Washington? The calculus is simple: They have a lot of supporting cast members and even foundational pieces to keep competing beyond the point of Alex Ovechkin’s retirement. But - even with Ovechkin still in the picture - their most glaring weakness is in their top-six.

There was a rotating cast of characters in the top-six for the Capitals in the playoffs that included the likes of Anthony Beauvillier - traded to the Caps by the Penguins at the deadline - as well as Tom Wilson and Connor McMichael. While all of those guys are perfectly serviceable, they could still use a more surefire trigger man in their top-six - especially with Ovechkin’s future uncertain beyond next season.

They need to start preparing for the post-Ovechkin era. And having another high-end goal-scorer for three more years will help them bridge that gap.

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Dallas Stars

In what could be considered cap hell, the Stars are in a bit of a bind because of the Rantanen contract that pays him $12 million annually. They are currently nearly $1.8 million over the cap right now, and they only have 12 forwards, eight defensemen, and two goaltenders signed on for next season.

They are going to have to shed salary somewhere, whether that’s by sending one of their defensemen in Matt Dumba or Ilya Lyubushkin packing somewhere else or by shipping out one of their biggest contracts - a la Jason Robertson - and trying to get cheaper talent for similar output.

Rakell matched Robertson’s goal total last season, and he makes $2.75 million less for three more years. Robertson is also a pending-RFA next season and will command a hefty raise. 

If Dallas decides to move out Robertson - and perhaps one of those defensemen - going after Rakell makes a lot of sense. This one will be very situation-dependent, but never say never.

With Robertson's Name Out There, Could Penguins Swing Blockbuster Trade?With both the NHL Draft and free agency on the horizon, trade speculation is running rampant in hockey circles at the moment.

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Los Angeles Kings

It seems like the Kings have been linked to Rakell since, well, forever. And that’s probably because they have been.

It’s no secret that Los Angeles seeks a goal-scorer, even after acquiring Andrei Kuzmenko - who, although is a good add, hasn't been able to replicate his 39-goal rookie campaign. They made some calls on Rakell at the deadline, and nothing came to fruition. The Kings also have some pieces that Pittsburgh may be interested in - defenseman Brandt Clarke, for example - that a package involving Rakell may be able to net. 

With a tick under $6 million left in cap space - and a key RFA in Alex Laferriere - the Kings have some decisions to make. If they want surefire goal-scoring help to bolster their top-six and their power play, Rakell can provide exactly what they need. But they’ll need to do a small bit of maneuvering to get that, but - realistically - that shouldn’t pose much of an issue.

If the Kings want Rakell, they’ll pay up for him. And they could definitely use him.

Kings Trade Target: Rickard RakellThe sun is setting on an incredible era of Pittsburgh Penguins hockey. After making the playoffs for 16 straight seasons and winning Stanley Cups in 2009, 2016 and 2017 on the backs of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Marc-Andre Fleury, they are now headed for their third consecutive playoff absence.  

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Chicago Blackhawks

The one thing that makes a move for Rakell a bit tricky is that he does possess an eight-team no trade list, hence, why the Buffalo Sabres were not included on this list. Sorry, Buffalo.

Another team that may or may not be on that list? The Blackhawks.

However, if the Hawks aren’t on Rakell’s no-trade list, they figure to be a favorite to land him. They have already been linked to Rakell, and they are one example of several teams that are looking to take the next step from rebuild mode to “go for it” mode.

Chicago already has a good young core of forwards such as Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, and Ilya Mikheyev. But they could use a surefire goal-scoring talent - as well as a seasoned veteran - to help get them to the next level.

Rakell is a fit in a lot of ways, and Chicago has a lot of the assets that Pittsburgh would covet. Keep an eye on them as a potential trade partner for Rakell, as it makes sense in a lot of ways - so long as Rakell is okay with playing there.

Blackhawks Are Wisely Headed For Another Development YearThe Chicago Blackhawks are not very active on the free agent front. They may add another piece or two when it comes to NHL or AHL depth, but they are not interested in acquiring bad contracts as the youngsters start to take over the lineup.

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Feature image credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

The Seattle Kraken used their second-round pick (36th overall) in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft to select defenseman Blake Fiddler, a right-handed shot with size and tools coaches dream of.

Listed at 6-foot-4, 209 pounds, Fiddler has the frame of a true shutdown defenseman, comparable to the likes of Adam Larsson, but the 17-year-old is much more than that. Fiddler knows how to use his body to defend, but he is not reliant on it. 

He's an excellent skater, described as having explosive backwards crossovers and the ability to take the puck from behind his goal line and start transition breakouts. EliteProspects describes him as a player who "skates through his hands." 

"Fiddler’s impact comes through his defensive impact and frequent advantage creation. With explosive backward crossovers, he wins the race to the middle before pivoting and surfing into the stop. Always thinking about body position, he skates through the hands, intercepts opponents with his back, and eliminates off-puck threats. On retrievals, he picks up the puck cleanly, waits for pressure to engage, and places it in a good spot for a teammate to carry it out." -EliteProspects 2025 NHL Draft Guide.

Fiddler flashed some of his offensive potential and creativity with the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL this season, recording 10 goals and 33 points in 64 games. A player of Fiddler's size and position, it's rare to be deemed a two-way defenseman, but Fiddler is just that. 

Despite being considered a strong skater, the American defenseman believes there is more to add to that aspect of his game, and he thinks the Kraken development staff can help him do just that. 

"Everything can get better," said Fiddler when asked about what he can improve on. "I'm going to continue to work out everything. I'm a strong skater for my size, but I want to become elite at that, and that's something that definitely as I get older, I want to be able to do and continue to work at. I also want to use my physicality edge a little more and on a consistent basis. It's there, but I want to do it more consistently." 

"Something I didn't know is how great of a development staff they have, and they've all been super good to me and helping me on the ice and off the ice."

2025 NHL Draft - Kraken Select Blake Fiddler 36th Overall in 2025 NHL DraftBlake Fiddler Brings Size and Skill to Seattle Kraken.

After making four forward selections in the first round in four drafts, many people thought the Kraken would select a defenseman, but they elected to draft center Jake O'Brien. Fiddler was predicted by many to land in the first round, but when he slipped to the second, the Kraken wasted no time trading up, moving the 38th and 57th picks to take what could very well be a steal in Blake Fiddler. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Kraken stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

First Look - 2025 Draft Picks at Kraken Development CampSeattle - The Kraken of the future hit the ice today for the first skating day of Development Camp at the Kraken Community Iceplex. While some prospects have been here before in previous years, it was our first chance to see the freshly drafted players wearing the Kraken logo for the first time. Here is a first look at each of the Kraken's 2025 Draft Picks from the sessions today.

Brent Burns signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche as he gears up for a 22nd career NHL season.

The teamannounced the 40-year-old defenseman's signing on Wednesday evening but didn't reveal an average annual value. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports the contract has a $1-million base salary with the potential to earn another $3 million in games-played bonuses. Burns was a UFA after finishing an eight-year contract with an $8-million cap hit.

This past season with the Carolina Hurricanes, Burns recorded six goals and 23 assists for 29 points in 82 games. He can extend the fourth-longest ironman streak in NHL history, which stands at 925 straight games.

In 1,497 career regular-season NHL games, Burns has 261 goals and 649 assists for 910 points. He's  added another 24 goals and 80 points in 135 playoff games, making the Stanley Cup final with the San Jose Sharks in 2015-16.

Burns won the Norris Trophy as the defenseman of the year in 2016-17 after putting up 76 points, and he was the 2014-15 recipient of the NHL Foundation Player Award.

At 6-foot-5 and 228 pounds, Burns has continued to log many minutes of ice time per game, with 20:57 this past season and a career average of 22:22. He ranked second on the Hurricanes in blocked shots, with 98, and he ranks 19th in the NHL in total blocked shots since his first season in 2006-07, with 1,785.

The Avalanche are Burns' fourth NHL team. Before the Hurricanes and 11 seasons with the Sharks, Burns' first seven campaigns came with the Minnesota Wild, which drafted him 20th overall in 2003.

As a right-shot blueliner, Burns could slot behind Cale Makar and Josh Manson the Avalanche's depth chart. On the left side, Colorado has Devon Toews, Samuel Girard and Sam Malinski. They lost Ryan Lindgren in free agency to the Seattle Kraken, and Erik Johnson and Tucker Poolman became UFAs as well.

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Entering the current off-season, many hockey observers were intrigued to see the direction the Pittsburgh Penguins would take. 

After all, this team stubbornly refused to go through a full roster rebuild but has also begun making moves that address its long-term future.

Unfortunately for Penguins fans, Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas’ initial roster moves this summer have not inspired confidence. Instead, there’s a sense that, at best, the Penguins will once again be a “mushy middle” team – not good enough to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs and not bad enough to secure draft picks that will be the foundation for the organization in the years ahead.

The time is now for Dubas to move veterans who will command a sizeable return in a trade – high-impact players, such as star defenseman Erik Karlsson and right wingers Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell. Karlsson has a full no-movement clause, but there’s reportedly a possibility he’ll waive it to go to a Cup contender.Rakell and Rust, meanwhile, don’t have full no-move clauses.

However, Dubas has stubbornly held onto those players so far. He’s instead made low-impact trades, including acquiring third-pair defenseman Connor Clifton from Buffalo in return for depth blueliner Conor Timmins.

In free agency, Dubas has held onto the bulk of Pittsburgh’s cap space – now about $14.9 million – and spent on B-grade players, including wingers Anthony Mantha and Justin Brazeau. He dealt goalie Alex Nedeljkovic to the San Jose Sharks, further muddying the Penguins’ situation in net. Veteran Tristan Jarry was a candidate for a contract buyout but stayed, and youngster Joel Blomqvist will likely be thrown to the wolves behind a defense corps that is hardly a shutdown unit. 

Consequently, the Penguins lack quality depth in important positions and the type of players who can help them contend for a playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division.

It’s true Dubas still has time to effect major change. But if the status quo stays, the Pens will likely miss the playoffs for a fourth straight season – something that is truly hard to fathom for a team with Hockey Hall of Fame-bound icons in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. But with every day that passes without notable change, the Penguins appear destined to disappoint a fan base that not so long ago was accustomed to championship glory.

Dubas is also working with a first-year coach in Dan Muse, who has to be a teacher to Pittsburgh’s youngsters while also pushing to produce acceptable performances from the veterans. Muse’s balancing act carries with it a real danger that there could be more failure on the horizon, and the pressure felt by Dubas and Pens brass could easily trickle down into the roster, causing everyone to squeeze their sticks a little too hard.

It all adds up to a situation in Pittsburgh that’s far from ideal. The Penguins are being pulled in two different directions – toward playoff contention on one end and toward a bigger rebuild on the other end – and the mixed-message reality of the organization is likely to lead to further letdowns.

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The Buffalo Sabres' first day of the NHL's free-agent frenzy saw Sabres GM Kevyn Adams take some low-risk, decent-return gambles in signing mid-tier veterans like winger Justin Danforth and defenseman Zac Jones. But another Sabres signing could prove to be extremely important as the season goes on -- and that's the signing of experienced goalie Alex Lyon.

For the 32-year-old Lyon, his new contract was about stability, and the Sabres provided him with that, signing him to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.5 million. Lyon has spent the past two seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, and in that time, he's posted a save percentage of sligly less than .900 -- a satisfactory-enough number at a time when NHL offenses can be overwhelming, and one that came playing behind the Wings' sub-par defense corps.

Now, before we go much further, let's be clear -- Lyon is obviously the third goaltender on the Sabres' depth chart. He's not going into camp being the ideal starter for this Buffalo team. 

That said, ostensible starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen didn't have a particularly great year in 2024-25, posting a bloated 3.20 goals-against average and an .887 SP in 55 games.  By the end of the season, Luukkonen had lost his starter's job in favor of greybeard journeyman James Reimer. Now, Luukkonen's contract status -- the 26-year-old is entering Year 2 of a five-year contract that pays him $4.75-million per season -- necessitates he be given a chance to win the No. 1 job back. But there's no assurance Luukkonen is going to return to the form he showed in 2023-24, when he posted a .910 SP in 54 games.

So, if Luukkonen can't get the job done, Lyon is still not Plan B.  That would be up-and-comer Devon Levi. The 23-year-old Levi did not have great success in limited NHL action last year, posting an .872 SP in nine games. However, Levi had much more positivity in the American League, putting up a .919 SP in 42 games. If Levi -- currently an RFA -- is intending on bumping up his pay grade, making the jump to the NHL on a permanent basis provides him all the motivation in the world.

After Sabres' Latest Trade, Don't Expect Much From New Buffalo DefensemanThe Buffalo Sabres made a trade Saturday, but it wasn't the trade many were expecting, as star defenseman Bowen Byram remained a Sabre, at least, for the time being. However, Sabres GM Kevyn Adams reshaped his defense corps by sending rugged blueliner Connor Clifton and the 39th-overall pick in this year's draft to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for D-man Conor Timmins and minor leaguer Isaac Beliveau. 

All of which is to say that, if Lyon is called into action on a regular basis, things for Buffalo probably haven't gone very well. Either or both of Luukkonen and Levi could be hurt or under-performing. But by the same token, if Lyon can come through in the clutch when called upon, he's going to look like a terrific financial bargain, and one of Adams' best signings in his history running the team.

Goaltending insurance is something every NHL team is investing in. At a time when it feels like the health of every player in the league is just one bad collision or bounce away from being compromised, you need as much talent as you can get. So while Lyon may not be occupying much of the spotlight when next season begins, there's a road ahead in which the Sabres turn to him as a last line of resort, with their season possibly hanging in the balance.

Sabres Deals Addressed Needs, But Were Budget-ConsciousThe Buffalo Sabres made a pair of trades before and during the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles which were as much about changing the makeup of the roster as they were about trimming the budget of the club in advance of the beginning of free agency on July 1. 

We still believe Adams should be on the hot seat for the roster decisions he's made. If all he does is what he's done thus far, we don't envision the Sabres as a playoff team. But if Adams makes more changes by the time next season begins, Buffalo could challenge for a wild card berth in the Eastern Conference.

And if things go a particular way -- and if Lyon comes through in a pinch -- we might look back on the signing of a third goaltender as the move that saved the Sabres' year.

It's never too early to be thinking about the future. Right? 

Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz said he had two things in mind when thinking about the Predators' future: getting bigger and getting younger. 

"We've got some great prospects on the way, but I felt two things: we wanted to get bigger and we want to get younger," Trotz said. 

The Predators' current defensive corps averages 6 feet 2 inches and 200 pounds. The 2025 draft class averages 6 feet and 181 pounds. In addition, the Predators' defense had an average age of 28 years. 

Looking for size and youth, the Predators may have at least one pick lined up for the 2026 draft in 7-foot, 273-pound Moldovan defenseman Alexander Karmanov. 

The 17-year-old was selected by the Brantford Bulldogs, 172nd overall in the third round of the CHL's Import Draft, an entry draft held for CHL prospects that are not from Canada or the United States.

 

Karmanov is also committed to Penn State for the 2027-28 season. He spent the past year with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights 16U AAA team in Pennsylvania, competing between the Atlantic Youth Hockey League and 16U AAA tournaments. 

Between both, he played 35 games and scored 33 points and had 60 penalty minutes. According to Brantford's X/Twitter account, he is "the largest hockey player on the planet." 

If he were to break into the NHL, he'd be the tallest player to ever play, surpassing Zdeno Chara's record height by three inches. 

Depending on Karmanov's arrival at Penn State, he could be teammates with 2023 Nashville Predators draft pick Aiden Fink, who would be a senior by the start of the 2027-28 season.

Defenseman Mac Gadowsky, who is attending the Predators' development camp by invitation and stands 6 feet 3 inches tall, would also be his teammate, as Gadowsky recently transferred to Penn State.  

When drafting taller players, skating is usually the primary focus. That appears to be the most significant focus for Karmanov when watching his highlights. He's a big body, but doesn't move fast. 

Skating at an NHL pace can be a challenge for larger players, but Nashville has found ways to develop them and maintain a reputation as one of the largest teams in the NHL. 

Trotz wants size and Karmanov has the potential to be the biggest to ever play the game. 

In a shocking twist only 30 minutes into the 2025 NHL Free Agency period, Brock Boeser signed a seven-year, $7.25M AAV contract with the Vancouver Canucks. His signing came after a tumultuous season of uncertainty regarding his fate. Many thought he would be traded at the Trade Deadline, while signs leading up to free agency implied that he would be moving on from the team. With his signing, Boeser will extend his streak as the Canucks’ longest-tenured active skater.  

The Canucks came into the 2015 NHL Draft with the 23rd selection in the first round. While some players were obvious selections (Connor McDavid), realistically, the talent pool provided by this draft class meant that nearly any pick would be profitable. At the time, only three of twelve prospect draft rankings had Boeser going higher than 23rd overall. The general consensus seemed to be that he would not be picked higher than 25th. With that being said, it wasn’t shocking when former Canucks General Manager Jim Benning decided to select Boeser 23rd overall. 

Boeser’s addition to Vancouver’s prospect pool was a bright sign, as some of the only other names in the Canucks’ ranks were Jake Virtanen, Jared McCann, and Hunter Shinkaruk — with only one of these three still playing in the NHL. He was given the expectation of 30-goal scorer in the NHL early on and nearly broke this milestone in his first full season. 

On March 25, 2017, Boeser signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Canucks, making his NHL debut the same day against his hometown Minnesota Wild. In the same game, he scored his first NHL goal. By the end of his first nine games in 2017, he scored four goals on 25 shots and added one assist. For an early campaign, Boeser’s four goals left fans very optimistic about the upcoming season. 

Boeser’s first full season with the Canucks was one to remember. It seemed as though he was shot out of a cannon to start the season, as he scored two goals and three assists in his first four games. It only took him 10 games to get his first hat trick of the season, and the first of his NHL career, which he scored against Matt Murray and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Within the first 10 games of his rookie season, Boeser had five goals and eight assists. 

“The most natural goal scorer I’ve ever played with,” former Canucks captain Henrik Sedin said of Boeser back in 2017. 

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An array of goal-scoring streaks, impressive play, and a Rookie of the Month title in November earned Boeser a nod to the 2018 NHL All-Star Game. There, he won the accuracy shooting event, beating out players such as Sidney Crosby, Brad Marchand, and Steven Stamkos, and took home the award for MVP of the game. 

Despite playing at a near 40-goal pace in his rookie season, injuries sidelined Boeser for 20 of the team’s games. He finished the year with 29 goals and 26 assists in 62 games played, putting him fifth in points among all rookies that season. Boeser finished second in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy to Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders. 

The start of Boeser’s career in Vancouver was certainly memorable, and with his re-signing, he’ll add even more goals on top of the 204 he has already scored as a member of the Canucks. 

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The Buffalo Sabres made a pair of trades during and after the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles that opened up more cap space in advance of the beginning of free agency on July 1, but the club did not make any kind of splash as the market opened on Tuesday, re-signing three players on multi-year extensions and signing free agent winger Justin Danforth and goalie Alex Lyon to two-year deals. 

Danforth had 21 points (9 goals, 12 assists) in 61 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season and signed for an AAV of $1.8 million, while Lyon, who went 14-9-1, with a 2.81 GAA and .896 save %  in Detroit last season signed for $1.5 million per season. 

“(Lyon is) a proven goaltender, ” Sabres GM Kevyn Adams said on Wednesday. “I think he's a really good veteran. A high character guy. He's proven in the league. He's played well in his time in the National Hockey League. He's going to challenge and push. We just think he helps us win hockey games.” 

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Danforth is expected to play a fourth line role, replacing Sam Lafferty, who was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday. Lyon, 32, will be in the mix to challenge for playing time behind Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and with youngster Devon Levi. Luukkonen, who did not have much of a threat to his starting role after Levi was demoted to Rochester early last season, had a subpar campaign (24-24-5, 3.20 GAA, .887 save %) in the first year of a five-year deal. 

Levi, a restricted free agent this summer, still has an exemption to waivers that will allow him to be demoted to AHL Rochester next season. If Levi plays well in training camp and earns a roster spot, it is likely that the Sabres will carry three goalies on their NHL roster, as they did at the start of the 2023-24 season with Luukkonen, Levi, and Eric Comrie.  

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

The Buffalo Sabres did not make much of a splash on the opening day of free agency on Tuesday, with the most impactful signing being the two-year contract for goaltender Alex Lyon and the re-signing of center Ryan McLeod to a long-term extension. The item that was the most newsworthy was a report from TSN’s Darren Dreger, that clubs interested in restricted free agent Bowen Byram are contemplating an offer sheet.

Sabres GM Kevyn Adams met with the media during Day 3 of the club’s Development Camp at LECOM Harborcenter on Wednesday and indicated that he is open to bringing back the 23-year-old blueliner, who is two years away from unrestricted free agency on a short- or long-term deal, and is open to a hockey deal bringing back NHL players, but that he would match an offer sheet if it were tabled by another club. 

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“The moves we've made and the position we've put ourselves in, from the cap perspective, has been strategic.” Adams said. “If you leave just enough room in your cap, maybe where you see a projection on a one year deal and someone comes over the top, you're potentially putting your organization in a really tough spot. So the moves we’ve made and the decisions we've made for weeks now leading up to this point (have been) with that in mind. So we'll be matching and have the opportunity to have a player under contract who we think helps us win.”

Dreger indicated that trade conversations have taken place between the Sabres and the Calgary Flames, Vegas Golden Knights, Los Angeles Kings, and St. Louis Blues for Byram, who scored 38 points last season. After the trade of defenseman K’Andre Miller to Carolina on Tuesday and unrestricted free agents Vladislav Gavrikov and Ivan Provorov signing seven-year contracts with the New York Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets, the availability for a legitimate top-four defenseman has shrunk to Byram, and Calgary’s Rasmus Andersson, putting Adams in a position to exact the price he’s looking for or bringing back him back on a short-term deal.    

“We believe Bo is an excellent hockey player that can help our team win,” Adams said, “I've maintained the same position that if there's a deal out there that makes sense for us that we think is going to improve our roster we're open to it. If there's not, we're not in a situation where we're looking to move him out or looking to move him for futures and stuff like that, for me we want to help our team win hockey games and he helps us do that.”

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo