Category: Ice Hockey

If at first you don’t succeed, eh?

For the second time this week, the Florida Panthers will look to punch their ticket to a third straight Stanley Cup Final when they face the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final on Wednesday night.

After scoring 16 goals during their first three wins over the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida couldn’t keep up with the Canes in Game 4 and were subsequently shutout 3-0.

That meant the Cats had to travel back to Raleigh for another chance to dissipate the Hurricanes.

Florida will look to recapture the momentum they built during their first visit to Lenovo Center, where they jumped all over Carolina and outscored them 10-2 while taking the first two games of the series.

Despite the loss on Monday, the Panthers remain in a good spot, but as they learned during last year’s Stanley Cup Final, a big series lead can disappear in the blink of an eye.

“We put ourselves in a great position, great situation, going on the road with a 3-1 lead,” said Panthers Captain Sasha Barkov. “We just have to bring our best. We were not at our best (in Game 4), and we'll learn from that and be better next game.”

The Panthers looked a step slow during Game 4.

Breakouts seemed sluggish at times and countless passes just missed, with many being deflected by the Hurricanes’ excellent stickwork.

“They played really well,” said Barkov. “They defended well. They attacked well. It was a great game by them. We were not at our best, so we need to be better.”

One thing that could help Florida improve on their Game 4 performance would be the return of one or more of three players who did not suit up due to injury.

Each of Sam Reinhart, A.J. Greer and Niko Mikkola were on the ice at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday before the team boarded a flight to Raleigh.

Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice indicated there was a chance all three could play in Game 5, saying that they would all skate in the morning and then see how each was feeling.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Game 5 in Carolina:

Evan Rodrigues – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand

A.J. Greer – Tomas Nosek – Jonah Gadjovich

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

Nate Schmidt – Dmitry Kulikov

Scratches: Mackie Samoskevich, Uvis Balinskis, Jesper Boqvist, Nico Sturm, Jaycob Megna

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Photo caption: May 22, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov (16) celebrates scoring during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes in game two of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

The Winnipeg Jets head into the offseason looking to add skilled forwards to their roster in hopes of increasing their goal-scoring at 5-on-5 when the playoffs roll around.

The Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli released his top 20 trade targets for the NHL offseason, and topping the list were Buffalo Sabres' JJ Peterka and Minnesota Wild's Marco Rossi. 

The Jets will likely integrate Nikita Chibrikov into their lineup this season, whether it's immediately after training camp or at some point in the season, an extended stint in the NHL is long overdue for the 22-year-old. He unfortunately suffered a season-ending injury, but the team hopes he'll be a complete participant once training camp begins. 

The pursuit of another young forward and the promotion of Chribrikov should not be affected by the choice Nikolaj Ehlers makes. Whether he's on the roster or not, adding additional scoring is a must. 

Rossi fits the needs of the Jets more than Peterka does, but both would be fantastic additions. Rossi would slot into the Jets' second-line centre role like a glove and would be the perfect complement for Cole Perfetti and Ehlers. In 82 games this season, the 23-year-old scored 24 goals and 60 points. His production on the power play and at 5-on-5 was balanced, and he plays an effective two-way game. He's a skilled playmaker who could run give-and-gos on the cycle with Perfetti and get Ehlers the puck to do damage off the rush. 

Peterka is a winger, which could make the line combinations more complicated, but if Gabriel Vilardi and the Jets feel comfortable shifting him back into the middle of the ice, Peterka would be an outstanding acquisition.

Finding a player as talented as he is at just 23 years of age is almost unheard of, and although the Sabres have repeatedly mentioned they don't plan on trading him, the indication is that they will have to move him unless negotiations take a pivot and he re-signs.  

In 77 games, Peterka scored 27 goals and 68 points, tied for second on his team. His shot is lethal, but unlike other snipers, Peterka can create the space for himself to get his shot off. Skating on a line next to any of Kyle Connor, Ehlers, or Perfetti would provide him plenty of opportunities to show off his shot. 

Both Rossi and Peterka averaged over 18:00 of ice time a night during the regular season, showing they are both capable of playing top-six minutes. They are also both restricted free agents in need of a contract, but with over $26M in cap space, the Jets shouldn't have too much trouble fitting them under the salary cap even after making deals with Ehlers, Vilardi and Dylan Samberg. 

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

"I'd Love To Stay"; Haydn Fleury Hopes To Remain A Jet Despite Log Jam Of DefensemenHaydn Fleury mentioned during his end-of-season press conference that he'd like to remain a Winnipeg Jet despite the log jam of defensemen the Jets currently employ. Jets Pending Unrestricted Free Agent Signs With Swedish TeamWinnipeg Jets pending unrestricted free agent Axel Jonsson-Fjallby has signed a three-year contract with Brynas IF of the Swedish Hockey League.

Brendan Shanahan is a free agent. But where will he go next?

The former president of the Toronto Maple Leafs brings a wealth of experience, a Hall of Fame ring as a player and a marquee name with him. Simply put, he could probably choose a number of NHL destinations right now.

But what about a franchise that doesn't exist yet?

NHL expansion seems like a sure thing in the future and one of the leading candidates is Houston. As first reported in The Hockey News' Money and Power issue back in January, the top ownership candidate is Dan Friedkin, a billionaire car distributor who also owns British soccer team Everton and a film company that produced Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon. Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States and a major TV market, so it's a great target for the NHL.

Now imagine if Shanahan was the expansion team's first president.

Houston gets instant credibility and someone whom the NHL trusts – let's not forget that 'Shanny' worked for the league's player safety department.

While the Maple Leafs did not meet their goal of winning a Stanley Cup during Shanahan's tenure, Toronto did have a ton of success on the ice and either drafted or acquired a mass of talent. Shanahan left the franchise with a solid GM in Brad Treliving and a well-respected coach in Craig Berube.

That Shanahan would be an asset for Houston is not a question; only the timing remains. The NHL has not green-lit any expansion process right now, so hypothetically, we'd be looking at 2026-27 at the earliest – and let's face it, the league is in no rush.

Having said that, Houston seems to be one of the favorites if and when the NHL expands again.

Other cities in the mix include Atlanta and Phoenix, and it will be interesting to see if the next wave involves two cities at once or staggered over the course of a year. (Full disclosure: The Hockey News publisher-owner W. Graeme Roustan is supporting the Atlanta group led by Vernon Krause and his South Forsyth project.)

Regardless, keep an eye on Shanahan in the coming years. He already took on a major challenge in Toronto, so what would be new and exciting for him? Helping build an expansion team from scratch might be the answer.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

The Florida Panthers may be in the midst of another exciting Stanley Cup Playoff run, but there is still something quite large looming in their future.

Earlier this year, it was announced that the Panthers would be hosting the 2026 Winter Classic at loanDepot park against the New York Rangers.

The game is set for Jan 2, and tickets to the general public will be going on sale next week.

For more information on tickets, click here.

According to the NHL, ticket sales will begin on Wednesday, June 4 at 10 a.m.

Along with the announcement came a new image showing the official 20206 Winter Classic logo.

It features Miami-themed neon blue and pink colors, along with a snow-covered palm tree.

The 2026 Winter Classic will be the first ever outdoor game in Panthers franchise history.

It will also become the southernmost outdoor hockey game in NHL history.

Fans looking for additional official information on the Panthers in the Winter Classic can head to FloridaPanthers.com/WinterClassic.

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The Rochester Americans season ended on Sunday with a 5-0 loss to Laval in the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs, and after only 48 hours into the offseason, the club has lost a pair of players, winger Lukas Rousek and defenseman Erik Brannstrom, to European club teams.

Rousek, a Group-6 unrestricted free agent, has signed a deal with HV71 of the SHL on Tuesday. The 26-year-old was a sixth-round pick (160th overall) of the Buffalo Sabres in the 2019 Draft out of the Sparta Praha system. After spending two seasons in Czechia, the winger signed a two-year entry-level contract with Buffalo and played 19 games for AHL Rochester. In only his second season in North America, he led the Amerks in scoring with 56 points (16 goals, 40 assists) and 12 points in the Calder Cup Playoffs and earned a two-game call-up to the NHL. 

After signing another two-year deal with Buffalo, Rousek scored 41 points in 51 AHL games, but in an extended look with the Sabres only had two assists in 15 games. This season, the 26-year-old had 42 points, but only scored seven goals and did not get another chance in the NHL with first-rounders like Isak Rosen, Jiri Kulich, and Noah Ostlund getting those opportunities.  

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Brannstrom was a 2017 first round pick of the Vegas Golden Knights, and played parts of seven seasons with the Ottawa Senators and Vancouver Canucks. This season, he was dealt by Vancouver to the NY Rangers in the JT Miller deal and acquired by the Sabres in a one-for-one deal at the trade deadline for Nicolas Aube-Kubel. 

The 25-year-old scored five goals in 13 games for the Amerks and played in one postseason game. A restricted free agent, Brannstrom has signed a three-year deal to play for HC Lausanne in Switzerland.

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

The Philadelphia Flyers announced that the head coach of their AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms Ian Laperriere has been re-assigned to the Flyers as an advisor to Hockey Operations. 

The team announced they will begin a search for a new AHL head coach immediately. 

Laperriere signed a two-year contract extension in June 2024 that was set to run through the 2025-26 season. 

The 51-year-old joined the Flyers as director of player development for the 2012-13 season and transitioned to assistant coach in the 2013-14 season, a role he served in through the 2020-21 season before joining the Phantoms. 

The Montreal, Que., native has been the head coach of the Phantoms for the past four seasons leading the team to two Calder Cup Playoff appearances and a 134-120-38 record. 

The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that Ian Laperriere will rejoin the organization as an advisor to Hockey Operations. https://t.co/jDdDnw762B

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) May 27, 2025

Laperriere has expressed a desire to be an NHL head coach and will help continue to develop Philadelphia's prospects in his new role. 

In his playing career Laperriere recorded 121 goals and 336 point sin 1083 games while racking up 1956 penalty minutes. He spent one season with the Flyers and was forced to retire after taking a slapshot to the face. 

Check out The Hockey News' Philadelphia Flyers team site for more updates. 

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' AHL Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.    

The Vegas Golden Knights have never been a team that sits quietly during the NHL’s off-season, and this summer may be no different. 

With big names potentially hitting the open market, including Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner, all signs point to Vegas once again positioning itself to make a splash.

TSN and The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun recently suggested that Marner will probably look at Vegas as one potential landing spot. The Golden Knights have five pending UFAs and four pending RFAs, but they rarely wait around or miss an opportunity to make a splash, so they could make cap space to give Marner what he wants. 

The Golden Knights Haven’t Needed Much of An Excuse To Change Things Up

The Golden Knights have a history of not being loyal to their players, such as not re-signing Jonathan Marchessault last summer, trading Reilly Smith after winning the Stanley Cup in 2023 and sending away most of their first-round prospects. If they want to acquire somebody else, they can part with a longtime player if necessary.

Vegas might be ready to pounce after falling short against the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the playoffs. Even when the Golden Knights remain a powerhouse club, they don’t stand pat, sending off excellent players to create cap room.

This summer, their pending free agents are mainly depth players, so there’s less pressure to keep all of them. If they do re-sign most of them, that could also mean clearing salary through trades to make room for a marquee acquisition. 

If Vegas wants to pull off such a bold move, it will likely involve another round of salary cap gymnastics. They’ve done it before, trading away players and assets, such as Max Pacioretty, Marc-Andre Fleury, Shea Weber’s contract, Ryan Reaves, Nate Schmidt, Paul Stastny and Smith in past years.

Whether it was trading for Tomas Hertl, Noah Hanifin, Jack Eichel or Mark Stone, the Golden Knights aren’t afraid to make a surprise move that shakes up the NHL landscape.

Could The Golden Knights Target Marner?

Marner, who just wrapped up a 102-point season, is the top NHL player set to become available on July 1. His combination of elite skill, age and experience makes him the most significant free agent to hit the market in years. That might be too tempting for Vegas to pass up. 

Naturally, several teams, such as the Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, and Los Angeles Kings, are likely to kick tires on Marner. But according to LeBrun, Marner is expected to consider some of the usual destinations, such as the Florida Panthers and, notably, the Golden Knights.

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The potential fit in Vegas makes a lot of sense for Marner. The Golden Knights are competitive every season, and if he signs there, he does so for good money on a team with one of the lowest tax percentages in the NHL and a chance to play alongside Jack Eichel, who had 28 goals and 66 assists for a career high 94 points this season. A Marner and Eichel pairing could form one of the most dynamic one-two punches in the league.

Whether it’s a good idea to give up several pieces to sign one elite right winger with a history of falling short in the playoffs is another topic. But the Golden Knights already have Cup-winning experience to impart on Marner, who had 13 points in 13 playoff games this year and 63 points in 70 games in his post-season career.

For Vegas, it often doesn’t matter whether it’s the best move or not. They like to make headlines and sign the player everyone else wanted. If the superstar hits free agency on July 1, don’t be surprised if the Golden Knights win the sweepstakes.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Rochester Americans defenseman Erik Brannstrom has signed a three-year contract with Lausanne HC of the Swiss National League (NL) the club announced on Monday.

Brannstrom split his playing time between the Vancouver Canucks, Abbotsford Canucks, Hartford Wolf Pack, and Rochester Americans. He recorded eight points in 23 NHL games and 23 points in 27 AHL games. 

The 25-year-old had a turbulent season where he was traded from Colorado to Vancouver in October, placed on waivers, traded from Vancouver to New York in the J.T. Miller deal in January, and traded from New York to Buffalo in March. 

The Eksjo, Swe., native was an AHL All-Star in the 2018-19 season while a member of the Chicago Wolves and Belleville Senators. 

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Brannstrom was a consistent point producer in the AHL but could not quite replicate the results at the NHL level. In 117 career AHL games with the Chicago Wolves, Belleville Senators, Hartford Wolf Pack, and Rochester Americans he recorded 19 goals and 86 points. 

Originally a first round selection of the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017, Brannstrom has 10 goals and 77 points in his 294 game NHL career split between the Ottawa Senators and Vancouver Canucks. 

The Hockey News' Derek O'Brien also covered this move here.

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' AHL Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.    

Oilers Look to Build on Blowout Wins as Stars Aim to Regroup in Crucial Game 4

The Western Conference Final has taken a sharp turn, and the Edmonton Oilers are suddenly in full control of the narrative.

After dropping Game 1 in Dallas, a game they gave up five unanswered goals after leading led 3-1 entering the third, the Oilers have bounced back with a vengeance, outscoring the Stars 9-1 over the last two games, including a dominant 6-1 win in Game 3 at Rogers Place. 

Now, as the puck drops for Game 4 in Edmonton, the question for bettors isn’t just who will win, it’s whether Dallas can stop the bleeding before this series slips away. 

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our perfect 3-0 night during Game 4 of the Panthers-Hurricanes Eastern Conference Finals. 

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

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Edmonton Oilers vs Dallas Stars Game 4 Best Bets: 

• Stars Over 2.5 goals (-148)
• Stars ML (+126)
• Mikko Rantanen anytime goal (+170)
• Matt Duchene Over 0.5 points (+108)
• Over 5.5 goals (-160)

Same Game Parlay (5-Leg): +693 ($10 Bet Pays $69)

The Stars have been tossed to the side for two straight games and have been outworked in every aspect of the game.

They must start rattling the cage of Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner as Dallas have been leading in quality scoring chances, according to Stars beat reporter Owen Newkirk, with 33 compared to Edmonton's 22 in Game 2 followed by 35 to Edmonton's 27 in Game 3 despite being blown out. 

They'll need to start capitalizing and it should start Tuesday as they are going to do everything in their power to even up this series. The Stars have proven they can win in tough environments, taking Game 3 on the road in Colorado during round one and opening the second round with a road win in Winnipeg. 

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We have seen what the Stars can do when they get on a roll and they've gotten to this point with most of their top end guys having gone completely cold.

Mikko Rantanen has gone six straight games without a goal, Wyatt Johnston has just one point in his last nine, Matt Duchene has one in his last five, and Jason Robertson has only three points in nine playoff games.

This group will need to find their game and it should get started with Rantanen, who should snap his scoring drought and start to pierce through the Oilers defence and get to Skinner.

The rest of the offence should follow suit, starting with Duchene, who got a big game-winning goal in Game 1 but has gone on another scoring drought with no points over the last two games. 

Rantanen and Duchene also spear-head the Stars first powerplay unit that will see it's chances after failing to convert on six straight opportunities heading into Tuesday.

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Czech forward Lukáš Rousek, 26, has signed a two-year contract with HV71, the SHL club announced on Tuesday. Rousek had played the last five seasons in North America in the Buffalo Sabres organization.

“It will be a lot of fun and is an exciting challenge,” said Rousek. “I know how high the Swedish Hockey League is and that Jönköping is a hockey-crazy city, and I look forward to being part of HV71.”

“Lukáš’s greatest quality is his passing game,” said HV71 GM Björn Liljander. “He is a real playmaker who sees the game very well and always finds an open space – a player you can use both as a center and a winger.”

Born in the small town of Ostrov but raised in Prague, Rousek turned pro with local club Sparta, recording 90 points in 176 Extraliga regular-season and playoff games. He was somewhat of a late bloomer, never representing Czechia at the U-18 or U-20 levels. 

Buffalo drafted Rousek at age 20 in the sixth round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Between 2021 and 2025, Rousek played primarily for the AHL’s Rochester Americans but also played 17 NHL games for the Sabres, scoring one goal and adding three assists.

HV71 was SHL champion a recently as 2016-17 but fell on hard times soon after and was relegated. Since returning to the top Swedish league in 2022, the club has not made the playoffs and the last two seasons barely avoided relegation.

Photos © Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

Jiří Kulich: “I Immediately Messaged My Family & Friends” After Hearing He Would Play After not playing in the season opener on Friday, 20-year-old Jiří Kulich played his second career NHL game for the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday in Prague.

They say the fourth win in a best-of-seven series is the most difficult to obtain.

It would seem the Florida Panthers can attest to that adage.

Florida had an opportunity to sweep the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night when they hosted Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final.

All the momentum appeared to be in the Panthers’ favor. Not only had they just won three straight against Carolina, including two in the Canes home barn, but Florida had done so by a combined score of 16-4.

But alas, the fightin’ Hurricanes showed up in Sunrise with their best effort of the series and came away with a resounding 3-0 victory.

“They had their best game of the series,” said Panthers Captain Sasha Barkov. “They deserved to win. It’s okay. We’ll learn, we’ll recover from this and we’ll move on.”

Under Paul Maurice, Florida has played 11 playoff series. They have taken a 3-0 lead in five of them.

While the Panthers have won every one of those series, they were only able to complete the four-game sweep once: the 2023 conference final against Carolina.

We all remember what happened during last season’s Stanley Cup Final, when Florida went up 3-0 only to see the series get pushed all the way to a deciding seventh game.

The other two times the Panthers opened a series with three consecutive wins were the second round in 2023 against the Toronto Maple Leafs and the 2024 first round against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

In both of those instances, Florida dropped Game 4 but turned right back around and closed out each series in five games.

It’s that bounce-back mindset that has helped the Panthers avoid any extended periods of losing, whether it’s the regular season or the playoffs.

“It’s not frustrating, that’s hockey,” said Panthers forward Sam Bennet. “That’s the way it goes sometimes. Sometimes you get bounces, sometimes you don’t. (In Game 4) we didn’t get many bounces, but we also didn’t play our best, so I don’t think we deserved the bounces.”

Florida will board a plane to Raleigh on Tuesday and prepare for their second opportunity to close out the series.

The Panthers surely enjoyed their first visits to Lenovo Center, winning Games 1 and 2 handily.

They will likely draw more from those two victories than from Monday’s loss, but this is a veteran team that will be expecting Carolina’s best once again.

Perhaps this time Florida will be better prepared to push back.

“We sat back, that's not the norm for us,” said Bennett. “I'm sure it's a pretty easy fix to turn that around.”

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Photo caption: May 26, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) moves the puck during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes in game four of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Rob Blake stepped down as GM of the Los Angeles Kings on May 5. Eleven days later, they hired former Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland as Blake's replacement. 

On May 22, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported Holland intends to be aggressive in this summer's trade and free-agent markets. He believes the new Kings GM could go “big-game hunting” to upgrade their roster following four straight first-round playoff exits to the Oilers. 

The Kings have $21.7 million of projected cap room and 21 active roster players under contract for next season. LeBrun noted they have the cap space to make a big splash in the free-agent pool.  

LeBrun wouldn't be surprised if Holland gets into the bidding for Mitch Marner if the Toronto Maple Leafs right winger tests the UFA market on July 1. He could pursue a more affordable option like Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets or Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks.

The Hockey News’ Jim Parsons listed Boeser and Marner as targets as well as the Leafs’ John Tavares, Oilers’ Connor Brown and the Florida Panthers’ Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett, but he noted there will be a lot of competition for the high-end free agents.

Turning to the Montreal Canadiens, they're expected to pursue a second-line center via trade or free agency following the Stanley Cup playoffs. 

TVA Sports' Tony Marinaro and Jean-Charles Lajoie recently looked at possible UFA options for the Canadiens. They felt Mikael Granlund of the Dallas Stars might be a good fit.

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Granlund lacks the size that the Canadiens could seek in a second-line center, However, Marinaro and Lajoie believe he'd be a decent short-term addition. Lajoie recommended signing the 33-year-old Granlund even if the Habs find someone else to center their second line, citing his ability to step up into that role if injuries strike. 

Granlund is completing a four-year contract with an average annual value of $5 million. He's coming off back-to-back seasons of 60-or-more points following a disappointing 2022-23 campaign with the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins.

In New Jersey, the Devils could move one or two players this summer to free up salary-cap space to address other roster needs. 

James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now indicated the no-trade protection for 34-year-old forwards Ondrej Palat and Erik Haula will change on July 1. Palat's drops from a full no-movement clause to a 10-team no-trade list, while Haula's goes from a full no-trade to a six-team no-trade list. 

Haula might be the easiest to move because he has a year left on his contract with an average annual value of $3.125 million. Palat has two years left at $6 million annually. 

Nichols noted the Devils need more scoring, suggesting Drake Batherson of the Ottawa Senators, Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres and Pavel Dorofeyev of the Vegas Golden Knights as trade targets.

However, the Senators are unlikely to move Batherson and his team-friendly contract, the Sabres are reportedly keen to sign Tuch to an extension, while the Golden Knights probably prefer to retain the 24-year-old Dorofeyev, who tallied 35 goals this season.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

The Pittsburgh Penguins employ Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic as their goalie tandem. However, the duo and Joel Blomqvist (15 games) combined to give up the third-most goals in the NHL in 2024-25. 

Jarry is under contract for three more seasons with a $5.375 million cap hit, while Nedeljkovic will enter the final year of his deal, valued at $2.5 million. Meanwhile, in the system, Joel Blomqvist is an RFA in 2026-27 and will make $886,667 next season.

After the Finnish netminder on the depth chart is Filip Larsson ($775,000) and Russian phenom Sergei Murashov ($861,110). Murashov finished his first season in North America in the ECHL with some time in the AHL, compiling a 19-10-1 record between the two leagues. Finally, Taylor Gauthier, who had an outstanding season in the ECHL, is an RFA. 

Ultimately, the Penguins' future goal is to turn Murashov into their franchise netminder. At 21, he's still not ready to compete in the NHL, unless the organization decides to throw in the towel in 2025-26 in hopes of landing Gavin McKenna.

Realistically, Captain Sidney Crosby would not buy into that plan, which means Pittsburgh should consider revamping its goalie platoon for better success next season.

Considering the shallow depth of available free agent goalies, some intriguing RFA names are in the pool. If the Penguins decide to move on from Jarry, whose buyout would save up to $3.6 million next year, his future is a hot-button topic amongst the fanbase; his potential buyout would free up some cap space to take a flyer on an RFA goalie. 

When looking at the list of RFA goalies, the Penguins would have to take a number if they wanted to offer sheet the Anaheim Ducks' young goalie Lukas Dostal. According to CapWages.com, he's projected to get a salary increase to over $5 million.

Although he's young and talented, Dostal could be looking for a starting role. Despite decent numbers on a bottom team, he may not be the answer, especially if someone wants to offer him an eight-year contract.

After Dostal, there are a handful of potential candidates, like Arvid Soderblom (Chicago), Cayden Primeau (Montreal), Jakub Dobes (Montreal), and Danill Tarasov (Columbus). Still, the best option may be Joel Hofer of the St. Louis Blues.

If anyone remembers, the Blues stirred the pot last summer by acquiring Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway from the Edmonton Oilers via an offer sheet, which means someone will be out to return the favor. 

Furthermore, Jordan Binnington is the starter in St. Louis, carrying the team to their 2019 Stanley Cup title. He recently reestablished himself at the 4 Nations Face-off, leading Canada to the championship. So, Hofer becomes expandable with Binnington between the pipes at the right price.

CapWages.com projects Hofer could ink a two-year extension at $2.8 million. As mentioned, if Jarry is bought out, the Penguins would save roughly $3.6 million next season, which is more than enough to get Hofer into black and gold and still have some money left over. Especially with Nedeljkovic potentially coming off the books after next season, his spot can go to Blomqvist or Larsson, who is ready to be a 20-25-game backup. 

Meanwhile, at 24, the Penguins could offer him a four-year deal, giving the organization plenty of time to let Murashov mature in the ECHL and AHL without suffering any significant setbacks at the NHL level. 

Although some in the fanbase may think that another few seasons in the minors will "hold Murashov back," the New York Rangers did not let Igor Shesterkin see any NHL action until he was 24, and at 26, he won the Vezina Trophy. 

Goalies develop at a different pace. Of course, there are exceptions to the rules, like Andrei Vasilevskiy, who started to play 50 games at 22, and Connor Hellebuyck, who skated over 50 games at 23. 

At this point, the Penguins need a goalie tandem they can rely on night in and night out. Hofer debuted in 2021-22 and played two games (1-1) before playing in six (3-1-1) in 2022-23. For the past two seasons, he's played 61 games, compiling a 31-20-4 record with a 2.65 GAA, .909 SV%, and two shutouts. 

Outside of his first two games, Hofer has yet to record a sub .900 SV% in any season and continues to lower his GAA from a career-high 3.22 in 2022-23. 

Hofer won't be the long-term solution in the net and does not need a lengthy contract offer, especially since Jarry's five-year deal hasn't aged well. But suppose the goal is to get Murashov ready to take the baton in a couple of seasons. Why not put the Blues in an uncomfortable position with an offer sheet for their number two goalie, giving him a chance to become an NHL starter on a team with a new head coach and a burning desire to return to the postseason?

The 2024-25 season wasn't always easy for veteran winger Tomas Tatar. 

In his first stint with the New Jersey Devils, he found success on the team's top line, playing with Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer. He potted 20 goals and 48 points and was an asset to the Devils. 

His second stint was a bit more challenging. 

Under head coach Sheldon Keefe, Tatar spent the majority of the season in the bottom six and found himself scratched at certain points. 

"(It was) tough," he said during his exit interview. "Definitely played a different role than I am used to. The role was not to be productive but to help the team gain momentum. So, something very new for me." 

Appearing in 74 games, Tatar scored seven goals and collected 17 points. 

"It was challenging, for sure, but for this group, I was willing to do no problem," Tatar said of embracing his new role. "Obviously, I have lots of friends, and I do really like it here. That is why I came back to try to help the team." 

Understanding that Tatar, 34, was set to be an unrestricted free agent, many were not expecting him to return to New Jersey. On Tuesday, his future was confirmed as he has signed a two-year contract in Switzerland with EV Zug, the National League club announced on Tuesday.

"With his enormous experience from almost 1000 NHL games and his game intelligence, he is an important reinforcement for us at center," said Zug GM Reto Kläy. "In recent years, Tomáš has regularly played on the wing. With us, he will be used as a center."

The veteran has appeared in 927 NHL games, playing for the Detroit Red Wings, Vegas Golden Knights, Montreal Canadiens, Devils, Colorado Avalanche, and Seattle Kraken. 

The Hockey News wishes Tatar and his family all the best in Switzerland. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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A new patch is going live at 1pm EST/10am PT in NHL 25. 

The update is to add support for upcoming World of Chel and Hockey Ultimate Team live content. 

🛠️An #NHL25 patch will be deployed tomorrow (Tuesday, May 27) at 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT.

This update adds support for upcoming HUT and WoC Live content. Server downtime is expected to last up to an hour after the patch.

Please finish any online games before then.

— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) May 26, 2025

EA SPORTS NHL warns server downtime could last for up to one hour after the update. Players are advised to finish all live games before 1pm EST/10am PT. 

Players can ask questions or leave comments on the EA NHL 25 Forums here.

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