There is still much to be decided and determined before the New Jersey Devils take the ice to open the 2026-27 season. While GM Sunny Mehta has seemingly settled on a three goalie system at the NHL level for the year, it leaves questions regarding the team’s AHL affiliate and beyond. With about six weeks until players start reporting for training camp, there’s still a lot of variables at play; Coach Sheldon Keefe might only want to keep two of said goalies on his roster for example. But until the team actually comes together, as of right now Jake Allen, Nico Daws and David Rittich are all on the NHL roster.

Looking over at Puckpedia, this leaves only Jakub Malek in Utica on a contract where he could be brought to New Jersey if needed. However, Tyler Brennan and Jeremy Brodeur are both still with Utica on AHL deals. While both of those players can be loaned to Adirondack of the ECHL (which is where they both spent most of the 2025-26 season) they are technically available to Utica. If the Devils stand pat and don’t add anyone to the roster, and additionally they do not demote one of the three NHL level goalies, they still have enough tenders to fill out at least the NHL and AHL rosters. While I’m not entirely familiar with Adirondack at the ECHL level, I would be willing to bet they have another goalie to fill out their ranks if one of Brodeur/Brennan stay in Utica.

If Devils management is trying to better the team at every level though, they might want to consider inking one of the unsigned goalies also listed on that Puckpedia page to a deal. Jeremy Brodeur is already 29, and hasn’t progressed beyond being an ECHL regular; he’s unlikely to be anything more than a minor league player at this point. While Tyler Brennan is only on the cusp of turning 23, he doesn’t seem to be making much progress either. While Jakub Malek could wind up eventually making the jump to the NHL level, the Devils could use to get another prospect under contract to take reps and play within the Devils’ system. Mikhail Yegorov, Veeti Louhivaara, Trenten Bennett and Daniil Rusakovich all have their rights held by New Jersey and perhaps one could join the organization soon.

I think Rusakovich is the least likely to join right now for a couple of reasons. Not only was he just selected in the most recent draft, making him the youngest (and perhaps least polished) unsigned goalie, but the Devils hold his rights indefinitely due to the lack of a transfer agreement with the KHL and their affiliates. The Devils can afford to be patient with him. The other three goalies are all 20 (all born within a few months of each other to boot), however Bennett has an extra year for the Devils to sign him by due to him being drafted a year later. Again, with the earliest date the Devils would have to make a decision on him on being in 2029, I think he’s another case where the team can be patient.

If the Devils sign another undrafted prospect, it comes down to Louhivaara and Yegorov. Both Louhivaara and Yegorov had similar stats this season, but Yegorov played 13 more NCAA games this season than Louhivarra did USHL games. While I cannot speak to Veeti’s game beyond his stats, I had the benefit of being able to watch Mikhail live at a BU/UConn game this season. While he unfortunately got absolutely lit up that night, he was playing behind a rebuilding (read: awful) BU defense that gave up numerous odd-man rushes and breakaways. The plays where he was set, he looked composed and in control of the action, even when (again) his defense faltered in front of him.

With the hype around him, as well as from what I have personally viewed, I think Yegorov is the stronger contender to be signed by the Devils, At the same time, I think things may really depend on how the organization views Jakub Malek; if they rank him higher than Yegorov (and really all of the unsigned goalies) than the team may want him to play the larger share of AHL games. In that case, it wouldn’t matter if it was one o the ECHL guys from last year backing him up. If the plan is for the team to see what they have with as many goalies as possible to try and find an internal option for starting goalie, than signing Yegorov, Louhivaara or even Bennett to start narrowing down their options.

It may take until training camp gets underway and the Devils see which of the three 20 year olds performs the best, but I do think the Devils add another goalie for the AHL level this season. I also do not see them demoting one of the NHL goalies; depth continues to become more and more important for NHL teams, and I don’t think the Devils chance losing any of their depth in net on waivers, at least not this season. With that as part of the reason, I predict we are going to see two young Devils in Utica this season playing to see which one could be an NHL goalie in possibly the not too distant future.

What are your thoughts on the Devils potentially signing one of their unsigned goalie prospects to round out the AHL roster; do you have a preferred player you want to see under contract? Do you think the team waits to see how things shake out in training camp? Is it more likely the parent club demotes one of the three signed goalies? Do you see Utica calling up one of the ECHL goalies to complete their tandem? Leave any and all comments down below and thanks as always for reading!

Montreal Canadiens fans will be happy to hear that Arber Xhekaj loves Montreal; that’s not exactly news, but it’s still something his agent, Brian Bartlett, made abundantly clear in an interview on TSN 690.

Speaking to Matthew Ross and Dave Trentadue on the Game Plan, Bartlett discussed a number of his clients. Still, since TSN 690 is mostly about the Habs, he had to talk about Xhekaj, who remains an RFA at this stage and is one of only two Canadiens who still need a contract alongside Zach Bolduc.

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Asked how Xhekaj deals with the rumors about there being interest in him on the trade market, Bartlett explained:

Arber loves Montreal; he loves playing in Montreal, loves the fans, the city, the atmosphere, the coaching staff, the development staff, Marty, Adam Nicolas, everybody. He’s become a better hockey player there, and it’s an amazing place to play. Our hope, I think, kind of collectively, Arber’s and ours is that we can find a way to make it work with Montreal here.

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He also added, however:

The flip side of that coin is that Montreal has a lot of very good players, a lot of good players at defense, and it’s trying to work out how that logjam works itself out. What’s the best way to have the most productive team. I think we’ve all been through this enough that we understand the Montreal Canadiens are going to do what’s best for the Montreal Canadiens and Arber Xhekaj is going to do what’s best for Arber Xhekaj. There’s a very large world where those diagrams overlap, and we’re optimistic we end up in kind of that overlap where it’s good for Montreal and good for Arber, but we’ve still got a lot of time until training camp; there’s no panic.

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Clearly, the agent is not worried about the fact that the negotiations are taking some time to come to fruition; he explained that the market had been kind of on hold with the Leo Carlsson offer sheet, the Zach Werenski trade rumours, and the Jason Robertson stalemate; everyone was watching as the market was slowly being set.

While the agent is right that there’s still ample time for a deal to be reached, I still find it interesting that Xhekaj didn’t file for arbitration and effectively left himself open to receiving an offer sheet. The Xhekaj camp is well aware that there’s a logjam in Montreal and is interested to know how that will resolve itself, which is understandable. At the end of the day, even if the player loves everything about Montreal, he must be craving an opportunity to establish himself as a full-time NHL player.

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Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin is going to meet with Quinn Hughes about a potential contract extension this week. If they come to the conclusion that he is going to stick with his original plan of joining his brothers on the New Jersey Devils, a trade could happen. 

A roster player or two, along with high-end draft picks, could go the other way in a deal for the eldest Hughes, but prospects are likely to be a part of the package as well. 

If the Devils were to get Quinn a year ahead of schedule by making a trade with the Wild, one or more of these 3 prospects are likely to be on the move:

Mikhail Yegorov

The New Jersey Devils do not have a long-term plan in goal outside of Mikhail Yegorov. Trading him must land them an elite player, like Quinn Hughes. Otherwise, they should keep him in the system. 

The Minnesota Wild are pretty set in the goal crease with Jesper Wallstedt and Filip Gustavsson. With that said, Gustavsson had surgery and will miss the start of the season, but the Wild plan to have this tandem in place for a while. 

If they were to acquire Yegorov, however, they may change things up. They could use one of their two mainstays as trade bait for assets in other areas. Yegorov has the talent to be a starting goalie in the NHL; he just has further development to accomplish. 

Anton Silayev

Anton Silayev is a good prospect. However, it was a strange pick when the Devils made it in 2024 with the 10th overall pick. They should have selected Zeev Buium, but the Wild traded up to get him and then used him to acquire Quinn Hughes from the Canucks. 

Buium may or may not have been used in the same trade if the Devils drafted him instead of Silayev, but it was a bad drafting decision. 

Still, Silayev has value as a young prospect trying to make it in the NHL. For the Wild, trying to recoup a high-ceiling defenseman out of another trade involving Quinn Hughes makes perfect sense from an organizational perspective. 

Alexander Command

The New Jersey Devils selected Alexander Command in the first round (12th overall) of the 2026 NHL Draft, and they are high on him. His ceiling as a great two-way forward in the NHL makes him an intriguing prospect, but you have to give good players to get good players in a trade. 

For the Wild, they are not very deep down the middle of the ice within their organization. If Alexander reached his potential as a center, the Wild would love to add him. Giving up on a high-end prospect so early in his development is never easy, but it's the price of doing business. 

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It has been just about one month since NHL free agency started, so most of this year's top UFAs have signed their new contracts.

Although this is the case, a former Buffalo Sabres defenseman is surprisingly still unsigned at this juncture of the off-season: Logan Stanley.

When noting that Stanley had a career year in 2025-26, it is certainly surprising that he has not landed his next contract yet. Even if he cooled off after being traded to the Sabres from the Winnipeg Jets, he still had a successful year and would have the potential to be a good pickup for a team needing more size and grit on their blueline. 

In 76 games last season split between the Jets and the Sabres, Stanley posted nine goals, 17 assists, 26 points, 110 hits, and 128 penalty minutes. With this, he provided a bit of everything last season, so he should be able to land his next contract soon. 

Stanley could be a solid addition to an NHL club that is looking to improve its bottom pairing and penalty kill. It will be interesting to see where the former Sabres defenseman ends up getting signed from here. 

The penalty box is no stranger to the Nashville Predators. 

Over the last 10 years, the Predators have racked up the fifth-most penalty minutes in the NHL with 8,534, including this season. The trend has held that Nashville plays some of its best hockey with an aggressive touch. 

However, this season was different. The 2025-26 campaign was the Predators' best, going 38-34-8, but they nearly made the playoffs, falling four points short of the Los Angeles Kings for the final Wild Card spot. 

In that 82-game stretch, Nashville posted 719 penalty minutes, its lowest PIM total in an 82-game season since the 2018-19 season.  

The Hockey News Nashville Predators has spent the entire season tracking the Predators' individual penalties taken from the opening night to the final buzzer in April. In total, the Predators committed 308 infractions for 713 PIM and allowed 42 short-handed goals. 

Nashville penalty kill executed at an 85% efficiency, its fourth-best effort over the last 11 seasons. On average, the Predators were in the box nearly four times per game. 

Here are the most surprising trends we found. 

McCarron, Haula, Stamkos Visited Box The Most 

It should come as no surprise that former Predators center Michael McCarron, despite being traded in March, led Nashville in penalty minutes with 73. He led the Predators in interference (four), roughing (six), and fighting (five) infractions. 

McCarron tacked on two more fights for a total of seven this season, which is his lowest total since 2022-23, when he had two fights. McCarron was the only player to drop the gloves more than three times, ahead of Nic Hague (three fights) and Ozzy Wiesblatt (two fights). 

Despite the most penalty minutes, only one McCarron penalty cost the Predators a goal. 

While McCarron had the most box time, center Erik Haula led in the most penalties called with 26. Steven Stamkos and McCarron followed closely with 25 each. Haula tied for the Predators in slashing (five), tripping (six) and high-sticking (five) calls. 

Stamkos also had five slashing calls and followed Haula closely with four tripping penalties, four high-sticking penalties and five hooking penalties. Ryan O'Reilly also tied with Stamkos for the most high-sticking calls on the roster.

Hague, Josi Penalties Were Most Detrimental 

Nic Hague was one of four players to eclipse 20 or more penalties this season, while Roman Josi fell five short of that margin. However, when both were in the box, the Predators struggled the most. 

Of the 15 total penalties taken by Josi, six resulted in goals, which leads the roster. For Hague, in his 20 total penalties taken, five have resulted in goals. Stamkos and Wiesblatt are third on that list with four goals allowed each on penalties taken. 

Josi's holding call against the Chicago Blackhawks on Jan. 10 allowed Chicago to score the game-winning goal in a 3-0 loss. Hague's delay-of-game penalty against the Dallas Stars on Oct. 26 paved the way for Dallas to score the game-winning goal in a 3-2 loss. 

When it comes to the severity of the penalty taken, Matthew Wood's tripping infraction against the New Jersey Devils on March 26 may have been the most costly of the season.

The call led to the Devils scoring with 5:53 left in the game to break a 2-2 tie. New Jersey added an empty-net goal in the final minute. The loss snapped Nashville's longest winning streak of the season (five games) and led to a three-game losing streak in the final month of the season. 

Penalty Kill Stayed (Mostly) Rock Solid 

The PK has been a staple of the Predators for a very long time and their 85% efficiency was the sixth best in the NHL. 

That ability to play so well with a man down peaked during a five-game stretch in which they committed 30 penalties but allowed just four goals. Against the Winnipeg Jets on Nov. 29, the PK went 6-of-6 and the following game against the Calgary Flames, the unit was 6-of-7. 

Nashville's PK thrived against the Flames this past season, killing off 7-of-7 infractions in a 4-3 win on Jan, 3. In three meetings against Calgary, the Predators were 3-0-0 and killed an impressive 16-of-17 penalties. 

From March 28 to April 7, a six-game stretch, the Predators' PK unit was a perfect 24-of-24, which included their second 7-of-7 performance in a 6-3 win over San Jose and a 6-of-6 performance in a 5-0 win over Anaheim, which was Nashville's only shutout win of the season.  

Offensively, Nashville had the fifth most goals in the league playing short-handed, with seven. Ryan O'Reilly led in that category with two shorthanded goals. He was also part of a unique situation in a 4-1 win over the Golden Knights on March 21, where his high-sticking infraction saw Tyson Jost score a shorthanded goal and Vegas net a power-play goal. 

However, the unit did have its low points. A 3-2 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild on Nov. 4 saw the Predators' special teams unit kill off just 1 of 3 penalties, proving that infractions had cost them the game. 

Its worst statistical performance came in a 3-2 loss to the Sharks on April 13, when Nashville posted its only 0% performance of the season, failing to kill its lone penalty of the game. 

Nashville Had 12 "Unique" Penalty Calls 

Nearly half of Nashville's total penalties were slashing, tripping, hooking or roughing calls, which is usually the norm around the league. Interference, high sticking and holding were not far behind, making up 25% of the overall total. 

However, the Predators were called for seven different penalties a combined 11 times, all of which qualified as unique and made up about 3% of the overall total. 

Luke Evangelista sat for three of those infractions, twice for too many men and once for goalie interference. Wiesblatt had the only other goaltender interference penalty. 

Josi had the only holding-the-stick penalty of the season; Wiesblatt was the only player to get called for kneeing; and Michael Bunting sat for the Predators' only elbowing penalty of the season. Bunting also had one of the Predators' two embellishment penalties, with the other committed by Fedor Svechkov. 

Lastly, Nashville had three boarding calls the entire season. 

Predators Penalties By The Numbers 

Tripping: 56 (Haula and Skjei - 6) 

Hooking: 39 (Skjei - 6) 

Slashing: 38 (Stamkos and Haula - 5)

Roughing: 32 (McCarron - 6) 

High Stick: 31 (Haula and O'Reilly - 5) 

Holding: 27 (Wilsby - 4) 

Interference: 22 (McCarron - 4)

Fighting: 15 (McCarron - 5) 

Delay of Game: 13 (Hague - 2) 

Cross Check: 13 (Perbix - 3) 

Misconduct: 6 

Unsportsmanlike Misconduct: 4 

Boarding: 3 

Goaltender Interference - 2 (Evangelista and Wiesblatt - 1) 

Too Many Men - 2 (Evangelista - 2)

Keening - 1 (Bunting - 1) 

Embellishment - 2 (Svechkov and Bunting - 1)

Holding The Stick : 1 (Josi - 1) 

The Buffalo Sabres should be open to the idea of bringing in a forward on a professional tryout (PTO) agreement ahead of training camp. 

When looking at the remaining UFAs still available, Reilly Smith stands out as a solid potential PTO option for the Sabres to consider.

Smith spent last season with the Vegas Golden Knights, where he posted 16 goals, 10 assists, and 26 points in 69 games. This was after he recorded at least 40 points from 2022-23 to 2024-25. With numbers like these, he would have the potential to be a decent addition to the Sabres' bottom six if he earned a contract for the season from a PTO. 

Smith would also give the Sabres a veteran forward who has won the Stanley Cup in the past. This would not be a bad thing for a Sabres club that is looking to emerge as true contenders.

While Smith may not be the same top-six forward he was during his prime, he is still a solid winger who could provide the Sabres with some decent secondary offensive production if signed. With that, he could be worth taking a chance on with a PTO. 

The St. Louis Blues made a surprise one-for-one trade last off-season, acquiring defenseman Logan Mailloux from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Zachary Bolduc.

Bolduc was coming off a strong first full season in the NHL, notching 19 goals and 36 points in a bottom-six role. He also showed he could be a physical presence, throwing 108 hits.

Despite that, the Blues felt they needed another young defenseman, taking the risk of trading Bolduc for Mailloux. 

Mailloux had played just eight NHL games with the Canadiens, so moving a now solidified NHL winger for a defenseman still playing in the AHL was a head-scratcher for some. But the Blues felt that what they'd seen from Mailloux in the AHL was enough to earn an opportunity in the NHL, and moving Bolduc, a position they have an abundance of prospects and NHL-ready players in, was worth the risk.

It didn't start on a positive note. Mailloux struggled greatly, looking out of place, while Bolduc started his Canadiens tenure on fire.

But as the season went along, Bolduc cooled off, and Mailloux acclimated to the NHL.

In the end, Bolduc finished his first season with 12 goals and 30 points in 78 games, while Mailloux recorded five goals and 13 points in 67 games.

But the point totals weren’t important to the Blues; it was how he defended. Mailloux slowly improved, and after a stint in the AHL, his confidence grew. His play improved to the point where coach Jim Montgomery placed Mailloux alongside Philip Broberg on the top pair.

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Following the Olympic break, Mailloux averaged 21:41 of ice time, the second most on the team. He was a plus-12 and recorded four goals and 10 points in 24 games. 

Like most of the Blues roster last season, it was a tale of two halves. The first half was dreadful, at times hard to watch, while the second half was a pleasure, as the game looked natural. 

Heading into the 2026-27 campaign, Mailloux's goal is to play consistently and perform as he did in the final third of the season. Most roster projections have Mailloux penciled in as Broberg's partner, and that role is Mailloux's to lock down.

The Blues gave Mailloux a one-year contract, asking him to prove that he is capable of handling top-pairing or top-four minutes. It might not be make-or-break time for Mailloux just yet, but that time could be approaching if Mailloux falters under the pressure. 

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It may only be a matter of time before Jonathan Toews is back where his NHL legacy was built.

Just over a month after announcing his retirement following one season with his hometown Winnipeg Jets, the former Chicago Blackhawks captain appears to be on course for one final reunion with the franchise where he won three Stanley Cups.

While nothing has been made official, comments from both Patrick Kane Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson over the past week have only added fuel to the growing belief that Toews will eventually sign a ceremonial one-day contract to officially retire as a member of the organization.

The speculation picked up steam after Kane returned to Chicago last week, signing a two-year contract with the Blackhawks, following time with New York and Detroit. 

Speaking on the Pardon My Take podcast following his return, Kane revealed he had already discussed the possibility of another comeback with his longtime teammate.

"I said, 'Hey, maybe you come back for a year?'" Kane laughed. "He was like, 'I'm thinking about it.'"

While Kane was jokingly referring to playing another season, the exchange served as another reminder that the bond between two of the most iconic players in franchise history remains strong. It also reinforced the idea that Toews returning to Chicago in some capacity is far from out of the question.

The picture became clearer at Kane's introductory press conference, where Davidson was asked about the possibility of bringing Toews back to officially retire as a member of the organization. The idea was not dismissed.

"We'd love to have Jonathan back and bring him back," Davidson said. "We did it with Marian Hossa. Nothing is set in stone or anything, but I think it is likely we'll go down that path."

Davidson later added that Toews remains synonymous with the organization.

"Jonathan is a Blackhawk for life with everything he's contributed to this city," he said.

Few players have meant more to the franchise, despite his official parting of ways following time off with serious medical issues. 

Selected third overall by Chicago in the 2006 NHL Draft, Toews spent 15 seasons with the team, captaining the club to Stanley Cup championships in 2010, 2013 and 2015. He captured the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2010, won the Selke Trophy in 2013 and finished his Blackhawks career with 372 goals and 883 points in 1,067 regular-season games before stepping away following the 2022-23 season.

After taking two years away from the NHL to focus on his health, Toews signed with his hometown Jets for the 2025-26 season. Following the campaign, he announced his retirement during an emotional press conference at the Jonathan Toews Sportsplex inside the Dakota Community Centre in Winnipeg's St. Vital neighbourhood—the very rink where he first learned to play hockey. The facility was renamed in his honour after he captained the Blackhawks to their first Stanley Cup championship in 49 years in 2010, making it a fitting place to bring his playing career to a close.

Now, another fitting chapter could soon be written.

Should the expected reunion come into fruition, Toews would have the opportunity to officially end his NHL career wearing the very sweater that he first pulled over his head back in 2006 - exactly 20 years ago.

On July 27, the Anaheim Ducks traded AHL forward Sasha Pastujov to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for AHL forward Sean Farrell. The next day, Farrell was signed to a one-year, two-way contract worth an AAV of $850k. 

Farrell (24) was selected by the Habs with the 124th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft out of the Chicago Steel of the USHL. The versatile forward had been highly productive at every level he’d played at prior to professional hockey. 

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He returned to the USHL for the season following his draft and scored 101 points (29-72=101) in 52 games. He played the next two seasons (2021-2023) at Harvard University in the NCAA, where he totaled 81 points (30-51=81) in 58 games. He finished the 2022-23 season in the NHL and scored a goal in six games. 

Farrell spent the next three seasons with the Laval Rocket in the AHL, unable to translate his prior production, and scored 125 points (46-79=125) in 186 games, adding 12 points (3-9=12) in 18 playoff games. 

He has every skill necessary to play a role as at least a middle-six NHL forward except for size (5-foot-10, 174 pounds). He’s shifty and smart with plus puck skills and creativity to find teammates in dangerous locations in any situation. His lack of a “B game” and need for an offensive role have likely been the primary factors in his inability to break into the NHL. 

Farrell has ties within the Ducks organization, dating back to playing alongside forward Sam Colangelo (36th overall in 2020) at the U16 AAA level with the Boston Jr. Bruins in 2015-16. He played alongside Colangelo and defenseman Ian Moore (67th in ’20) with the Steel. He played with forward Judd Caulfield (145th in ’19) and defenseman Drew Helleson (47th in ’19) at the USNTDP U17 division. At Harvard, again, he played two seasons alongside Moore (67th in ’20).

Farrell has represented the United States at the U18 World Championships in 2019 (alongside Helleson), where he notched two assists in seven games, the 2022 Olympic Games (alongside Helleson), where he led the team in scoring with six points (3-3=6) in four games, and at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships (alongside forward Cutter Gauthier), totaling eight points (3-5=8) in 20 games. 

Farrell can play either on the wing or in the middle of the ice, and with the Ducks organizational depth chart projecting somewhat thin at center, it’s possible he could have a role as the San Diego Gulls top-line center in the AHL and have a shot for an early call-up, should the Ducks sustain an injury at the position. 

In the trade, the Ducks parted ways with Pastujov (23), who the Ducks had previously selected in the third round (66th in ’21) of the NHL Draft. He provided two consecutive productive seasons for the Gulls in 2024-25 and 2025-26, leading the team in points per game with 102 (38-64=102) in 114 games, and finishing his Gulls career with 125 points (48-77=125) in 160 games. 

Pastujov, like Farrell, needed an offensive role if he were to be awarded a shot at the NHL level and lacked a refined game away from the puck. His skating was always a significant drawback and the likely reason for a lack of development in terms of a forechecking or two-way game. 

Ultimately, it’s unlikely a prolonged NHL career is in the cards for either Farrell or Pastujov at this point in their careers. For the Ducks, Farrell offers them more of a stylistic fit as well as versatility in the lineup at whatever level he plays at. 

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On Wednesday, The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn published his annual article ranking every NHL team by contract efficiency, and, unsurprisingly, the Montreal Canadiens fared very well. A week ago, he released a ranking of the league’s 10 best contracts, and he had Habs defenseman Lane Hutson’s in the top spot, which no doubt went a long way towards Montreal being second in this latest ranking.

The only team that beats the Habs in contract efficiency, according to Luszczyszyn, is the Caroline Hurricanes, since he gave an A grade to seven of their 20 contracts. As for the Habs, they have six grade-A contracts, but five of them are A-plus. Montreal went from number 14 in those rankings last season to second this season, and chances are, it will keep climbing next offseason when some of its worst contracts, according to the model (Phillip Danault, Josh Anderson), come off the books.

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Unsurprisingly, those two contracts, which both get a C-minus grade, were not signed by GM Kent Hughes. The architect of this iteration of the Canadiens has done wonderful work on the team's financial structure. Getting both Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky to sign for less than captain Nick Suzuki was a stroke of genius, and so were the deals he signed with Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov. The Russian player’s eight-year, $9.2 million cap-hit deal is looking better by the day. Hours after Luszczyszyn released his rankings, it was announced that Macklin Celebrini had signed a five-year contract extension with the San Jose Sharks with a $18.8 M cap hit, which means that Demidov will be earning less than half of what the Sharks’ prodigy will make.

While Hughes’ fingerprints are all over those contracts, it’s important to remember that he wasn’t alone in making them happen. Much has been made of the fact that Anaheim Ducks’ GM Pat Verbeek hadn’t signed his RFAs in advance, leaving himself vulnerable to offer sheets, but no matter how much a GM wants to sign a player to a new deal, if the player doesn’t want to do that, it won’t happen.

In a recent episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman interviewed Matt and Ryan Keator, who are Leo Carlsson’s agents, and they revealed that Anaheim was very keen on signing a new deal before his ELC ended. Still, the agents convinced the player not to do that. In a nutshell, they didn’t want Carlsson to regret signing a deal before he had all the information about the market and could make an informed decision. For Hughes to be able to sign those deals, the Canadiens players had to be ready to do what Carlsson ultimately didn’t want to do: put pen to paper without knowing what the market would look like a year later down the line. They had to tell their agents they weren’t after the most money possible; they were after an opportunity to win in Montreal, and they were willing to give the Canadiens ample time to do that.

Not only did the Canadiens’ core players sign team-friendly deals, but they signed away years of UFA status. Celebrini, Connor Bedard and Carlsson all only signed five-year deals, meaning that after those five years, they’ll be free as a bird to cash in on the free agency market. If they won’t commit to their team before the expiry of their deal, they may very well be allowed to walk for free. In five years from now, if you are the San Jose Sharks or the Chicago Blackhawks and your team is looking good ahead of the playoffs, you can’t just trade away such important core pieces right before the playoffs. It certainly puts a lot of pressure on their team’s front office to win and win fast.

Meanwhile, in Montreal, most of the core players signed eight-year contracts; it started with Suzuki (under Bergevin), followed by Caufield, Slafkovsky, Noah Dobson, Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov. That wasn’t all Hughes’ doing either. Players talk to each other, and Demidov was very open with the media, telling us that he and Hutson had long discussed the importance of being in Montreal. Those players all left money on the table and very likely did it against their agents’ advice; that was clear when Hutson’s negotiations dragged on, and he stepped in himself to put an end to the deadlock.

Yes, Hughes has done great work putting this team together, but the players also did a great job building a culture in which the team and winning come first; that’s how the Canadiens landed in second place in Luszczyszyn’s rankings.

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It is time for another round of preseason over/under for the 2026-27 Pittsburgh Penguins.

This past week we looked at Ben Kindel and the team’s youngest players (or potential young players). This week we are going to take a look at some of the newest offseason additions and what they might be capable of this season.

Let’s get started.

Nicholas Robertson: Over/under 20.5 goals

Of all the players the Penguins brought in this offseason, I think Robertson is the one that has the best chance to really make a big impact, both now and in the long-term future.

He is still only 24 years old (soon-to-be 25) and has at least shown he has NHL skill, and perhaps still some untapped potential.

He has averaged a 17-goal pace per 82 games so far in his career, with that number inching closer to 19 goals per 82 games over the past three seasons. He has also done that by mostly playing in a depth role and logging only 12 minutes of ice-time per game.

On a per-minute basis, he has been one of the most efficient goal-scorers in the NHL over the past three years. His 1.09 goals per 60 minute of 5-on-5 play since the start of the 2023-24 season places him 29th in the entire league among the 517 forwards that have logged at least 500 minutes of ice-time. It also ties him with Jack Eichel and Jordan Kyrou, and puts him ahead of players like Brandon Hagel, Jake Guentzel and Pavel Dorofeyev.

That does not mean he is as good as those players. It just means that he has produced well in the limited minutes he has received.

He fits the mold of so many players the Penguins have acquired over the past year-plus: Early-to-mid-20s, strong rate stats, played well in softer and lesser roles, and players that might be looking for either a fresh start or an increased role. They have had some success with some of those guys (even if in a small sample size), including Egor Chinakhov, Elmer Soderblom and Parker Wotherspoon (before trading him this offseason).

Maybe Robertson can blossom here the same way. It might not work as well as it did with, say, Chinakhov, but I like the roll of the dice for the price that it cost.

The Penguins are hoping per-minute production can turn into bigger overall production with an increased role. Can it turn into 20-or-more goals?

Andrei Kuzmenko: Over/Under 20.5 goals

If you were looking for a parallel move a year ago, it would be Anthony Mantha.

• Veteran player.
• Some track record of success.
• Some inconsistency.
• Recent injury concerns.
• Short-term, one-year prove-it contract that could make him a potential trade candidate later in the season if things work out individually, but not necessarily on a team level.

I do not expect Kuzmenko to come in here and score 33 goals and lead the team in goal-scoring the way Mantha did a year ago, but I also don’t think he’s going to be a complete zero, either.

There is obviously some offensive talent here, and he has a pretty good shot. He broke into the league with 39 goals in his first season, scoring on more than 27 percent of his shots, but has not really come close to duplicating that total in the years since.

He did score 22 goals in year two, but has scored just 24 goals in 118 games since.

Injuries, and also bouncing around to three different teams in three years, have certainly caused much of his career to get sidetracked, as well as his own shortcomings and inconsistencies. But for whatever flaws he has to his game, he is a high percentage shooter and he can put the puck in the net. He has finished with a shooting percentage of 18 percent or higher in three of his four years in the league, while never having a season below 13.8 percent. He is also especially productive on the power play as a goal-scorer.

Is 20 goals really out of reach here?

He has topped that mark two times in four years, and was scoring at a 20-goal pace in the 52 games he played a year ago on a significantly worse offensive team (Los Angeles Kings) with far less talent around him.

A lot of it will be dependent on his ability to stay on the ice. But based on his career it’s a reasonable goal. A very reasonable goal.

Hendrix Lapierre: Over/under 10.5 points

Lapierre was one of the Penguins first moves of the offseason, but I figure it is probably the one forward move that will make the least impact. At least offensively speaking. The Penguins are so deep at the forward positions, both with established players and potential young players, that I don’t really see him being much more than a fourth-liner or extra forward.

He has 47 points in 158 career games. His rate stats are passable, but not quite on the level of a Robertson or even a Soderblom, and I just don’t know where his minutes or production are going to come from.

He is still somewhat young, but it just seems like organizational depth, with maybe the hope of catching lightning in a bottle and getting a solid depth forward.

Kaedan Korczak: Over/under 15.5 points

Korczak has never been a really big offensive producer, but Vegas consistently produced strong results when he was on the ice in terms of pushing play, out-chancing their opponents and out-scoring their opponents. He played a lot of sheltered minutes in a lower-pairing role, but he played them exceptionally well and probably earned a bigger look. I think in a lot of ways he is the defensive version of their gambles on players like Chinakhov, Soderblom and Robertson.

He averages a 20 point pace per 82 games, and is coming off a 16-point season in 74 games.

Declan Carlile: Over/under 20.5 points

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that not only is Carlile this year’s version of Parker Wotherspoon, but that he is also better than Wotherspoon. It may not result in quite as many points (Wotherspoon had 30 points a year ago), mostly because I’m not sure he is going to get as much ice-time next to Erik Karlsson (though, I suppose he could) but I could see him having a shockingly good year.

He played extremely well in Tampa Bay after being thrown into an NHL role, and his profile is very similar to what Wotherspoon was before arriving in Pittsburgh. This could be a sneaky good signing. Perhaps even a sneaky productive signing.

Trevor van Riemsdyk: Over/under plus-10 rating

Plus-minus has its flaws, but I am really just trying to give something else to guess on beyond goals and points. I am not looking at this as an end-all, be-all evaluation of his overall play. So plus-minus it is.

With Korczak, Carlile and van Riemsdyk all joining the roster, the Penguins turned over half of their defensive lineup this offseason, and that does not include the potential for players like Harrison Brunicke or Owen Pickering to play their way onto the roster and into the lineup. It is certainly a very different group, and it has decent a chance to be better defensively. Will it be good enough to get them closer to the top contenders in the Eastern Conference? That remains to be seen. But I do like the chances to at least be better.

Of all the defensive players they brought in, van Riemsdyk is probably the best pure defender among the group, and has posted plus-minus ratings of plus-10, minus-7, plus-20 and plus-6 over the past four seasons.

There were six Penguins players that were plus-10 or better a year ago. Is it a mark van Riemsdyk can reach this season?

As their rebuild kicks on towards the adding and re-signing players segment, the Philadelphia Flyers still have work to do when it comes to getting value back from the contracts they hand out.

The Flyers have signed a slew of players to contract extensions in recent years and months: Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale, Dan Vladar, Travis Konecny, Owen Tippett, and Tyson Foerster all stand out.

In addition to their overall lack of star power, the problem with the Flyers is simply that too many contracts are more or less in line with what the player earned based on the market, rather than getting a team-friendly deal more often than once in a while.

Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic just released his annual assessment of every NHL team's contract efficiency, which is based on the on-ice value the team gets back relative to all their players' contracts.

The Flyers, after ranking a paltry 26th in the contract efficiency totem pole last year, placed 20th this year. That's a modest improvement, but still firmly in the bottom half of the NHL.

Flyers' Offer Sheet to Leo Carlsson No Longer NHL's Biggest ContractThe Philadelphia Flyers once made Leo Carlsson the highest-paid player in the NHL, but Macklin Celebrini has entered the chat.

Here's what Luszczyszyn had to say about the Orange and Black at this point in time: 

"One year makes a pretty big difference. The Flyers’ roster responded really well to Rick Tocchet hockey, with much of the roster’s value taking a positive step forward. Noah Cates was arguably the biggest beneficiary of that, and the Tyson Foerster extension helped add a fair bit of surplus value.

"Still, the Flyers land a bit below average thanks to a string of deals that are close to fair for both sides from Trevor Zegras, Christian Dvorak, Jamie Drysdale and Dan Vladar. There’s nothing wrong with that, but in a rising cap world in which other teams are getting massive wins, fair deals aren’t quite enough."

Luszczyszyn notes that Noah Cates and Tyson Foerster have two of the better deals on the roster, and the caveat there is that these are two defense-first, middle-six players.

Cates, 27, has three years remaining on his contract at a modest $4 million cap hit per year, which is looking more and more like a steal in today's cap environment, especially compared to teammate Christian Dvorak's less tame five-year deal that comes with a $5.15 AAV.

Luszczyszyn has Cates's contract at an A-, while Dvorak checks in a few pegs below at a B-.

Among the Flyers' biggest detractors for Luszczyszyn's model are free agent signing Noel Acciari (C+, two years, $2.8 million AAV), Travis Konecny (C, seven years, $8.75 million AAV), and Sean Couturier (D, four years, $7.75 million).

The Flyers went out of their way to secure the aging Acciari in free agency, and they gave Konecny a long-term eight-year deal that would still carry a large cap hit well past his prime years, which they aren't really paying for in the deal.

Matvei Michkov Says Flyers Contract Talks Haven't StartedAlthough he has been eligible to sign a contract extension for several weeks, Philadelphia Flyers star Matvei Michkov is taking a patient approach waiting for negotiations to begin.

As for other recent deals, like Luszczyszyn noted, Zegras, Drysdale, and Vladar all got fair value: B-, B-, and B-.

No Flyers players were graded out better than an A, though Cates, Foerster, and Travis Sanheim each got an A-. And this same Flyers front office nearly traded Sanheim before that deal even began.

That all said, it would be nice if the Flyers could do better than to get surplus value on players other than depth pieces; Zegras especially sticks out.

Time will tell what happens with Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov once their entry-level contracts expire.

While the Flyers have improved from last year, they can only go up so far with the raw amount of players they already have signed to long-term deals, and especially the ones who are in or near their 30s.

Even if the Pittsburgh Penguins have not yet been all that active on the trade market this summer, that doesn't mean they haven't been doing subtle things to boost their depth and give them flexibility, especially on the forward front.

And that includes what the team may end up looking like down the middle. 

Of course, Sidney Crosby - even at age 39 - will still be a pretty formidable first-line center, as he clinched his 21st consecutive season above point-per-game last season, which is an NHL record. But, beyond Crosby, there is still more center depth to go around, even if the team needs to acquire more high-end youth at the position sooner than later. 

Crosby aside, the Penguins currently have seven other centers on their roster, including Evgeni Malkin, Rickard Rakell, Tommy Novak, Ben Kindel, Blake Lizotte, Hendrix Lapierre, and Connor Dewar. So, they have a lot of options down the middle, and therefore, a ton of different forward combinations that they could ultimately roll with.

So, what makes the most sense? And could they see some growth out of some of their younger options?

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

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Status quo

Of course, the most likely outcome is that the Penguins ultimately decide to stick with what has worked. As mentioned in our forward lineup projections for the 2026-27 season, that involves Crosby, Novak, Kindel, and Lizotte in order down the middle, as was the case for the Stanley Cup Playoffs and much of the 2025-26 regular season. 

Former head coach Mike Sullivan liked having more than one center on each line, and current head coach Dan Muse is no different. The first line would have Rakell and Crosby, the second line Novak and Malkin, and Kindel, Lizotte, Dewar, and Lapierre dispersed in the bottom-six, depending on deployment and who wins lineup spots over others. 

Having that balance is important, but it's also worth noting that Novak as a true second-line center probably isn't going to cut it if the Penguins want to take steps toward contention. 

Should Rakell play center?

This will be one of the more interesting lineup storylines to follow heading into training camp. Rakell manned the middle quite a bit last season for the Penguins, and he got progressively more comfortable there as the season bore on. He spent a large chunk of time there in the stretch run of the season during times without either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, and he registered 14 goals and 24 points in a 20-game span. 

Faceoffs are still an issue, but the 33-year-old has had an entire summer to work on it. Everything else came along nicely as he played more games down the middle, and he proved one of their most valuable players in terms of getting the team to the playoffs.

Could Rakell centering the second line bolster the team's depth even more? Honestly, it could. Andrei Kuzmenko could slot alongside Crosby and Rust, Rakell could complete a formidable trio between Egor Chinakhov and Malkin, and Kindel could have a defensively conscientious and solid two-way player in Novak on his line to complement someone with offensive upside like Nick Robertson. 

Rakell centering the second line could make a lot of sense if the Penguins want to optimize the rest of their lineup and spread the wealth a bit. 

Pittsburgh Penguins' 2026-27 Lineup Projections: DefensemenIf Pittsburgh's roster remains status quo heading into the 2026-27 seasons, their defensive corps will have a lot of question marks.

Who won't play center

If last season taught us anything, it's that the Penguins - despite being down Crosby for their most crucial stretch of the season - still elected to keep Malkin on the wing during that time despite the team's deficit at center. 

So, more than likely, his days as a centerman in the NHL are all but over. The shift to wing for half the season, and Malkin's chemistry with Chinakhov and Novak, seemed to revitalize him, as he registered 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games. 

Even if he's no Malkin, the same can likely be said about Dewar. He has rarely played center with the Penguins, and there's no good reason to start now - especially since the Penguins employ a wealth of solid albeit unspectacular center depth. 

Could young guys elevate?

Something to keep in mind is that Kindel played through an entire NHL season as an 18-year-old at the center position, which is already a rare feat on its own. Even if his 17-goal, 35-point season doesn't jump off the stat page, he is a rare example of a teenage player who seems to have most of the 200-foot details already ironed out in his game. 

So, it stands to reason that he could take a major step forward next season in terms of production, which could eventually land him as the team's second-line center for good. This is probably best-case scenario for the Penguins, as they'd have some promise in a long-term top-six center, and they could place a very capable two-way center in Novak on the third line. Even if he doesn't explode offensively, Kindel will see growth this season as a player and as a center, and that is certainly a good thing for the organization either way. 

Lapierre shouldn't be counted out, either, especially since Muse and the Penguins already have a reputation for getting the most out of players who need a change of scenery. The former first-round pick (22nd overall in 2020) had pedestrian production with the Capitals, but being put in a better position to succeed with bigger minutes could benefit him in Pittsburgh. 

And don't forget Tristan Broz, who will be knocking on the door from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Broz, 23, only got one NHL game last season because of bad injury luck. But he is NHL-ready and will be the first one called upon if the Penguins need help down the middle. 

Pittsburgh Penguins' 2026-27 Lineup Projections: GoaltendersEven if the Penguins' goaltending tandem may seem set for 2025-26, there are no guarantees - and there's certainly a lot of talent to go around.

The verdict

The Penguins' most balanced, optimal lineup probably comes with Rakell centering the second line. Kuzmenko or Robertson are worth a shot next to Crosby and Bryan Rust, and Novak being on the third line to give it more defensive conscience is not a bad thing, especially for a guy on an upward trajectory like Kindel. Plus, that second line could certainly provide a lethal offensive punch, and Malkin can help ease some of Rakell's faceoff concerns.

So, Pittsburgh should roll Crosby, Rakell, Kindel, and Lizotte down the middle next season.

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Throughout the over three-decade history of the San Jose Sharks, only two players have ever worn the number 64 for the team in teal. 

The most recent player to wear the number was forward Mikael Granlund, who the Sharks acquired as a part of the trade that sent Erik Karlsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Granlund's NHL career started in the State of Hockey, as he was drafted by the Minnesota Wild with the ninth-overall selection in the 2010 NHL Draft. The Finnish forward spent just under a decade in Minnesota before being dealt to the Nashville Predators during the 2018-19 season. 

Granlund then spent five seasons in Nashville, helping them reach the playoffs on a regular basis. He'd be on the move once again during the 2022-23 season though, as he was dealt to the Penguins ahead of the trade deadline. That stint was less than memorable for the veteran forward, and the Penguins moved him to the Sharks that summer.

Granlund then spent two seasons with the Sharks, mentoring some of their young players and shining as a bright spot in a difficult time for the organization. In 121 games for the Sharks, Granlund scored 27 goals and 105 total points. 

The Sharks then traded Granlund to the Dallas Stars ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, where he spent the rest of the 2024-25 season. That summer, he signed with the Sharks' state rivals, the Anaheim Ducks, where he remains today.

During the 2023 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks selected Roman Kantserov in the second round with the 44th overall pick. He has since become one of the top prospects in the entire organization. 

Kantserov is developing into an incredible goal-scorer, as he led the KHL in goals during the 2025-26 season. He is now looking to translate that success to the NHL, where he will make his debut in 2026-27. 

Roman Kantserov Will Sign ELC With Blackhawks, Begin NHL Career In 2026-27The Chicago Blackhawks will land Roman Kantserov. He will begin his NHL career next season.

On Wednesday, Kantserov attended the NHLPA/Upper Deck Rookie Showcase as a member of their 2026 class. This took place at Blackhawks Ice Center in Chicago. Kantserov skated alongside some of the best prospects in the game right now, including fellow Blackhawks prospect Sacha Boisver and the number one overall pick made by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Gavin McKenna. 

Introducing the @NHLPA x Upper Deck Rookie Showcase class of 2026 🤩🏒👏 #RookieShowcase#CollectTheBestpic.twitter.com/gQcvddKsEA

— Upper Deck (@UpperDeckSports) July 29, 2026

When asked about the Blackhawks during his media scrum, Kantserov had some interesting things to say. For one, he wants Connor Bedard to return from his injury as soon as possible, but he understands the magnitude of Patrick Kane coming back. 

"It's [Bedard's injury] sad news," Kantserov said. "But Chicago signed Patrick Kane. The legend has come back. It's awesome.”

A lot of the young players on the team are going to be excited to play with Patrick Kane. Most of them grew up watching him. 

“He's the greatest American player, all-time scorer, and this is a very good opportunity to play with him," Kantserov said of Kane. "Of course, if we play together with Bedard, maybe we can find the chemistry.”

Coming into the year, Kantserov is going to get some runway when it comes to ice time in the top six. If he has a good camp and preseason, playing with the team's top players is absolutely going to be in the cards for him. 

Whether it is at even strength or on the power play, Kantserov is going to get looks with Patrick Kane early in the season. It will get even more lethal when Bedard returns. When it comes to his desire to build chemistry with them, it shouldn't be a problem, as they are all highly skilled players with experience playing with elite talent. 

Chicago, whichever linemates they start Kantserov with, should see him score a fair number of goals. Whether it's the two stars in Bedard and Kane, or others like Frank Nazar or Anton Frondell, there is a lot of playmaking talent on the roster. Feeding it to a sniper like this could create a whole new dynamic to the overall offense. 

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