The Pittsburgh Penguins should be open to bringing in a player or two to training on a professional tryout (PTO) agreement.
When looking at the remaining UFAs at this point in the off-season, Carson Soucy is an interesting defenseman who could be worth taking a gamble on with a PTO for the Penguins.
With the Penguins' left side not having the strongest depth, a player like Soucy would have the potential to be an interesting addition to their group if he earned a contract for the season. When playing at his best, the 32-year-old defenseman can be a solid bottom-pairing defenseman due to his steady defensive play and physicality.
Soucy split this past season between the New York Rangers and New York Islanders, where he recorded five goals, 12 points, 91 blocks, and 105 hits. This was after he had four goals, 13 points, 106 blocks, and 115 hits in 75 games split between the Vancouver Canucks and Rangers during the 2024-25 season.
Overall, with the Penguins needing more defensive depth, there would be no harm in them taking a look at Soucy on a PTO. He could work on their bottom pairing or as an extra defenseman for the Penguins if signed.
For many NHL players, Winnipeg is a quick stop along their professional hockey-playing journey. But for Michael Hutchinson, it became his home.
The former Winnipeg Jets goaltender announced his retirement this week, bringing to a close an 11-season NHL career, to which he spent time with six different big league organizations. While his playing days took him across North America and eventually overseas, Hutchinson's roots remained firmly planted in Manitoba.
Photo by Jerome Miron/USA Today
After signing with the Jets organization in 2013, Hutchinson quickly became a fan favourite, starring with the St. John's IceCaps before earning a full-time NHL opportunity. He enjoyed his best season in 2014-15, posting a 21-10-5 record with a 2.38 goals-against average and .914 save percentage in relief of Ondrei Pavelec. His play helped Winnipeg return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the franchise relocated from Atlanta.
The Barrie, ON. product would appear in 102 games for the Jets over parts of five seasons before later spending time with the Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings. He finished his NHL career with just another 52 games played, for a total of 154 NHL games before spending his final professional season with Sai Pa in Finland's Liiga.
Yet for many Manitobans, Hutchinson has become much more than just a former Jets goaltender.
His wife, Jenna Hutchinson, is the co-founder of Jenna Rae Cakes - an immensely popular Winnipeg bakery that she launched alongside her twin sister, Ashley Kosowan. What began as a single bakery has grown into one of Manitoba's best-known local businesses, with multiple locations across the city and a national following.
The couple also chose Winnipeg as their permanent home base despite Hutchinson's career taking them to several NHL cities. In a feature for House & Home on their custom-built home, Jenna described Winnipeg as the place they would always return to, while Michael spoke about finally having a place to call his own after years of moving from team to team.
That connection to the province has only strengthened since his playing days with the Jets, with Hutchinson frequently returning to Winnipeg during the offseason and remaining a familiar face around the city. Recently, he and Jenna attended Adam Lowry's wedding this July.
The Jets recently posted online, congratulating Hutchinson on his retirement, adding they "can't wait to see you at the Alumni Game" - a fitting next chapter for a player whose impact in Winnipeg extended well beyond the crease.
Oh, and not to mention, Hutchinson now runs a local goaltending school (@HutchinsonGoaltending) to which he serves as the lead instructor in Winnipeg.
Over a decade of success and a lifetime to go - the now 36-year-old family man has chosen to remain in the place where he spent the longest stretch and found the most success in his career: Winnipeg.
The 2026-27 season will see plenty of new faces in the Vancouver Canucks lineup. This includes some players who could be making their NHL debuts during the campaign. With this in mind, here is a look at three players who could be doing a rookie lap this season.
Sawyer Mynio
Sawyer Mynio has come a long way since he was drafted in 2023. The 21-year-old defenceman made the jump full-time to the Abbotsford Canucks last year, where he recorded 21 points in 58 games. With all the injuries in both Vancouver and Abbotsford, Mynio demonstrated that he could not just play big minutes, but also find ways to contribute on special teams.
With the Canucks defence core currently in a logjam, it may take some time before Mynio gets called up. That being said, injuries and trades can occur at any time, which could push the former WHLer into the lineup at a moment's notice. Based on the way the organization views Mynio and his relationship with Manny Malhotra, it will not be surprising if he makes his NHL debut at some point during the campaign.
Chase Wouters
The NHL door has opened for forward Chase Wouters. For the first time in his career, the 26-year-old signed an NHL contract as he agreed to a one-year, two-way extension this past off-season. Wouters has played his entire career with the AHL Canucks, which included captaining the team to a Calder Cup championship in 2025.
Wouters is the type of player every organization needs at the AHL level. He not only performs on the ice but is also often seen at community events. Ultimately, Wouters deserves at least one NHL game, as he has been a heart-and-soul player for Abbotsford since its inception.
Chase Wouters of the Abbotsford Canucks (Photo Credit: Kaja Antic/The Hockey News)
Caleb Malhotra
While Caleb Malhotra is NCAA-bound, there is a chance he could play games for Vancouver this season. Once Boston University's campaign is complete, the 2026 third-overall pick could sign his entry-level contract and hit the ice with the Canucks. There is also a chance that Malhotra signs an AHL contract to potentially get some playoff games in at the AHL level.
The big question with Malhotra is how many seasons he wants to play in the NCAA before making the jump to the pro level. Vancouver will be eager to sign him at the end of the campaign, but from a development perspective, it may be best for the 18-year-old center to spend another year at Boston University. Unless Malhotra verbally commits to the NCAA for multiple years, there will be plenty of debate once his season ends over whether he should sign his entry-level contract at the end of the year.
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PHILADELPHIA , PA - APRIL 22: Pittsburgh Penguins teammates celebrate a goal during game three of the Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburg Penguins on April 22nd, 2026 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Penguins had a big season offensively last year. Their 293 goals ranked third in the NHL. They scored 201 of those goals at 5-on-5 play, second in the league – shooting 11.1% (that ranked second as well). Their power play converting 24.1% of the time, good for seventh.
This scoring outburst was done largely balanced and by committee – 13 players had double-digit goal seasons. Only four players had 20+ goals, and none more than Anthony Mantha’s 33. They had six players score between 15-19 goals, some of whom certainly would have gotten to 20+ with more games (Egor Chinakhov scored 18 goals in 43 games with the team, injuries and suspensions limited Evgeni Malkin to 19 in 56 games).
Ten players had tied or set career-best goal scoring years, including Mantha and Chinakhov but also for modest numbers like Avery Hayes and Elmer Soderblom scoring five times. Justin Brazeau, after scoring only 16 total goals in the first 95 games of his career prior to 2025-26 ended up beating that with 17 goals last season.
NHL.com included a blurb about the Pens’ shooting in their offseason recap:
Here's how the @penguins are shaping up ahead of the 2026-27 season! 🐧
The Penguins led the NHL in high-danger shots on goal (740) last season and have now finished no lower than sixth in that category during the puck and player tracking era (since 2021-22). Despite being limited to 60 games, forward Rickard Rakell led Pittsburgh and ranked highly at his position in high-danger shots on goal (90; 97th percentile). Another EDGE standout for the Penguins in terms of shot location was Karlsson, who ranked in the 94th percentile or higher among defensemen in high-danger shots on goal (14), midrange shots on goal (44), long-range shots on goal (81), midrange goals (six) and long-range goals (six; tied for fourth in the League). — Troy Perlowitz
The first sentence stood out as far as high danger shot generation being sixth or better for the last five years. That hasn’t always been reflected in total goals scored, the Pens numbers there have been:
2025-26: 3rd (293)
2024-25: 18th (242)
2023-24: 18th (253)
2022-23: 16th (261)
2021-22: 11th (269)
Last season was the first time that having a high number of chances led to being near the top of the league in goals. The formula was simple enough. The Penguins scored a lot of goals and on a high percentage of shots in large part due to generating so many scoring chances from the high danger area. Whether it was fresh, freeing concepts from new coach Dan Muse, sheer better luck, the addition of a nice finisher like Anthony Mantha (who went onto have a career-year), or as always a combination of many factors, it worked out. It’s no secret that things under Mike Sullivan got stale and goals fell each season from 2022 to 2025 before last year’s big turnaround.
That makes the question multi-faceted moving forward, can the Penguins once again generate some of the most chances in the league and will that lead to being at the top of the NHL for total goals? Maybe even improve on last season’s totals and hit 300 goals? It’s a big number, but if they can build off Muse’s first year that would be the number to track.
There’s some reason for optimism. Nick Robertson and Andrey Kuzmenko ought to continue the high amount of finishing. Both are known via their advanced stats for their ability to convert chances into the red light flashing behind the goalie. Losing Mantha will be a big hole to fill from his contributions last season, but the Pens did a pretty good job to make sure they could bring in some players with similar finishing ability.
It takes a lot of work and consistent scoring for a team to get near 300 goals, it’s only happened eight times in the last five seasons. That threshold gets a little easier now that the schedule is increasing from 82 to 84 games, and at this point it’s a barometer worth seeing if the Penguins could try to threaten again in 2026-27.
They have the playmakers able to create chances, and supporting players like Rakell, Kuzmenko and Robertson have shown the ability to finish. As has Chinakhov, whose metrics for shot speed and odd man rushes are virtually off the charts.
Under Dan Muse, and let’s face it since the days of Sidney Crosby (and of course Mario Lemieux before him), Pittsburgh has thrived as an uptempo offensive team and struggled when an ill-fitting coach like Kevin Constantine or Mike Johnston attempted to limit creativity by building in too much structure. You have to let the wild ponies run free to get the most out of them. This season, that would mean taking a run at the 300 goal mark and trying to do what the team did in 2025-26 by attempting to out-score their defensive and goaltending issues.
Shooting variances or a decrease in chance generation could easily derail the progress of results made in 2025-26 and don’t make progress a sure proposition, but it sure would make for a fun season of hockey if next year’s Penguin team can make a run at the 300 mark.
One of the brightest young stars in the sport, Celebrini previously had expressed his openness to an extension this summer.
“I’m just open to every possibility. There’s nothing really that goes into it,” he told reporters on April 18, two days after the Sharks’ season ended. “I want to commit to this team and be here, and I love it here. I’m just open to whatever happens. Like I said, I haven’t really talked about it.”
The newly 20-year-old phenom became eligible for an extension on July 1 as he begins the final year of his entry-level contract, signed after San Jose selected him No. 1 overall in the 2024 NHL Draft.
“In just two seasons as a teenager in the National Hockey League and on the International stage, Macklin has established himself as one of the premier players in the world,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier wrote Wednesday in a statement announcing the record-setting extension. “We are extremely excited to have him secured and committed as the centerpiece of a core of talented players in San Jose.
“As we continue our goal of building a team capable of annually competing for the Stanley Cup, we want to thank Macklin and his representatives for a respectful negotiation process, and acknowledge the flexibility they have provided to the team in how we allocate future dollars towards the team being constructed around Macklin.”
The agreement comes after a historic 2025-26 NHL season for Celebrini, who broke the Sharks franchise record for points in a single season with 115, eclipsing Joe Thornton and his 114 points from the 2006-07 season.
“I couldn’t be happier to sign an extension today,” Celebrini wrote in a statement. “The faith and support that Mr. Plattner, Mike Grier and the entire staff have shown me throughout the past two seasons is proof that we are building something special here. My teammates and I are ready to take another step toward the ultimate goal of bringing a Stanley Cup to this city and its incredible fans. I can’t wait to get going.”
In only his age-19 season, Celebrini nearly carried San Jose to the Stanley Cup playoffs almost single-handedly; his 45 goals led his team by 21 (Will Smith, 24) and his 70 assists the most by 32 (William Eklund, 38). With a point on 46.2 percent of the Sharks’ goals, Celebrini set an NHL record for a teenager as San Jose narrowly missed out on the Western Conference’s final-wild-card spot.
At $18.8 million AAV, Celebrini’s new contract — which will kick in for the 2027-28 NHL season — ranks as the highest in the league in annual value. Minnesota left winger Kirill Kaprizov’s eight-year deal worth $136 million was the largest contract in NHL history in both total and annual cost.
One of the keys to being a successful team in the NHL is the way the salary cap is allocated throughout the roster.
Typically, teams that have won Stanley Cups in recent memory don't have star players who are handsomely paid. In fact, no team has won the Stanley Cup with a player earning more than $10 million against the salary cap. Instead, the money is spread out to all areas of the lineup, and that's all possible with players taking team-friendly contracts.
For the Toronto Maple Leafs, here are three of the most team-friendly contracts on the roster going into the 2026-27 NHL season, in no particular order, and not including entry-level contracts.
John Tavares, C
John Tavares by far has the most team-friendly contract on the Maple Leafs.
The 35-year-old center signed a four-year contract at $4.39 million per season in June 2025, which lasts through the 2028-29 campaign. He inked this deal after equalling his second-highest goal total of his NHL career with 38, as well as 36 assists for 74 points in 75 games.
Based on the production he still provides, his value on the open market could've easily been north of $7 million per season.
In 2024, Steven Stamkos signed a four-year deal worth $8 million per year after scoring 81 points in 79 games. In fairness to him, that's a notch more than what Tavares registered in his contract year, but Stamkos nearly earned double what Tavares got from the Leafs.
The veteran defenseman is well past the prime of his career as he enters season No. 17. However, the 35-year-old is coming off one of the best campaigns he's had in quite some time.
Ekman-Larsson scored eight goals and 39 points this past year, which is the highest point total he's registered since 2018-19. Other defensemen who scored at a similar rate to Ekman-Larsson in 2025-26 include Shea Theodore, who earns $7.425 million per year, and Dougie Hamilton, who nets $9 million against the cap.
For what Ekman-Larsson earns on his deal, that's a pretty team-friendly contract. Not to mention, he was excellent for Sweden as he captained his nation at the 2026 IIHF World Championship.
Chris Tanev's contract is certainly a longer deal considering his age. The 36-year-old makes $4.5 million against the cap for the next four seasons. Though that contract will take him to the age of 40 when it expires, it's the cap hit that is team-friendly, especially as the NHL salary cap increases.
The Maple Leafs didn't get to see much of Tanev this past year as he dealt with multiple injuries and only featured in 11 regular-season games. Though it would be ideal to have Tanev on the ice, a team can always bury a player's salary from the payroll if they suffer from a lengthy injury. So there isn't a huge loss financially when Tanev can't play, just the loss of a quality player on the Leafs' back end.
But when he is healthy, he's one of the top defensive defensemen in the NHL, and certainly one of the best shot blockers of this generation. Since entering the league in 2010-11, Tanev is a top-10 shot-blocker, with a total of 1,856.
He also makes a great shutdown pairing with Jake McCabe, who also isn't locked into a terrible contract either, costing $4.51 against the cap for the next four years.
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A former Columbus Blue Jackets goalie is calling it a career.
The Winnipeg Jets shared that former Blue Jackets goalie Michael Hutchinson has announced his retirement from professional hockey.
Hutchinson spent the 2022-23 season with the Blue Jackets organization. In 16 games with Columbus that campaign, he posted a 2-6-3 record, an .877 save percentage, and a 4.29 goals-against average. This would be his lone season with the Blue Jackets, as he spent his first NHL season with the Detroit Red Wings in 2023-24.
Hutchinson played his final professional season overseas with SaiPa of Finland's Liiga during the 2024-25 campaign, where he had a 7-9-6 record, an .886 save percentage, and a 3.02 goals-against average.
In 154 career NHL games split between the Jets, Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche, Blue Jackets, and Red Wings, Hutchinson had a 57-62-18 record, a 2.94 goals-against average, a .903 save percentage, and six shutouts.
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Most of the $94 million in the new contract will be paid to Celebrini in the form of signing bonuses. Only $4.9 million will constitute base salary over the life of the deal.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, Celebrini is set to play the 2026-27 season on the final year of his Entry-Level Contract, which will pay him $877,500 in base salary and carries a $97,500 signing bonus and $3.5 million in performance bonuses.
Celebrini’s raise is well-deserved, as he broke the Sharks’ single-season points record in the final game of the regular season, recording 115 points.
The Sharks missed the playoffs, but Celebrini gave them a legitimate shot to end the drought last season.
With Will Smith, Michael Misa, Ivar Stenberg and others by his side, Celebrini has a chance to carry the Sharks to lofty heights.
Wednesday’s news is just the beginning for Celebrini.
One of the brightest young stars in the sport, Celebrini previously had expressed his openness to an extension this summer.
“I’m just open to every possibility. There’s nothing really that goes into it,” he told reporters on April 18, two days after the Sharks’ season ended. “I want to commit to this team and be here, and I love it here. I’m just open to whatever happens. Like I said, I haven’t really talked about it.”
The newly 20-year-old phenom became eligible for an extension on July 1 as he begins the final year of his entry-level contract, signed after San Jose selected him No. 1 overall in the 2024 NHL Draft.
The agreement comes after a historic 2025-26 NHL season for Celebrini, who broke the Sharks franchise record for points in a single season with 115, eclipsing Joe Thornton and his 114 points from the 2006-07 season.
In only his age-19 season, Celebrini nearly carried San Jose to the Stanley Cup playoffs almost single-handedly; his 45 goals led his team by 21 (Will Smith, 24) and his 70 assists the most by 32 (William Eklund, 38). With a point on 46.2 percent of the Sharks’ goals, Celebrini set an NHL record for a teenager as San Jose narrowly missed out on the Western Conference’s final-wild-card spot.
At $18.8 million AAV, Celebrini’s new contract — which will kick in for the 2027-28 NHL season — ranks as the highest in the league in annual value. Minnesota left winger Kirill Kaprizov’s eight-year deal worth $136 million was the largest contract in NHL history in both total and annual cost.
One of the brightest young stars in the sport, Celebrini previously had expressed his openness to an extension this summer.
“I’m just open to every possibility. There’s nothing really that goes into it,” he told reporters on April 18, two days after the Sharks’ season ended. “I want to commit to this team and be here, and I love it here. I’m just open to whatever happens. Like I said, I haven’t really talked about it.”
The newly 20-year-old phenom became eligible for an extension on July 1 as he begins the final year of his entry-level contract, signed after San Jose selected him No. 1 overall in the 2024 NHL Draft.
“In just two seasons as a teenager in the National Hockey League and on the International stage, Macklin has established himself as one of the premier players in the world,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier wrote Wednesday in a statement announcing the record-setting extension. “We are extremely excited to have him secured and committed as the centerpiece of a core of talented players in San Jose.
“As we continue our goal of building a team capable of annually competing for the Stanley Cup, we want to thank Macklin and his representatives for a respectful negotiation process, and acknowledge the flexibility they have provided to the team in how we allocate future dollars towards the team being constructed around Macklin.”
The agreement comes after a historic 2025-26 NHL season for Celebrini, who broke the Sharks franchise record for points in a single season with 115, eclipsing Joe Thornton and his 114 points from the 2006-07 season.
“I couldn’t be happier to sign an extension today,” Celebrini wrote in a statement. “The faith and support that Mr. Plattner, Mike Grier and the entire staff have shown me throughout the past two seasons is proof that we are building something special here. My teammates and I are ready to take another step toward the ultimate goal of bringing a Stanley Cup to this city and its incredible fans. I can’t wait to get going.”
In only his age-19 season, Celebrini nearly carried San Jose to the Stanley Cup playoffs almost single-handedly; his 45 goals led his team by 21 (Will Smith, 24) and his 70 assists the most by 32 (William Eklund, 38). With a point on 46.2 percent of the Sharks’ goals, Celebrini set an NHL record for a teenager as San Jose narrowly missed out on the Western Conference’s final-wild-card spot.
At $18.8 million AAV, Celebrini’s new contract — which will kick in for the 2027-28 NHL season — ranks as the highest in the league in annual value. Minnesota left winger Kirill Kaprizov’s eight-year deal worth $136 million was the largest contract in NHL history in both total and annual cost.
The Los Angeles Kings entered the offseason knowing they had one impossible task: replacing Anze Kopitar.
For nearly two decades, Kopitar was the foundation of the franchise. He was the player who drove the offense, handled the toughest defensive assignments, won important faceoffs, and provided the type of leadership that cannot simply be replaced through one roster move.
Now, with Kopitar officially retired, the Kings are entering a new era — and one major question remains unanswered: who is the true No. 1 center of this team?
That uncertainty is exactly why The Athletic placed Los Angeles near the bottom of its offseason rankings of the NHL's best top-six center duos. The Kings landed in the seventh tier, categorized among teams with a "major weakness" down the middle.
And it's difficult to argue with that assessment.
The Kings have made improvements throughout their roster, but center depth remains one of the biggest concerns heading into the 2026-27 season. If Los Angeles wants to finally get past the first round of the playoffs after years of early exits, finding more stability at the position has to be a priority for general manager Ken Holland.
The Kings drafted Quinton Byfield second overall in the 2020 NHL Draft because they believed he could eventually become the next elite forward to lead the franchise.
At 23 years old, Byfield still has plenty of time to reach that potential. His combination of size, skating ability, vision, and shooting talent gives him all the physical tools needed to become a legitimate first-line NHL center.
But the reality is that he has not reached that level yet.
After showing signs of a breakout, Byfield finished last season with 49 points in 79 games. That production is respectable for a young forward still developing, but it falls short of expectations for a player who was viewed as a future cornerstone of the franchise.
Now, with Kopitar no longer there to shoulder the responsibility, Byfield will face a completely different challenge. He will not just be expected to improve — he will be expected to become the player the Kings envisioned when they selected him nearly six years ago.
The talent is there. The question is whether he can consistently produce at the level of a true No. 1 center over an entire season.
One of Los Angeles' biggest offseason additions was Artemi Panarin, who gives the Kings a much-needed offensive weapon.
Panarin is still an elite talent capable of changing games offensively, but his production has dipped slightly from the level he established during his prime years with the New York Rangers.
Last season, Panarin recorded 28 goals and 56 assists for 84 points in 78 games between the Rangers and Kings. Those are impressive numbers, but they also show a slight decline from the player who consistently produced 90-plus points in New York and recorded 120 points during the 2023-24 season.
That does not mean Panarin cannot still be a difference-maker in Los Angeles. He absolutely can.
However, the Kings cannot expect one player to fix all of their offensive issues. Panarin needs the right supporting cast around him, and that includes having enough talent down the middle to maximize his playmaking ability.
The familiarity with head coach Peter Laviolette should help, considering their previous success together in New York, but coaching familiarity alone will not solve the roster's biggest weakness.
The Kings need more than just one elite offensive player.
Where Los Angeles continues to separate itself is on defense.
The Kings have built one of the stronger defensive structures in the NHL, and their ability to limit chances and play a physical style has kept them competitive for years. Goaltending should also remain a strength, with Anton Forsberg expected to take over as the team's starter.
But defense can only carry a team so far.
The biggest concern remains the lack of scoring depth and uncertainty at center. Players like Scott Laughton and Erik Haula bring experience, defensive responsibility, and faceoff ability, but neither player is expected to replace the offensive impact Kopitar provided for years.
That leaves Byfield with enormous pressure and leaves Holland with a difficult decision.
Earlier this offseason, The Hockey News discussed the possibility of Los Angeles exploring a trade involving Darcy Kuemper in an effort to address the need for more center depth. Moving a veteran goaltender for help down the middle could make sense if the Kings believe Forsberg is ready to handle the starting role.
Because this weakness is unlikely to disappear on its own.
The Kings have built a roster capable of competing, but their biggest question is located directly in the middle of the ice. If Byfield takes the next step and their veteran centers provide more offense than expected, Los Angeles could quickly prove The Athletic's ranking wrong.
But until that happens, the center position remains the biggest obstacle standing between the Kings and the deeper playoff run they have been chasing.
Professional athletes rarely get to choose the moment they are remembered for. For Michael Hutchinson, that moment came unexpectedly inside the NHL's 2020 playoff bubble.
With the Colorado Avalanche facing elimination and their goaltending depth tested beyond its limits, Hutchinson was suddenly asked to take on one of the biggest challenges of his career. He was never expected to become the centerpiece of Colorado's postseason push, but for two games, the veteran netminder gave the Avalanche exactly what they needed: a chance to keep their Stanley Cup dreams alive.
Now, Hutchinson is officially calling it a career.
The 36-year-old announced his retirement from professional hockey after 11 seasons in the NHL, ending a journey that took him across six organizations before finishing overseas with SaiPa Lappeenranta of Finland's Liiga. While Hutchinson spent the majority of his NHL career with the Winnipeg Jets, where he established himself as a reliable backup goaltender, his most memorable moments came wearing an Avalanche sweater during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Colorado acquired Hutchinson from the Toronto Maple Leafs ahead of the 2020 NHL Trade Deadline, sending defenseman Calle Rosen back to Toronto in the deal. At the time, the move was viewed as a depth addition, providing the Avalanche with veteran insurance heading into a postseason run.
Nobody expected that insurance policy to become necessary so quickly.
During the second round against the Dallas Stars, injuries left Colorado searching for answers in net. Hutchinson made his playoff debut in relief during Game 4, entering a difficult situation with the Avalanche trailing in the series. Although Colorado ultimately fell 5-4, the veteran showed enough to earn the start in the biggest game of his career.
With the Avalanche facing elimination in Game 5, head coach Jared Bednar handed Hutchinson the crease.
He delivered a performance Colorado needed.
Backed by a dominant offensive explosion that saw the Avalanche score five goals in the opening period, Hutchinson stopped 31 of 34 shots in a 6-3 victory to extend the series. Two nights later, he was even better, making 27 saves while allowing only one goal in a 4-1 win that forced a decisive Game 7.
Almost overnight, Hutchinson went from emergency option to one of the most unlikely playoff heroes in franchise history.
Colorado came within minutes of extending the series after repeatedly fighting back against elimination, carrying a 4-3 lead deep into the third period of Game 7. But the Stars refused to go quietly, forcing overtime on a late equalizer before Joel Kiviranta completed a shocking hat trick in the extra frame, ending the Avalanche's postseason run in heartbreaking fashion.
Despite the heartbreaking ending, Hutchinson's impact on the series was undeniable. He finished the postseason with a 2-1 record, a .910 save percentage on 100 shots faced, and became one of just a handful of goaltenders in NHL history to win his first two career playoff starts while facing elimination.
His performance also placed him among the select group of goaltenders to record multiple postseason victories for the Avalanche.
Outside of Colorado, Hutchinson built a reputation as one of hockey's most dependable backup goaltenders.
Originally selected by the Boston Bruins in the third round of the 2008 NHL Draft, the Barrie, Ontario native spent several seasons developing in the minor leagues before signing with Winnipeg in 2013. The Jets became the organization where Hutchinson found the most stability, spending five seasons with the franchise and posting a 43-39-11 record, a 2.65 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage across 102 games.
He also earned NHL Rookie of the Month honors in December 2014 while establishing himself as a trusted option behind goaltenders Ondrej Pavelec and Connor Hellebuyck.
Following his time in Winnipeg, Hutchinson continued his NHL journey with the Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings. He finished his NHL career with a 57-62-18 record before playing his final professional season overseas.
Hutchinson joined SaiPa Lappeenranta in November 2024, appearing in 24 games and posting a .886 save percentage and a 3.02 goals-against average before stepping away from the sport.
The Winnipeg Jets will honor Hutchinson this October when he returns for the organization's Alumni Game, a fitting tribute for the franchise where his NHL career truly began.
For Avalanche fans, however, his legacy will always be tied to those two unforgettable nights in 2020.
When Colorado needed someone to step into the spotlight, Hutchinson answered the call and delivered one of the most unexpected playoff performances in franchise history.
He discusses the Islanders' hiring of former Stars' head coach Pete DeBoer, who the next captain is going to be after Anders Lee's dismissal, what Patrick Roy was like and more.
The Florida Panthers are adding a familiar name to their prospect pipeline.
On Tuesday, the American Hockey League’s Charlotte Checkers announced the signing of 22-year-old forward Kasper Lundell to a one-year, two-way AHL contract.
Lundell is the younger brother of Panthers center Anton Lundell.
The Checkers have signed forward Kasper Lundell to a one-year, two-way AHL contract.
— Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) July 28, 2026
Over the past three seasons, Lundell has been sharpening his skills with HIFK in Liiga, the top professional league in Finland.
He’s played in 101 games with HIFK, accumulating 16 goals and 26 points to go with 24 penalty minutes and a minus-4 on-ice rating.
The Helsinki-based club has been a bit of a breeding ground for the Lundell family, as it’s where Anton was playing when he was drafted by the Panthers in 2020 and its also where Anton and Kasper’s father, Jan Lundell, was lauded for his excellence as a goaltender for many years.
Jan Lundell is currently HIFK’s Director of Goaltending after serving as the club’s goaltending coach for over a decade following his retirement.
Additionally, HIFK’s current head coach is former Panthers star forward Olli Jokinen.
The younger Lundell could join his older brother for the start of training camp in Fort Lauderdale, which typically features several players on the Checkers roster who eventually make their way up to Charlotte for AHL camp.
Photo caption: Nov 26, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers centerAntonLundell(15) enters the ice during player introductions before the game against the Philadelphia Flyers at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
Former Winnipeg Jets goaltender Michael Hutchinson has played his last game in the NHL.
The 36-year-old is retiring after 11 seasons in the league, the Jets confirmed Monday, closing the book on a career that began, and was defined, in Winnipeg. Hutchinson will return to the city this October, when the Jets host him at their Alumni Game.
Hutchinson's NHL journey started with Winnipeg in 2013, after he signed with the club as an unrestricted free agent following three seasons splitting time between the AHL and ECHL in the Boston Bruins' system, the team that had originally drafted him in the third round of the 2008 NHL Draft.
He made his NHL debut with the Jets that year and went on to spend five seasons with the franchise, the longest stretch of his career with any team. Those five years in Winnipeg produced Hutchinson's best professional numbers, serving as a reliable backup netminder with a 43-39-11 record, a 2.65 goals against average and a .910 save percentage in 102 games. Hutchinson was named the NHL's Rookie of the Month in December of 2014.
He served behind then Jets starter Ondřej Pavelec before eventually settling in as the backup to Connor Hellebuyck, giving the Jets a dependable presence in net as the franchise built toward its playoff runs later in the decade.
After leaving Winnipeg, Hutchinson entered a well traveled stretch of his career, suiting up for the Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings.
The signature moment of Hutchinson's career outside Winnipeg came during his time with Colorado, inside the 2020 NHL postseason bubble. With Avalanche starters Philipp Grubauer and Pavel Francouz both sidelined by injury in the second round against Dallas, Hutchinson was thrust into a Game 5 start with Colorado trailing 3-1 in the series.
He stopped 31 shots to pick up the first playoff win of his career, then backstopped the Avalanche to a Game 6 victory to force a decisive Game 7, making him just the seventh goaltender in NHL history to win his first two career starts while facing elimination.
He closed out his playing days overseas, joining SaiPa Lappeenranta of Finland's Liiga in November 2024, where he appeared in 24 games and posted a .886 save percentage and a 3.02 goals-against average in what proved to be his final professional season.
Across six organizations, Hutchinson built a career on consistency and trust, and it was in Winnipeg, where it all started, that he found his most productive years, and where he'll be welcomed back this fall.
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