Category: NHL

After two long months, the Pittsburgh Penguins' quest to bring on a new coaching staff for the 2025-26 season is finally complete.

On Monday, the Penguins announced that they added Mike Stothers as an assistant coach to Dan Muse, Pittsburgh's new bench boss. Stothers joins previously named assistants Todd Nelson, Nick Bonino, and Rich Clune on Muse's staff.

This group of new coaches will join forces with what's left of the Mike Sullivan-era staff in goaltending coach Andy Chiodo and video coach Madison Nikkel, along with another recent hire in assistant video coach Troy Paquette.

Stothers figures to be the man in charge of the defense and penalty kill, as general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas said Friday that the Penguins were looking to add one more coach behind the bench to oversee those units. 

Muse is excited to get to work with Stothers, who has more than 30 years of coaching experience and has served as an assistant coach at the NHL level with the Anaheim Ducks, the now-defunct Atlanta Thrashers, and the Philadelphia Flyers.

“As a champion at both the AHL and international levels, Mike has a tremendous track record of helping develop players and [taking] their game to the next level, as seen throughout the multiple leagues he has coached in over the last 30 years,” said Muse. “We’re thrilled to welcome Mike to the city of Pittsburgh as he rounds out our coaching staff for the 2025-26 season.”

In addition to his NHL experience, Stothers has experience at multiple levels of development - which seemed to be the focus for the Penguins in rounding out their coaching staff. He was at the helm of the Ontario Reign of the AHL from 2015-20, and he was also head coach of the Manchester Monarchs (2014-15) and Grand Rapids Griffins (2007-08). He was also an assistant with the Philadelphia Phantoms and Hershey Bears in the 1990s.

At the junior level, Stothers coached the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL from 2011-14 and the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL from 2002-07, and - as an assistant - coached Team Canada to a gold medal at the World Under-18 Championship in 2021-22.

Stothers was drafted 21st overall by the Flyers in 1980 and played a total of 30 NHL games between Philadelphia and the Toronto Maple Leafs, registering two career assists.

Penguins Name Full Coaching Staff For 2025-26 SeasonBack on Jun. 4, the Pittsburgh Penguins hired Dan Muse as the 23rd coach in franchise history.

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The hockey world has been abuzz since Saturday following reports claiming the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights were discussing a “sign-and-trade” scenario involving Mitch Marner.

The 28-year-old right winger is expected to become a UFA on July 1. 

TSN's Darren Dreger reported talks were expected to continue throughout the weekend, indicating there was work to do regarding the return for the Maple Leafs. A Postmedia report claimed the Golden Knights would send defenseman Nicolas Hague and forward Nicolas Roy to Toronto. 

So far, there is no sign of a deal. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights reportedly sent Hague to the Nashville Predators, where he signed a four-year, $22-million contract. There's also speculation that the Leafs could pursue tampering charges against the Golden Knights if Marner signs with them, but Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the Maple Leafs are trying to salvage something from the situation.

The Buffalo Sabres shipping JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth last Thursday sparked rumors that Bowen Byram could be their next trade candidate. The 24-year-old left-shot defenseman is an RFA with arbitration rights after completing a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.85 million. 

Byram's been a fixture in the rumor mill since the end of the regular season. He's become the top defenseman in this summer's trade market. 

TSN's Darren Dreger reported Thursday that the Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks, Golden Knights, St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche were among the teams interested in Byram. However, he subsequently claimed the Sabres weren't feeling pressured to move him.

Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News believes Byram may be the best trade chip the Sabres have to land a top-six winger to replace Peterka. He wondered if the blueliner might fetch someone like Quinton Byfield of the Kings, Jordan Kyrou of the Blues or Bryan Rust of the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Turning to Montreal, it's believed the Canadiens aren't done making moves following Friday's acquisition of Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders. TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported they'd like to add a top-six forward. 

Sportsnet's Eric Engels believes the addition of Dobson could make Mike Matheson available. The 31-year-old defenseman has a year remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $4.875 million and an eight-team no-trade list.

Meanwhile, K'Andre Miller is another defenseman who remains the subject of trade conjecture. Like Byram, the 25-year-old New York Rangers rearguard is an RFA with arbitration rights. 

Mollie Walker of the New York Post believes the Rangers' off-season plans hinge on what happens with Miller. She explained that the Blueshirts have been linked to Kings defender Vladislav Gavrikov, who is expected to become a UFA on July 1. It would be challenging to have both blueliners on their payroll without freeing up additional cap room.

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According to PuckPedia, former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen is signing a one-year, $1.3 million contract to stay with the Edmonton Oilers. 

Kapanen was claimed off waivers by the Oilers from the St. Louis Blues back in November of this past season. In 57 regular-season games with the Oilers after this, he posted five goals, 13 points, 73 hits, and a minus-16 rating. He also recorded three goals, six points, and a plus-4 rating in 12 playoff games for the Oilers this spring. 

The #Letsgooilers are re-signing UFA F Kasperi Kapanen for 1 year $1.3M.

13P in 57 GP with EDM

Rep’d by Markus Lehto @wassermanhockeyhttps://t.co/NVDOrUzbHp

— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) June 30, 2025

Kapanen played in three NHL seasons with the Penguins from 2020-21 to 2022-23, where he recorded 29 goals, 53 assists, and 82 points in 162 games. His time in Pittsburgh ended during the 2022-23 season when he was claimed off waivers by the Blues. 

Kapanen was also drafted by the Penguins with the 22nd overall pick of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, but was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the deal that brought Phil Kessel to Pittsburgh. 

Penguins Miss Out On Top Trade TargetThe Pittsburgh Penguins were one of the teams reportedly interested in defenseman Nicolas Hague, but he is officially no longer an option for them. 

Photo Credit:  © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Flyers were open to lots of things ahead of the NHL Draft, but, ultimately, a bold New York Islanders trade offer wasn't enough to pull them away from selecting Porter Martone with the sixth overall pick.

The Islanders, who already drafted stud defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the No. 1 pick, received the 16th and 17th overall picks from the Montreal Canadiens in the Noah Dobson trade, and those ultimately became winger Victor Eklund and defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson.

Those two picks were reportedly offered to the Flyers, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, but it was a non-starter with Martone on the board.

"With the 16th and 17th picks, I think [Islanders GM Mathieu Darche] definitely offered them to the Predators at five," Friedman said in his latest episode of the "32 Thoughts" podcast.

"I think Philly told them... I think [the Islanders] called and said we'll do this, but Philly's like, nope. I don't even think Philly considered it. I think once Martone was there, Philly was like, 'We're not doing this,' because they really like Martone."

Flyers Can Thank Cutter Gauthier for New Left Wing ProspectWith the 2025 NHL Draft now in the books, the Cutter Gauthier trade is now complete with the Philadelphia Flyers replacing their former top forward prospect outright.

Friedman went on to explain that the Flyers, like the Predators and Utah Mammoth before them, were right to reject the Islanders' approaches based on the value of the picks.

The Islanders, presumably, were after new Boston Bruins center James Hagens at the draft, but dropping that far in the draft would have guaranteed that the Flyers lost out on Martone.

Aitcheson actually would have been a nice add for the Flyers given the start of their prospect pool on the left side of the defense, but Eklund is another small (but very talented, to be fair) winger who would have quickly become redundant in Philadelphia.

Plus, fans have been clamoring for size and skill.

They finally got it in Martone, as the Flyers refused to give into the temptation of trade offers or the allure of a center like Hagens.

As a player, Ottawa Senators GM Steve Staios wasn’t known for his fancy moves, but he managed to pull off a few beauties this weekend. By Sunday afternoon, when all the smoke had cleared, Staios and his staff had pulled off three trades, brought seven new players into the organization, and re-signed a fan favourite.

Here's your full summary of an impressive Sens weekend.

Claude Giroux Returns

After three years with his hometown NHL club, veteran forward Claude Giroux was less than two days away from unrestricted free agency before agreeing on Sunday to a one-year, bonus-laden deal.

According to Puckpedia.com, the deal includes a base salary of $2 million, with performance bonuses that could push the total value to $4.75 million.

• Base salary of $2 million
• Performance Bonuses – possible $2.75 million total:

        - $250,000 each for 20/30/60 Games
        - $250,000 to make playoffs & 50 GP
        - $500,000 to win Round 1, $250,000 to win Round 2, $500,000 to win Round 3, and $500,000 to win the Cup (minimum 50% GP)

• No movement clause

While we’re still curious why a Round Two victory is only worth half what all the other rounds are worth (maybe a typo), that’s an outstanding deal for the Senators. If they had to go to market searching for a suitable replacement, they’re not finding one who’d be willing to come to Ottawa for the deal that Giroux signed today.

The Trades (All picks were 2025 selections unless otherwise indicated)

• Trading the 21st pick to Nashville for the 23rd pick and the 67th pick
• Trading the 96th pick and a seventh-rounder (2027) for the 93rd pick
• Trading the 67th pick and a sixth-rounder (2026) for Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jordan Spence

Jordan Spence, Right Defenseman, Acquired from Los Angeles

Spence appeared in 79 regular season games with Los Angeles in 2024–25, putting up four goals and 28 points, along with a plus-23 rating. In 180 career NHL games, Spence has collected eight goals and 61 points. He is signed for the 2025–26 NHL season with a contract that carries an AAV of $1.5 million.

“We're excited about the player,” Staios said. “Twenty-four years old, mobile, smart, competitive. And any time you get a chance to acquire a player like that, you know, you really start to look at it a little bit harder.

“Depth on defense is important to teams, especially on the right side—it's always harder to find right-shot defense, it seems like. So this was something where we can continue to add to the depth throughout the organization.”

Giving up only a third-rounder that the Sens basically got for free, along with a 2026 sixth-rounder, for an NHL player that makes your team better is fantastic value.

Why Senator Newcomer Jordan Spence Makes A Fine Insurance Policy On Ottawa's Blue LineIn the early portion of the second round of the 2025 NHL Draft, Sportnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that the Ottawa Senators had reached a trade agreement with the Los Angeles Kings, sending the 67th overall pick in this year's draft and a sixth-round selection, previously acquired from Colorado, in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Now onto the actual draft picks…

Logan Hensler, Right Defenseman, University of Wisconsin – 23rd Overall

On the heels of the 2024 selection of Carter Yakemchuk, the Sens took a right-shot defenseman for the second straight year, opting for Logan Hensler from the University of Wisconsin. Hensler is six-foot-two, 196 pounds and a member of the U.S. World Juniors squad that won gold.

Staios said he didn’t go into the draft necessarily targeting another right-shot defenseman.

“Yeah, not really,” Staios said. “You watch your draft list sort of unfold; this was a really good player that was sitting there with Hensler at our pick. I guess if it's a toss-up between maybe a winger and a right-shot defenseman, you'd probably lean towards (the right-shot D), just because of the value and how hard it is to find. So it's part of the consideration.”

The Hockey News’ Tony Ferrari describes Hensler as a player with excellent mobility and enough size to make it as a middle-of-the-lineup, two-way NHL defenseman.

Ottawa Senators 2025 First-Round Selection Says He Models His Game After Jake SandersonFor the second time in its franchise history, the Senators were involved in a draft day deal that involved a swap of first-round picks with the Nashville Predators.

Hensler enters his second year at Wisconsin this fall, where he'll welcome London Knights forward Blake Montgomery, Ottawa's 4th-round pick from last season. 2022 Sens pick Tyson Dyck, a forward, also plays at Wisconsin.

The Sens would wait 70 picks before making another selection.

Blake Vanek, Forward, Chicago Steel (USHL) – 93rd Overall

As they’ve frequently done in the past, the Sens went with a player who has excellent NHL bloodlines. They chose Blake Vanek, the son of former NHL player Thomas Vanek.

Like fellow Sens prospect Javon Moore (4th round, 2024), Blake spent most of his draft year ripping up high school hockey in Minnesota, where he put up 53 points in 29 games. Blake fits Ottawa’s trend of drafting bigger players. He’s already almost 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, and he doesn’t turn 18 until August.

“There’s a lot of hockey runway ahead with him,” Sens amateur scout Dan Boeser said. “He obviously comes from a hockey family with his dad, so there’s that piece we like. He knows the game well.”

Blake also saw limited action with the Chicago Steel in the USHL, posting 5 points in 9 games. Next season, he’s committed to a scholarship and development agreement with the Wenatchee Wild of the WHL.

“He's a powerful kid,” Boeser said. “He's going to be a big man when he's all done. He competes, can shoot the puck, he scores in the dirty areas. So there's a lot to like about him. Like the path that he's going to take next year going to Wenatchee. So yeah, we're excited.”

Lucas Beckman, Goalie, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL) – 97th Overall

Like Vanek, Beckman won’t be 18 until August, so he’s another player with lots of runway.

At six-foot-two, 182 pounds, Beckman posted a .914 save percentage and a 2.65 goals-against average this year. It also says a lot when you’re only 17 and your major junior team makes you their undisputed number one goalie. Beckman started 52 games, posting a record of 31-18-2. He also started all 11 playoff games for Baie-Comeau, putting up even better individual stats than in the regular season.

Dmitri Isayev, Forward, Avto Yekaterinburg (Russian Junior Hockey) – 149th Overall

If anyone accuses the Senators of only being interested in bigger players at the draft, they can immediately call people’s attention to their 2025 fifth-round selection of Isayev. He is 5-foot-8, 148 pounds, but he is highly skilled, fast, and has a non-stop engine. Last season with Avto Yekaterinburg in the MHL, Isayev recorded 22 goals and 23 assists for 45 points in 44 games—over a point per game.

Bruno Idzan, LW, Lincoln Stars (USHL) – 181st Overall

The 19-year-old Idzan (EE’-junn) scored a highly impressive 22 goals and 44 points in 36 games with the Lincoln Stars, the USHL team that Blake Montgomery (4th round, 2024) began the season with. Those two will be reunited at the University of Wisconsin this fall, along with fellow Sens picks Logan Hensler and Tyson Dyck.

Idzan’s path to getting drafted is as unique as it gets. He’s the first Croatian to be drafted in the NHL and started the year back home in the Alps Hockey League, a pro league with teams from Austria, Croatia, Italy, and Slovenia.

Andrei Trofimov, G, Magnitogorsk Magnitka (MHL) – 213th Overall

The 18-year-old Russian is six-foot-two, 187 pounds and had outstanding numbers in the MHL, Russia’s top junior league. Trofimov had a 2.10 GAA and a .929 save percentage in 26 games. It’s hard to figure out which is more surprising for the Senators: taking two Russians (which previous management seemed to steer clear of), or taking a second goalie in a draft where you only have six picks. Staios said that even though it was a later pick, his scouts still took it very seriously, and after much discussion the pick was decided on.

“The goalie guys won,” Staios said.

That was a great weekend for the Ottawa Senators. Let’s see what they do for an encore when free agency begins on Tuesday.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News/Ottawa

Sens First-Round Selection Says He Models His Game After Jake Sanderson
Senators Acquire Defenseman Jordan Spence From Los Angeles
Senators Select Another Right Shot Defenseman In Round One Of 2025 Draft
Sens Nation Podcast: Breaking Down the Giroux and Spence Deals and the NHL Draft
Will the Sens Go Shopping For A New Backup Goalie?
Senators UFA Claude Giroux: Still Easily A Top-Six Forward In Ottawa

While Kent Hughes was able to make a big splash on draft day by landing Noah Dobson in a trade with the New York Islanders, the hunt to bolster the Montreal Canadiens’ top six continues. It’s no secret that the Tricolore would have liked to find that ever elusive second-line center. Still, pivots of that pedigree are few and far between on the market, and many teams are looking for that kind of gem, which has prompted the GM to widen his search to include top-six wingers that fit a specific profile.

Does that mean the Canadiens should try to keep hold of Christian Dvorak? Marc Bergevin acquired the pending UFA after they had lost Jesperi Kotkaniemi to an offer sheet and Philip Danault to the Los Angeles Kings in free agency. It wasn’t so much that Dvorak was what the Canadiens needed, but rather, he was one of the rare centers available on the market.

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Canadiens: Trade Rumblings On Kyrou And Matheson

Four years down the line, the 6-foot-1 and 190-pound left-shot center only managed to play a complete season once in Montreal, and during that campaign, he only put up 33 points. After nine years and 534 NHL games in which he gathered 249 points, it’s evident that the offensive upside he showed in junior hockey was brought on by linemates Mitch Marner and Matthew Tkachuk. Dvorak is not the man who could center the Habs’ second line.

Should Hughes bring him back to keep centering a veteran line with Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson? After all, they were an efficient line for the Sainte-Flanelle last season. We have to look back at the GM’s season post-mortem to find a clue to answer that question. While he wouldn’t speak about specific players, Hughes did say that he needed to be wary of blocking the development of his young players by signing free agents.

Hughes is trying to build a perennial contender and wants to favour organic development. This past season, the Canadiens had two rookies who stuck around all season long: Lane Hutson and Emil Heineman. Both players had a more than satisfactory season and were well surrounded by veterans. Next season, it seems evident that Ivan Demidov will be one of the rookies, but there could be another spot up front up for grabs, which Oliver Kapanen and Owen Beck should be contending for.

Bringing back Dvorak could make them wonder why a veteran has just filled a spot they have in their crosshairs. If Hughes signs a veteran center, it must be an impact player with top-six upside, not one for the bottom six. Jake Evans is already penciled in down there, and you’ve got to keep a spot which the kids can contend for.

Sure, Dvorak was experienced and could play on the penalty kill, but Kapanen did that in the Swedish league and even played on the man-advantage as well. The whole point of sending him back to Europe was to allow him to gain experience in areas he wouldn’t have the opportunity to work on in the NHL. Now, with Dvorak gone, he does have that opportunity. If it turns out he cannot do it, Captain Nick Suzuki can always go back to playing on the penalty killing unit, although that would be less than ideal with his already heavy workload, but the option is there if needed.

In other words, signing Dvorak to a new contract would send the wrong message to the youngsters; it would tell them that the organization does not believe they are ready to take the next step, and it could have a profoundly negative impact on their motivation.

Of course, going with youth will bring its share of growing pains; there will be times when the team may miss the veteran, but that’s a regular part of the process. It was the same with Hutson last season; as the calendar progressed, the turnovers and hazardous decisions decreased. That’s just normal - young players need to learn and grow in an NHL setting. Gaining experience in the AHL is all well and good, but it remains a lower league, and what works there may not work at the highest level. They need to be allowed to find that out for themselves.

Could it backfire? Not really, the worst thing that can happen is that there are more growing pains than the Habs thought there would be, between that and being stuck with a veteran who has become surplus to requirements and is almost impossible to trade because of a contract that is either too long or too generous. This doesn’t strike me like a trap Hughes is likely to fall into. Dvorak performed well for the Canadiens in a bottom-six role last season, but room must be made for youth, and that means there’s no room for him anymore.

Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

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The Detroit Red Wings announce full development camp details including scrimmage times, rosters and prospects to watch.

The Detroit Red Wings have announced the roster for their 2025 Development Camp, taking place from June 30 to July 3 at the BELFOR Training Center inside Little Caesars Arena. The camp features 16 forwards, nine defensemen, and six goaltenders and will work as a great opportunity for some of the organization’s top prospects from recent NHL drafts to get in meaningful work with high level coaches. 

Draft ✔️
Development Camp 🔜

🗓️ » https://t.co/OCt9ZD2XHMpic.twitter.com/XfFIlUURhK

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 29, 2025

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The camp also works as a great opportunity for fans of the Red Wings to come and watch the team's future stars in the making and may even get a chance to meet some of them. Seven of the eight players Detroit selected in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft will participate, including first-round pick Carter Bear and second-rounder Eddie Genborg. Bear led the WHL’s Everett Silvertips in scoring last season, while Genborg made his professional debut in Sweden’s top league.

One of the most notable prospects that will be attending camp will be Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, the Red Wings' 2024 first-round pick, who returns after an impressive season with Skellefteå AIK in the SHL and a brief stint with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. He also represented Norway at the 2025 IIHF World Championship. Other notable prospects include college standouts and recent signees adding depth to the camp roster.

It all starts tomorrow! #DRWDC

📰 » https://t.co/JNAXDkR7cJpic.twitter.com/N7ItwBT0Yy

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 29, 2025

The camp will be divided into Team Howe and Team Lindsay, featuring daily on-ice skill development and off-ice workouts led by Red Wings player development coaches. The event concludes with a four-on-four game on Thursday, July 3, which will be streamed live on DetroitRedWings.com as well as the Red Wings’ Facebook and YouTube channels. Fans can watch the game starting at 10 a.m., with exclusive interviews and commentary throughout.

While only on-ice sessions will be open to media, fans and followers can stay up to date with full Development Camp coverage at www.DetroitRedWings.com/Prospects. The live streams and updates offer a great way for fans to experience the camp remotely and get a first look at the future of Detroit hockey.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins were one of the teams reportedly interested in defenseman Nicolas Hague, but he is officially no longer an option for them. 

According to TSN's Darren Dreger, the Vegas Golden Knights have traded Hague to the Nashville Predators in exchange for forward Colton Sissons and defenseman Jeremy Lauzon. In addition, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that Hague has signed a four-year, $22 million contract extension with the Predators. 

Hearing Nic Hague is signing a 4 x $5.5M extension in Nashville, after being traded there by Vegas

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) June 30, 2025

With the Penguins needing serious help on the left side of their defense, it would have been great for them if they acquired Hague. He would have had the potential to be a nice part of their top four and penalty kill, but alas, he is heading to Nashville instead. 

Hague appeared in 68 games this past season with the Golden Knights, where he recorded five goals, 12 points, 74 blocks, 82 hits, and a minus-2 rating. 

With Hague off the board, the Penguins will need to explore other options to improve the left side of their defense. The two big names who stand out as potential trade targets are Buffalo Sabres blueliner Bowen Byram and New York Rangers defender K'Andre Miller. 

NHL Free Agency: Penguins Should Target Bruins Gritty ForwardThe Pittsburgh Penguins should look to improve their forward depth this off-season. When looking at their roster, it is fair to say that they could use a little bit of help in their bottom six. 

Photo Credit: © Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Bruins, Maple Leafs, Mammoth could have ‘strong interest' in Marchand: Reports originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Could we see Brad Marchand back with the Boston Bruins?

The veteran forward is able to become an unrestricted free agent Tuesday when NHL free agency opens at noon ET.

TSN’s Darren Dreger reported Monday that if Marchand reaches free agency, the Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Utah Mammoth could have “strong” interest in signing the 37-year-old left wing.

Credit to @utahmammoth for what appears to be an aggressive approach this offseason. If Brad Marchand hits the open market tomorrow, look for Utah, Boston and Toronto to among those with strong interest.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) June 30, 2025

Here’s what TSN’s Pierre LeBrun wrote Sunday on X about Marchand:

“Several teams including Boston and Toronto hope to talk to (Marchand) come Tuesday when the market opens, if he doesn’t re-sign with the Cup champs. The Bruins would certainly be open to bringing him back. But again, perhaps Marchand re-signs in Florida.”

The Bruins weren’t able to work out an extension with Marchand before the trade deadline, and as a result, they traded him to the Florida Panthers for a conditional 2027 second-round pick, which was upgraded to a first-round pick after the two conditions were met.

Marchand was a perfect fit with the Panthers and was arguably their best player in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs — a run that ended with Florida winning its second consecutive championship. The Panthers beat the Edmonton Oilers in a six-game Stanley Cup Final.

Marchand scored six goals in the Cup Final, and he tallied 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 23 playoff games for the Panthers overall.

The Panthers re-signed center Sam Bennett to an eight-year, $64 million contract last week. Marchand and defenseman Aaron Ekblad are Florida’s two most notable free agents remaining.

The Bruins ranked as one of the worst offensive teams in the league last season, and they were the fourth-lowest scoring team after the trade deadline. Marchand is still a legitimate top-six forward who can score 25-30 goals if healthy for a full season. Bringing him back would make a lot of sense.

Kent Hughes was very busy at the draft, trading to acquire Noah Dobson and making a few pick swaps as well to ensure he could secure the players his scouting team was high on, but he’s far from done.

While the Montreal Canadiens’ GM has acknowledged that there are plenty of teams looking to bolster their center line, he’s still open to acquiring an impact winger to reinforce his top six, and there has been a lot of chatter about Jordan Kyrou perhaps being available at the draft.

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Insider Pierre LeBrun reported that multiple teams are interested in whether the St. Louis Blues are indeed seriously interested in moving him. The Canadiens are one of the interested teams.

Kyrou is a 27-year-old right winger who was drafted 35th overall in the second round of the 2016 draft by the Blues. He’s been a high scorer for the last four seasons, posting 75, 73, 67, and 70 points over that period. This season, he averaged only 17-29 minutes of ice time per game and was primarily used on the second line alongside Brayden Schenn and Dylan Holloway.

In the playoffs, he scored three goals in seven games as the Blue fell to the Winnipeg Jets in the first round. He’s just about to embark on the third year of his eight-year contract, and, interestingly, the pact, which has an $8.125 M AAV, has a full no-trade clause kicking in on July 1. In other words, if the Blues do want to trade him, they are getting dangerously close to the “it’s not or never” territory.

Kyrou’s age and profile certainly match the Canadiens’ requirement timeline-wise, and he can indeed be described as an impact winger. Granted, the salary is a tad high, and if you take it on, you are stuck with it until the full no-move clause becomes a modified one for season 2030-31, when he’ll still be able to submit a 15-team no-trade list.

The Blues don’t have to trade him though, they come in $1.6 M under the cap right now and they do have 23 NHL contracts signed for the next season, so for them, it’s really about deciding if they want the player to remain for all those seasons and not about a cap crunch.

If they do decide to trade Kyrou, though, the question becomes what could they be interested in? Hughes has accustomed us to trades involving draft picks and futures, but with the acquisition of Dobson, he finds himself with a lot of blueliners on his hands, including one that could hold fair value on the market in Mike Matheson. However, the veteran is entering the final year of his contract, and that could diminish his value.

Matheson reportedly met with Jeff Gorton and Hughes at the scouting combine, and according to sources, a potential extension was discussed, but does the arrival of Dobson change his desire to stay in town?

Lane Hutson’s arrival already diminished his offensive role, and chances are it will be further reduced with Dobson now patrolling the Canadiens’ blueline. According to RG.org’s Marco D’Amico, the Edmonton Oilers have already approached the Habs about Matheson, and they will be an interesting option to explore, depending, of course, on what they have to offer.

At this stage, it’s hard to know if the Blues are seriously considering pulling the trigger on a Kyrou deal, but if they are, it’s an option that’s worth thoroughly exploring, something Hughes will no doubt do in the limited time left before Kyrou’s no-movement clause kicks in.

Photo credit:  Jeff Le-Imagn Images

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As speculation intensifies around a potential trade of Mitch Marner's negotiating rights from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Vegas Golden Knights, one potential trade piece is now off the table. Early Monday morning, multiple reports surfaced that Golden Knights defenseman Nic Hague was being dealt to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Jeremy Lauzon and forward Colton Sissons. Hague is also expected to sign a four-year extension worth $5.5 million per season.

According to Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch, Hague was previously a person of interest for the Maple Leafs. His name surfaced amid reports that the Leafs and Golden Knights were discussing a trade for Marner’s negotiating rights before he becomes an unrestricted free agent. While forward Nic Roy was mentioned as a more likely piece in that return, with only one reference to Hague, it is unlikely that this move will cool Toronto's interest in getting something for their star player.

However, the situation grew more complex on Sunday when Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, on his

32 Thoughts podcast, questioned if the Leafs would file for tampering charges against Vegas should Marner end up with the club as a free agent.

“I have no proof that Vegas is guilty of anything, but it's a time around the league where teams are extremely sensitive about it. And as a couple of GMs told me on Saturday, they think the NHL is itching to try and make an example out of someone,” Friedman said. “But if they make a deal with Toronto and send a good player or two to Toronto, I'm betting any chance the Maple Leafs file for tampering goes away. So all those reasons Getting to Marner faster, clearing cap space, Toronto gets good players, and eliminating any possibility of any tampering investigation. Which is being whispered everywhere around the league. All that goes away if this deal gets done”.

If Mitch Marner Leaves in Free Agency, Could the Maple Leafs Pursue Tampering Charges?Just when you thought Mitch Marner’s seemingly inevitable exit from Toronto couldn’t get more nasty, a new report has emerged. The Toronto Maple Leafs may be preparing to take action.

Of course, any league action would require proof of tampering. If the league takes action against the Golden Knights for tampering, the club could face the following sanctions:

• Up to a $5-million fine
• Termination of any contracts that were signed
• Forfeiture of draft picks
• Awarding draft picks or cash to the offended club
• Marner himself could be subjected to a fine of up to $1 million or possibly face a suspension.

Report: Maple Leafs And Golden Knights Discussing Mitch Marner Sign And Trade, Could Include Nic RoyThe Mitch Marner sweepstakes could end before free agency begins.

Certainly, the awarding of draft picks to the offended club would ensure some sort of compensation. We’ll wait and see. But for now, Hague’s name can be removed from the list of players potentially coming to Toronto. 

Hague's name was only mentioned in one report while Nic Roy's name had been mentioned frequently. The move didn't really save Vegas much cap space, clearing just $640,000. The move of Hague shouldn't scuttle talks with Toronto. But it doesn't mean a deal between the two clubs will happen, either.

(Headline Photo Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)

Matthew Knies Avoids Restricted Free Agency, Inks Long-Term Deal With Maple Leafs: 6 Years, $7.75M AAVMatthew Knies will be a Toronto Maple Leaf for six more years. Why New Maple Leafs Prospect William Belle Wants To Model His Game Around Capitals' Tom WilsonWilliam Belle and a few of his new University of Notre Dame teammates were assembling a couch when his phone began to erupt with messages. 2025 NHL Draft: Maple Leafs Select Frontenacs Forward Tyler Hopkins With 86th Pick In NHL DraftThe Toronto Maple Leafs have selected Kingston Frontenacs Tyler Hopkins with the 86th pick in the NHL draft.

The 2025 NHL Draft is in the books. After months of speculation, the drafted prospects will go to their new markets and continue their life of trying to make it to the NHL. For the Chicago Blackhawks, that means adding 8 new players to the organization. 

Kyle Davidson and his staff seemed to have a specific strategy. They decided that big-stature forwards were something that the organization lacked in the prospect department. 

3 of Davidson’s 8 selections came in the first round. That is now 11 first-round picks since he took over in 2022. There always seems to be a risk involved with at least one of them each year, but high upside is worth considering now and again. 

This is a grade for each player selected by the Blackhawks over the course of 7 rounds: 

#3: F Anton Frondell - A

The Chicago Blackhawks selected Anton Frondell with the third overall pick, which was expected once the San Jose Sharks took Michael Misa second. 

Frondell believes that his game is modeled after Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers, who is one of the best two-way centers in the history of the NHL. 

This is a player who is a high-character, highly motivated individual. He is thankful for the opportunity to be such a high draft pick. 

"It's an amazing feeling. I'm still shocked." Frondell said after being selected by the Blackhawks. "It was a blackout when I heard my name. Now I finally have a new favorite NHL team. I'm happy to be here. Really happy."

The Blackhawks are expecting to have a player who adds an incredible skillset to their young group of forwards. How long will it take to get him into the NHL lineup? Well, Frondell thinks it could come sooner than later. 

"If I get the chance to take a spot on the team, I will do everything I can to do that, to play. And if I'm not good enough, if I don't make it, I'm going back to Djurgårdens."

The fact that Frondell already has it as a goal to make the team out of his first camp is good news for the Blackhawks. He wants to get better, he wants to contribute, and he wants to be elite. 

His two-way game is noticeable, which is where his Barkov comparison comes from, but he has a long way to go to reach that level of success offensively. The tools are there for him to develop. 

With all of these things considered, an A-grade for this pick is fair. He is perfectly different from guys like Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar to justify picking him third overall. The makeup of the under-23 forward group took a big leap. 

#25: F Vaclav Nestrasil - B+

The Chicago Blackhawks entered the 2025 NHL Draft with two first-round picks. The second one was pick 25, which was handed to them by the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

With that selection, Chicago selected a forward named Vaclav Nestrasil. This was a pick designed to add some size and skill up front. Nestrasil, a Czech native, is 6'6" and 185 lbs.

As a forward playing for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL in 2024-25, Nestrasil scored 19 goals and had 23 assists for 42 points in 61 games. 

He elevated his game in the postseason, as he scored seven goals and six assists for 13 points in 14 postseason games en route to a Clark Cup championship. 

With a lot of development ahead, Nestrasil could turn into a great middle-six forward. Is there a high-end ceiling to his game? Possibly not, but his size matched with his skill makes him appear to fit what the Blackhawks came in looking for. That is why a B+ makes sense as a grade. 

#29: F Mason West - A

When it looked like the Blackhawks were done with the first round, they made a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes to jump back in. Carolina gave Chicago the 29th overall pick in the deal, and they used it to select Edina High School forward Mason West. 

Mason West was the most intriguing prospect entering the 2025 NHL Draft. He is a big kid at 6'6" and 2018 lbs. He is also incredibly skilled. 

However, the Blackhawks took a chance by making this selection. West is committed to playing his high school football season instead of solely committing to hockey. Once his football season is over, he will resume his career in the USHL with the Fargo Force and be fully devoted to hockey. 

Beyond the USHL, he is set to play college hockey at Michigan State, with whom the Blackhawks have had a great relationship in recent years. 

West pledges that nothing will change his overall outlook, which is that he will be done with football once his senior year is complete. He feels that he owes it to his community to finish what he started. 

"I just really wanted to get back into the first round and take what I thought was a Grand Slam hack." Kyle Davidson said of this pick. "I was swinging for the fences and figured, why not? Let’s go for a big one here. And so that’s kind of what I did.” 

Davidson knows the risks that come with this selection. This was his 11th selection in the first round over the last four years, so there is some wiggle room. Most of his picks have worked out, even the ones that looked bleak at the time (Sam Rinzel, for example). 

West, being a two-sport athlete, makes this a lot different than Rinzel, who was also a high-school player at the time of his selection. Davidson thinks that Chicago's development staff, in addition to Michigan State, will give him the perfect opportunity to take advantage of his pure skill.  

#66: F Nathan Behm - B

Nathan Behm has a ton of skill. He was a big-time scoring winger for the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL, but he relied on carrying the puck and skating for all of his effectiveness. To become a full-time NHL player, Behm must work on his play without the puck on his stick.

If he can start to find other ways to be effective, in addition to being more physical and getting to the harder areas, he will become a useful NHL player. 

#98: F Julius Sumpf - C+

With the 98th overall pick, the Blackhawks selected Julius Sumpf of the Moncton Wildcats. Sumpf was one of Moncton's top scorers and is a big-bodied player at 6'2"/194 lbs.

He plays a strong 200-foot game. Once he gets the chance to prove himself in the pros, he will have to show that he can score at the rate he did in major junior. 

#107: F Parker Holmes - C-

Chicago taking Parker Holmes is simply them taking a chance on a big forward who can be a physical presence on the ice. He's 6'4" and 214 pounds as a kid, but his puck skills are limited.

There won't be much offense that comes with his game, so he will have to make a name for himself in different ways. The league has gone away from needing enforcers but he clearly knows how to fight when needed. 

#162: D Ashton Cumby - C

The Blackhawks have one of the deepest prospect farms when it comes to defensemen in the entire NHL. They were never planning on selecting any high-end defenders in 2025, but they couldn't leave the draft without at least selecting one. They made Ashton Cumby the 162nd pick. 

#194: G Ilya Kanarsky - B

With the 194th overall pick, the Blackhawks took their first goaltender of the class. That is Ilya Kanarsky. 

No matter what, it is always nice to add a goalie to the prospect farm each year. You never know which one of these late-round kids could take a net in the NHL one day. 

With Spencer Knight, Drew Commesso, and Arvid Soderblom amongst others in the organization, Ilya Kanarsky has plenty of time to try and develop into a pro-caliber goalie. 

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

Fortunately for the Philadelphia Flyers, heavily linked trade target Nicolas Hague has been traded to the Nashville Predators, averting a potential disaster.

The Hague trade itself wasn't actually that bad. The 26-year-old defenseman fetched the Vegas Golden Knights longtime Predator and fourth-line center Colton Sissons, as well as heavy-hitting rearguard Jeremy Lauzon.

The reality is, while the Golden Knights added $4.857 million in salary in the deal, Hague, a pending RFA, would have cost them much more.

Upon being traded, Hague signed a four-year, $22 million ($5.5 million AAV) deal with the Predators that would have otherwise made him the fourth-highest paid defenseman in Vegas behind Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore, and Noah Hanifin.

Lauzon, who can play the same bottom-pairing role for less than half ($2 million) the cost, is a fine addition. Vegas effectively turned Hague into two roster players for the same price on the cap.

As for the Flyers, trading for Hague would have been a disaster.

Yes, Hague is 6-foot-6, but he averages 17:33 a game on his career and has never cracked 20 points. While he uses his size and reach effectively to defend the rush, the former second-round pick is quite poor in his own end and is regularly critiqued for his lack of foot speed and for watching the puck too often.

Flyers Trade Rumors: Big Golden Knights Defenseman Linked to PhiladelphiaA Philadelphia Flyers trade my finally be on the horizon, with a new rumor suggesting a big Vegas Golden Knights defenseman could be on the move.

Combine that with the fact his new contract would make him the second-highest-paid Flyers defender behind only Travis Sanheim, and you're flirting with danger on defense.

Even after a down year, Cam York, a pending RFA himself, is a much more effective player with significantly higher upside offensively.

No, York isn't big like Hague is, but that's why the Flyers went crazy with size in the NHL Draft in recent years, drafting hulking righties like Spencer Gill and Carter Amico.

Plus, if the Flyers really wanted to add size on the left side of their defense, they already have it.

Adam Ginning is fighting for his NHL career, and the Flyers really like Hunter McDonald, one of their less heralded prospects.

Trade assets and spend big money on Hague, or save the assets and money and give valuable NHL playing time to Ginning or McDonald?

The choice was clear, and the Flyers did the right thing by avoiding Hague, if they were ever truly in on him.

Bruins announce new deals for Jokiharju, Beecher, DiPietro before free agency originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins have been very busy finalizing contracts with their own free agents before NHL free agency officially opens across the league Tuesday at noon ET.

The team announced Monday it has agreed to the following contracts with three restricted free agents:

• Henri Jokiharju, D: Three years, $9 million
• John Beecher, C: One year, $900,000
• Michael DiPietro, G: Two years, $1.625 million

The Bruins don’t have much depth on the right side of their blue line, so it’s not a huge surprise that Jokiharju is returning. The B’s acquired him from the Buffalo Sabres at the trade deadline back in March, and he fit in well over the final six weeks of the regular season.

Beecher is a solid bottom-six forwards who excels on faceoffs (53 percent for his career) and can kill penalties. Signing him for a salary cap hit below $1 million is good value, and he still has room for improvement.

DiPietro is coming off a career-best season with the AHL’s Providence Bruins in which he went 26-8-5 and tallied a .927 save percentage. If the Bruins could move Joonas Korpisalo’s contract, DiPietro could slide into the backup goalie spot behind Jeremy Swayman next season.

The Bruins also announced on Sunday new deals for right wing Morgan Geekie (six years, $33 million), bottom-six forward Marat Khusnutdinov (two years, $925,000 cap hit) and defenseman Michael Callahan (one-year, two-way deal with $775,000 NHL cap hit).

The Bruins now have around $12 million in cap space, per PuckPedia, with free agency about to begin. The B’s also could use this cap space to make trades if they don’t like the options on the free agent market.

The Stanley Cup is heading back north of the border.

Over the past few weeks, the Cup has been across North America several times.

It started the Stanley Cup Final on the ice in Edmonton before finishing the series in Sunrise, in the hands of the Florida Panthers for the second year in a row.

Following a week of hardcore partying and celebrating with the Panthers, and a quick stop at the repair shop for some minor dings, the Cup headed to Los Angeles for the NHL Draft.

Now it’s heading back up north, but not to its home at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Nope, the Cup will now spend some time in Montreal.

According to Phil Pritchard, the Keeper of the Cup, the historic trophy was brought to the HHOF’s official silversmith.

The #StanleyCup is enroute to Montreal to the Silversmith to get the names of the 2025 @FlaPanthers engraved on it. Stay tuned. @HockeyHallFame@NHLpic.twitter.com/sfjnscoA7p

— Philip Pritchard (@keeperofthecup) June 29, 2025

That’s where the names of the 2025 Florida Panthers will be engraved onto the Stanley Cup.

In order to be eligible to have your name on the Cup, a player must appear in at least 41 regular season games or one game during the Stanley Cup Final.

Teams can petition for players to be added who do not fall under that criteria.

Last year, Florida successfully petitioned to have Jonah Gadjovich and Josh Mahura included with the names engraved onto the Cup.

A player who comes to mind who the Panthers may petition for this year is Nico Sturm.

Florida picked him up at the Trade Deadline, but he only played a combined 23 regular season and playoff games, and none after the Eastern Conference Final, though when in the lineup, Sturm was often utilized regularly both at even strength and on the penalty kill.

Interestingly, this is only the third year that the engraving process has taken place before the Cup begins its summer tour with the winning team.

It’s an excellent new tradition that allows the new winners to take their time with the Stanley Cup after it already bears their name.

Just like last summer, it should be fun to see how and where the Panthers celebrate with the Cup over the coming weeks and months.

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Photo caption: Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; The Florida Panthers look at the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)