Category: Ice Hockey

The Penguins finished the 2024-25 season with just 80 points in the standings, good for only seventh place in their division and 13th in the Eastern Conference.

Fast forward a year, and Pittsburgh was up to 98 points, a second place finish in their division that ranked seventh in the conference. Where did that turnaround happen? Let’s check the team performance split by opponent over the two seasons.

The highlighted segment of division opponents tells the tale at large. The Pens were just 9-13-4 against Metropolitan Division opponents in 2024-25. That turned completely on its head this past season by the tune of a 13-4-9 record in 2025-26. That’s as many wins as total losses but avoiding regulation losses is the name of the game – getting to OT against these opponents serves to cheapen the impact of their win. Two of the regulation losses were to the Capitals at the tail end of the season after Pittsburgh had clinched a playoff berth and iced less-than-competitive lineups to make the record that much more impressive for the games that matters.

To go from a full-season point pace of just 69 in 2024-25 when playing teams in the division to turn it into a pace of 110 in 2025-26 really sums up the Pens’ turnaround from one year to the next. It’s really about all that needs to be said, dominate the division and you are likely headed to the playoffs. Play horribly and it’s the draft lottery.

Improvements weren’t limited to the division, Pittsburgh managed a 15-15-2 record against the Western Conference in 2024-25, that improved to a 15-9-8 record this past year. While they didn’t add to the win total, avoiding regulation losses was once again a key to results, the pace difference from year-to-year was 82 to 97, showing just how critical picking up the so-called ‘loser point’ can be. They add up in the standings column just the same.

One area where results were a little less favorable was against the Atlantic Division, where Pittsburgh put up a 12-11-1 record. Somehow, Toronto dummied the Pens all season long (shakes fist at William Nylander) despite the Maple Leafs having a rotten year otherwise. Coming into the season, a season-sweep of Florida would have sounded more impressive than it ended up being at the finish of the year, the Pens did it anyways (3-0-0). Pittsburgh also helped sink the Yzerplan by going 3-0-0 against Detroit. At the same time, the Pens took a step back against Montreal (1-2-0 record after sweeping the Habs in 2024-25) and – as usual for Pittsburgh – continued to have trouble winning games against Ottawa and Boston.

The Pens’ performance against the two Stanley Cup Final teams of Carolina and Vegas show how they are so close, yet so far away. Pittsburgh took a 2-2-2 record against the two, losing four of the six games. However, the wins (5-1 over the Hurricanes on December 30th, 5-0 over Vegas on March 1st) were two of their more impressive games of the season. The regulation losses (5-1 to Carolina and 6-2 to Vegas, both in March) were extremely humbling experiences. The two extra time losses (both to Carolina) were back-and-forth battles where Pittsburgh erased third period deficits to earn a point. In the end, they didn’t quite have enough.

For next season, the Penguins will have to be looking to accomplish the same results against the Metropolitan Division to have a strong season. The NHL is tacking on two more games, and both are against division opponents. That means that one-third of the 84 game schedule (28 games) will be against rivals. 2025-26 showed that performing well in those games will set a team up nicely to qualify for the postseason. It’s easier to read a map than actually tread it, but the message and results are clear for division performance making Pittsburgh one of the worst teams in the league in 2024-25 when they struggled in that area, compared to being one of the better teams in 2025-26 when they were able to excel against their most important foes.

The Calgary Flames pulled off a couple of headline-stealing moves before and after the NHL Draft. First, they acquired defenseman Simon Nemec from the New Jersey Devils and stuck to their guns and kept their ninth overall pick. Then, when the dust settled on the first week of free agency, the Flames dealt veteran leader Blake Coleman to the Minnesota Wild.

Despite taking significant steps to continue their rebuild, Bleacher Report viewed Calgary's offseason as more average than impactful, handing the Flames a C+ grade.

Everyone knew going into the offseason that Calgary wouldn't make any big pitches in free agency; instead, their focus was on making room for prospects to crack the NHL lineup. As the days passed, the rumors continued to swirl around Coleman, who was entering the final year of his current deal, and many wondered if he'd be moved, despite his wishes to stay, to free up a spot for a youngster. 

In the deal with the Wild, the Flames traded away Coleman and Olli Määttä in exchange for more draft picks and Jacob Middleton. Of course, draft capital can go a long way in a rebuild, but at first glance, Middleton will not have the same impact in the lineup as Coleman once did. It will be interesting to revisit this deal in a couple of years, when General Manager Craig Conroy uses or flips the draft picks.

Meanwhile, part of the skepticism stems from the expectation that Calgary could take another step backward in the standings in 2026-27. While the Flames continue to build around young players like Dustin Wolf, Matt Coronato and Zayne Parekh, the roster still lacks the offensive firepower needed to compete for a playoff spot and stop being one of the NHL's lowest-scoring teams. 

Calgary fans have experienced a rebuild paying off before. After drafting players like Sam Bennett, Johnny Gaudreau, and Matthew Tkachuk in the early 2010s, the Flames eventually developed into a Pacific Division champion. Right now, the organization hopes its current young core can follow a similar path, even if that success is still a few seasons away.

Whether Bleacher Report's C+ offseason grade turns out to be accurate will depend largely on Calgary's young core. If Nemec develops into the top-pair defenseman, someone fills the leadership role vacated by Coleman, and prospects like Parekh, Coronato, and Wolf continue their upward trajectory to stardom, this offseason could eventually be viewed far more favorably than it is today.

Colorado Avalanche News

• After acquiring the pick in the Valeri Nichushkin trade, the Avalanche selected Egor Shilov at No. 43 overall — a dynamic offensive talent with all the skill in the world. [The Hockey News]

• Predicting Cale Makar’s next mega contract for the Colorado Avalanche. [SI]

• Colorado Avalanche name Jussi Ahokas as Head Coach of their AHL affiliate Colorado Eagles. [CHL]

News Around the League

• Tragic new details of Claude Lemieux’s final hours now revealed. [Toronto Sun]

• Another Canucks management lesson: the failure of Steve Yzerman. [Ottawa Citizen]

• Vancouver ordered to clear salary cap space amid their ongoing rebuild. [Pro Hockey Rumors]

• Celebrini is open to taking discount on his next contract to help San Jose. [The Score]

• Five NHL stars who could soon demand max contracts. [Sportsnet]

• Blackhawks sign star Bedard to a five-year, $75M contract. [TSN]

• Hurricanes’ Assistant GM Tyler Dellow celebrates his day with the Stanley Cup [NHL.com]
  

In the latest episode of his Habscast podcast, former professional scout Grant McCagg covered a lot of topics, but one particularly caught my eye: his segment on Florian Xhekaj. Arber’s younger brother is seen by many as a future member of a Montreal Canadiens’ energy line, and there are even those who hope he can make the roster out of training camp. While it would certainly be a good story to see the brothers line up together for the Habs regularly, McCagg considers the forward a long shot to make the team out of camp.

At the 31-minute mark, he starts breaking up Xhekaj’s play with the Laval Rocket in a couple of games in the Calder Cup playoffs against the Toronto Marlies. McCagg’s main concern with the Hamilton, Ontario native’s game is his skating. He considers Xhekaj to be an average skater in the AHL and therefore a below-average skater at the NHL level. According to McCagg, he hasn’t improved his skating at all this season, and the former scout believes that might be down to putting on too much weight and his quest to become bigger and stronger.

Behind The Scenes Of The Canadiens Mentors Trip
Mantha Confirms The Canadiens Showed Some Interest
Multiple Scenarios On The Table For Canadiens And Bolduc

At 6-foot-4 and 204 pounds, Xhekaj does have a big body; however, a big body becomes much more efficient when it brings speed and velocity to hits. That’s quite important in the NHL; how often has Martin St-Louis spoken about the importance of a player moving his feet to be efficient on the forecheck?

McCagg does, however, mention that Xhekaj is doing well as a penalty killer and that this might be key to his eventual bid to make the NHL. Because of his lack of pace, he doesn’t believe he’ll be able to play as a center in the big league unless there’s a significant improvement in that department.

McCagg even goes as far as saying that he believes that Owen Beck is more likely to make the Canadiens’ roster this season than Xhekaj. As things stand right now, the Canadiens’ 12 forward spots are pretty much spoken for. Brendan Gallagher and Joe Veleno left, but that means the Habs no longer have a 13th forward. Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Alex Newhook, Oliver Kapanen, Ivan Demidov, Alexandre Texier, Phillip Danault, Josh Anderson, Zach Bolduc, Kirby Dach and Jake Evans all have a chair. However, it’s not exactly clear which chair is whose outside the top line, with Demidov being a fixture on the second line.

Beck and Xhekaj are both 22, entering the final year of their ELC contracts, and whichever way you look at it, being the 13th forward in the NHL wouldn’t be optimal for their development, but it may be all that the Canadiens have to offer for now, at least. That being said, there will be injuries; there always are, or there could even be a trade that comes before training camp and changes things, but at this stage, it doesn’t look very likely.

---

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Former Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell took to Instragam on Sunday to open up about the next chapter of his life after more than a decade in professional hockey, a message that effectively served as his retirement announcement from the NHL.

In the post, Campbell reflected on the journey that took him from a highly touted first-round pick to an NHL All-Star and, eventually, to a place where stepping away from the crease felt like the right decision. The tone was measured and grateful rather than dramatic. He spoke about closing one book and beginning another, emphasizing growth, perspective, and a desire to move forward with purpose beyond the ice as a life coach.

Campbell’s path was never linear. Long before the bright lights of Toronto or the pressure of a big free-agent contract in Edmonton, he publicly discussed the challenges of the pressure he had put on himself early career. As a high draft selection by the Dallas Stars in 2010, the expectations weighed heavily. He has spoken in the past about periods of deep self-doubt, anxiety, and the sense that he was failing not just as a player but as a person. 

Those struggles resurfaced later, most notably when he entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program in the fall of 2024 while under contract with the Detroit Red Wings organization. The program, which supports players dealing with mental health issues among other challenges, marked a clear prioritization of his well-being over continued on-ice performance. Campbell has since referenced therapy, yoga, meditation, and other personal work as part of rebuilding himself away from the daily grind of professional hockey.

His highest points as a player came in Toronto. Acquired from the Los Angeles Kings in February 2020, Campbell arrived as a backup and quickly earned the trust of the coaching staff and the fan base. The 2020-21 season produced one of the more memorable stretches in recent Maple Leafs goaltending history. Campbell opened the year with an 11-0-0 record, setting a franchise mark for the most consecutive wins by a goaltender to start a season. That run helped stabilize the team during a condensed schedule and announced him as a legitimate starter.  The following year he appeared in the NHL All-Star Game and posted 31 wins in 49 appearances, solidifying his status as a fan favourite affectionately known as “Soupy.” The connection with Leafs Nation was genuine. Campbell’s openness, competitiveness, and personality made him more than just a reliable netminder during a period when the team was searching for consistency in goal.

Those two seasons represented the peak. In the summer of 2022, Campbell signed a five-year, $25-million contract with the Edmonton Oilers, a deal that reflected both his performance in Toronto and the market’s belief that he could be a long-term No. 1. The transition proved difficult. Campbell struggled with consistency and the elevated expectations that came with a contending roster and a significant financial commitment. After a rough first season and limited NHL action the next year, the Oilers bought out the remaining three years of the contract in June 2024. He signed a one-year deal with Detroit shortly afterward and spent the majority of his time with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League before focusing fully on his personal health.

Now, with the Instagram message serving as a quiet but clear bookend, Campbell is stepping into his new life as an executive and identity coach, drawing on the same experiences that once threatened to derail him. For a player who spent so much of his career battling the mental side of the game as hard as the physical one, the next chapter appears focused on helping others navigate similar pressures.

Leafs fans who watched him during those standout seasons will remember the smile, the compete level, and the way he seemed to embrace the city. Campbell’s story was never only about stops and starts. It was about resilience, honesty, and the long process of figuring out who he was beyond the crease. That process, it seems, is still ongoing.

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Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

“Based on (Anthony Mantha’s) production last season, he should slide into a top-six role. That changes the outlook of the Devils’ roster, at least up front, and it could affect other players’ places in the lineup.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]

“Change hit the New Jersey Devils this offseason, and the Utica Comets are feeling the effects. New Jersey has failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs three times in the past five seasons, and has only one series victory in that span. And three consecutive postseason misses for the Comets have the Devils eager to retool their AHL affiliate, too.” [TheAHL.com]

On Alexander Command: “He can settle in and be a good player, maybe like Anton Lundell was in Florida as a rookie. He was picked around the same area (No. 12, 2020 NHL Draft). Lundell had Aleksander Barkov and Sam Bennett there. The transition to the NHL is not easy, but it becomes a little less burdensome and I think the same thing is true for Alexander Command (with Hischier and Jack Hughes in New Jersey). I think he’s a terrific player.” [NHL.com]

Sergei Brylin heads to the KHL:

The newest head coach of HC Dinamo Minsk!

Can’t wait to see you do big things behind the bench, Sarge. pic.twitter.com/84bmW6pRNP

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) July 18, 2026

Hockey Links

A five-year deal for Connor Bedard:

𝐄 𝐗 𝐓 𝐄 𝐍 𝐃 𝐄 𝐃 🏠

from draft night to his first goal on UC ice and every moment in between, here’s to 𝟓 more years of 𝟗𝟖 in Chicago ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Cvad2ECxbC

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) July 18, 2026

The league’s top cap hits:

Highest cap hits in NHL entering 26/27 season:

Leo Carlsson – $18M #NHLDucks
Kirill Kaprizov – $17M #mnwild
Connor Bedard – $15M #Blackhawks
Leon Draisaitl – $14M #LetsGoOilers
Jack Eichel – $13.5M #VegasBorn

Draisaitl, the only one who is NOT entering year 1 of contract

— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) July 18, 2026

Jamie Drysdale gets a four-year deal:

Jamie Drysdale and Philadelphia have settled to avoid arbitration

4 x $6.5M

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 17, 2026

“The Steve Yzerman Era in Detroit is over. And it didn’t go the way anyone wanted. A hiring that was set up to be a fairytale homecoming has ended in a flameout. There’s no doubt Yzerman inherited a tall task back in 2019. But to go seven years without making the playoffs would have surprised any skeptic back then — if such skeptics even existed.” [The Athletic ($)]

“Precisely 3,542 names have been etched, ever, onto the Stanley Cup, a tradition that dates back to 1907. Each one commemorates not just a championship won but a lifetime of work and sacrifice, blood and sweat, tears and teeth spent getting there. The list includes both all-time greats — Gretzky and Lemieux, Crosby and Ovechkin, Gordie Howe and Rocket Richard — along with journeymen who rose up in the biggest moments. You don’t get there by accident. This is sacred stuff. Well, it used to be, anyway.” [ESPN]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

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Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson remains unsigned through the first three weeks of the NHL's free agency period. 

The Red Wings extended a qualifying offer to Edvinsson, ensuring they maintain control of his restricted free agent rights. However, he remains eligible to sign an offer sheet with another NHL team.

Despite him having yet to affix his signature to a contract, it doesn't appear as though the Red Wings are in danger of the Swedish blue liner being lured away via an offer sheet. 

Per the latest from longtime Red Wings beat writer Ansar Khan, the club is ready to match any offer sheet that he could potentially receive.

Ansar Khan: Re Red Wings: The Simon Edvinsson thing, I don't think that was ever really a concern among the organization, they were prepared to match whatever he received if he were to get an offer sheet - Jason Gregor Show (7/15)

— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) July 18, 2026

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Since being chosen sixth overall by the Red Wings in the 2021 NHL Draft, Edvinsson has emerged as a foundational piece of Detroit's defense corps. The 22-year-old has solidified himself as one of the club's premier blueliners and is widely viewed as second only to Moritz Seider in the team's long-term plans on the blue line.

Edvinsson took another step forward in 2025-26, dressing for 72 contests while setting personal bests offensively. He found the back of the net nine times and added 16 assists to finish the year with 25 points.

His season was briefly interrupted when a nagging injury flared up again toward the end of January, ultimately requiring surgery. Despite the setback, he recovered quickly enough to return to Detroit's lineup before February came to a close.

Through 175 NHL appearances, Edvinsson has accumulated 60 points on 19 goals and 41 assists. He's also logged more than 21 minutes of ice time per game over his career while posting a plus-17 rating.

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Former Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers goaltender Jack Campbell has announced his retirement from professional hockey at 34, confirming the news via an update to his Instagram bio.

In a video where he discussed his career and personal struggles behind the scenes, he now describes himself simply as a "former NHL goaltender" and an "identity and performance coach." His goal is to help others get through what he needed help getting through.

Former Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell has announced his retirement from professional hockey at 34 via Instagram.

Campbell now lists himself as a “former NHL goaltender” and an “identity and performance coach” in his Instagram bio.

During his time with the Maple Leafs,… pic.twitter.com/XeZYDOhvWK

— Leafslatest (@Leafslatest) July 20, 2026

Campbell's career was full of fascinating twists and turns. Selected by the Dallas Stars as the highest-drafted goaltender in franchise history (#11 in 2010), he played only one game for the Stars before joining the Los Angeles Kings. He played 56 games as a King before going to Toronto. His numbers for both the Kings and the Maple Leafs were solid. It led to him signing a lucrative deal with the Edmonton Oilers. 

On the heels of a season where he played 49 games, posted a 2.64 goals against average and a .914 save percentage, Edmonton gave him a five-year, $25 million deal as a free agent in 2022 — but the fit never worked. He lost the starting job almost immediately, was eventually sent to the AHL, and was bought out by the Oilers after just two seasons.

In October 2024, while with the Detroit Red Wings, Campbell entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program for an indefinite period, a program that supports players dealing with anything from substance issues to mental health struggles. He never played in the NHL again.

What stands out now, in retirement, is how openly Campbell has spoken about his struggles. He wants to apply what he's learned when he said it took him getting a life coach to find his way, and help others. His path from a "can't-miss prospect" to burned-out backup did a number on him personally. It took him time to get back on track, never being able to get there in terms of becoming an NHL goalie again.

It's good to see that he's found a new path and seems to be doing well. 

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In due time, the Philadelphia Flyers will be back big-game hunting, as they have to wait only a few years to begin putting pressure on the Chicago Blackhawks to pry Connor Bedard away from the flailing franchise.

On Saturday, Bedard, 21, signed a five-year, $75 million extension ($15 million AAV) with the Blackhawks, but there are a few factors that could make push come to shove and force a departure.

For starters, Bedard does not have trade protection at any point in his new deal until Year 5: 2030-31, when he has a full no-move clause. That means that if Bedard is not traded before July 1, 2030, he will spent that full season with Chicago and walk into unrestricted free agency at age 25 if he is not extended before then.

Bedard's new deal buys him only one year of UFA status, too, which is what makes his situation similar to the Leo Carlsson offer sheet. Those contracts are virtually identical, with the exception that Carlsson makes most of his money up front and is $3 million more expensive per year; those were products of the Flyers doing what they needed to do to try and strongarm Anaheim out of their franchise player.

This is all to say that, if it becomes apparent to Bedard and his camp that the Blackhawks are not turning the corner and prepared to win, he can be traded to any other NHL team four or fewer years into the deal.

New NHL Signings Prove Flyers Didn't Break Market for League with Leo Carlsson Offer SheetWith new contracts for Connor Bedard and Trevor Zegras, there is proof the Philadelphia Flyers did not destroy the NHL and the open market with their Leo Carlsson offer sheet attempt.

If that doesn't happen, Bedard can simply wait out Year 5, go to free agency, and pick his team.

While his camp insists he wanted to stay with the Blackhawks and never considered signing an offer sheet himself, it is obvious that the 2023 No. 1 overall pick has numerous ways out of Chicago if and when the opportunity presents itself.

As for the Flyers, well, they proved with the offer sheet to Carlsson that they are prepared to spend big money against the cap and give up whatever draft capital necessary to land themselves a young, elite player in the middle of the ice.

Bedard unquestionably fits that bill and is an even more dynamic talent than Carlsson, even if injuries and size have been question marks in his nascent NHL career thus far.

On top of the Flyers being among the most willing to and brazen about flopping their wallets on the table, we must also consider the Matvei Michkov friendship factor.

Bedard and Michkov are two fierce competitors whose bond began to form on the ice at the international level during the 2021 U18 World Championships

Michkov took the first NHL matchup between he and Bedard back on Nov. 23, 2024, playing hero with his "cold-blooded" overtime winner.

"It was really good to see him on the ice. It was a long time we don’t play against each other. I hope it’s only the beginning," Michkov had said. "I think he will try to get it back. I have to be ready for it."

Bedard did get Michkov back with a 7-4 win on March 23, 2025, but the Flyers won their two matchups with Chicago last season, putting Bedard down 3-1 in the all-time "series" against his Russian counterpart.

It's tough to be on that side of the rivalry for so long, isn't it?

It may not be tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, or the year after that, but soon, the Blackhawks must make something of themselves with Bedard on the team, or else they'll have to trade him or eventually lose him in free agency for nothing. You can count on the Flyers being prepared for that.

The Buffalo Sabres should consider adding another skilled forward to their roster before the start of the season. When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha is an interesting potential option to consider. 

Zacha just had an excellent 2025-26 season with the Bruins, posting new career highs with 30 goals and 65 points. He has also recorded at least 57 points in three out of his last four seasons. With numbers like these, he would have the potential to be a very good addition to the Sabres' roster. This is especially so when noting that he also plays a strong two-way game. 

With Zacha entering the final season of his contract, questions have come up about his future in Boston. If negotiations do not go well and he ends up being made available for trade, the Sabres would be very wise to make a push for him. He would offer them with an upgrade for their second-line center spot. However, he can also play the wing, which only adds to his appeal.

It will be interesting to see if the Sabres end up making a push for Zacha this off-season, but the fit looks strong on paper.

There was a time when a $10 million cap hit stopped people in their tracks.

Nathan MacKinnon became the NHL's highest-paid player at $12.6 million less than three years ago, Auston Matthews pushed the market to $13.25 million shortly after, and now Leo Carlsson has an $18 million cap hit after signing a five-year offer sheet with Philadelphia that Anaheim matched. Connor Bedard agreed to a five-year extension worth $75 million, collecting nearly $49 million through signing bonuses while settling at $15 million against the cap. Those contracts arrived only days apart, yet neither felt particularly out of place.

That's how quickly the conversation has changed.

The flat-cap years trained everyone to think differently. General managers guarded every dollar because they had no reason to believe another one was coming. Players still landed enormous contracts, but negotiations rarely wandered far beyond the financial reality sitting in front of them. Every long-term commitment came with the understanding that flexibility would remain scarce.

NHL Arbitration 400UNIVERSITY OF HOCKEY OPERATIONS Course Catalog: Fall Semester

With a continouslly rising salary cap, nobody is negotiating that way anymore.

The numbers being thrown around this summer are tied to where the NHL expects itself to be by the end of the decade, when the salary cap is projected to sit comfortably above where it stands today and contracts that currently dominate headlines could look surprisingly ordinary.

That's what Carlsson's offer sheet represents. One 141 points in 201 NHL games doesn't resemble the résumé that traditionally produces the richest cap hit in hockey, but Philadelphia saw a young centre with size, skill and years of team control remaining. They recognized how rarely players like that become available and attached a number large enough to force Anaheim into making a decision immediately. 

Bedard's extension reflected many of the same realities. Chicago secured the face of its franchise before another negotiation had the chance to become more expensive, while $49 million in signing bonuses served as another reminder that cash has become every bit as important as average annual value in discussions involving the league's biggest stars.

Connor McDavid to the Flyers?.. Huh?Former NHL enforcer Todd Fedoruk claims the league’s top superstar is eyeing Philadelphia, sparking a firestorm of tampering concerns and speculation over Daniel Briere’s next blockbuster move.

Every negotiation involving Macklin Celebrini, Adam Fantilli, Will Smith and the next wave of franchise players now begins with fresh comparables, signed under financial conditions that barely resemble those from only a few seasons ago. Agents will point to Carlsson. Teams will point to Bedard. Neither side will spend much time talking about contracts signed before the cap began climbing again.

Offer sheets could find their way back into the conversation as well.

They spent years feeling more theoretical than practical, largely because front offices preferred preserving relationships over creating uncomfortable situations. Philadelphia demonstrated there are circumstances worth testing, particularly when cap growth softens the long-term consequences of a contract that might have felt impossible to absorb only a few years ago. It won't surprise anyone if another general manager decides the risk is worth taking.

Choose Your Own Cap Space: A GM's OffseasonYou are the general manager of an NHL team with a promising young core, a demanding fan base, and exactly $9.2 million in cap space. What could go wrong? Let's find out.

Fans still react to these numbers the way they reacted when double-digit cap hits first appeared, even as the league continues moving the goalposts. That's understandable. Hockey has never experienced sustained financial growth like this under a salary cap system, and perspective usually lags behind reality.

Reality has already moved on.

The next contract that resets expectations probably isn't far away. Neither is the one that makes it seem modest.

When the Colorado Avalanche traded Justus Annunen to the Nashville Predators during the 2024-25 season, it looked like a move between two teams searching for stability in goal.

Colorado needed a reliable presence behind Alexandar Georgiev. Nashville was hoping a change of scenery could unlock the potential of a goaltender who had shown flashes of being something more.

A year and a half later, both teams may have gotten exactly what they needed.

Scott Wedgewood has become one of the NHL’s most dependable goaltenders in Colorado, while Annunen is coming off the best season of his career and followed it with a gold medal performance on the international stage.

The player Colorado once hoped would develop into a long-term option is now looking like a goaltender on the verge of becoming a star.

Annunen spent parts of four seasons with the Avalanche organization, arriving as a promising goaltending prospect with the size, athleticism, and potential to become an NHL regular.

But by the end of his time in Colorado, it became clear something had to change.

His final season with the Avalanche was difficult. Much of his workload came after Alexandar Georgiev struggled, leaving Annunen in a difficult position as he tried to find consistency while often entering games with the pressure already mounting.

Instead of continuing to fight for sporadic opportunities, Annunen needed somewhere he could play, develop, and build confidence.

That opportunity came when Colorado traded him to Nashville along with a 2025 sixth-round pick in exchange for Scott Wedgewood.

At the time, neither goaltender had fully lived up to expectations.

Looking back, however, it may have been the perfect trade for everyone involved.

Wedgewood immediately found his game with the Avalanche, providing the steady play Colorado needed behind its starter. Annunen received something equally important in Nashville: an opportunity to grow.

The transition wasn’t easy.

After joining the Predators, Annunen posted an .888 save percentage and a 3.17 goals-against average while playing behind a Nashville team that struggled defensively. The Predators allowed 3.34 goals per game, ranking among the worst defensive teams in the NHL.

Those numbers were not an accurate reflection of Annunen’s ability.

Even the beginning of the 2025-26 season was a challenge. Through his first six starts, he recorded an .857 save percentage and a 3.83 goals-against average.

Then, something changed.

Starting with a 30-save performance against the Washington Capitals in his first start of 2026, Annunen began to settle in. The confidence grew, the performances improved, and by the end of the season, he looked like a completely different goaltender.

Annunen appeared in a career-high 28 games, posting a 10-12-2 record with a 2.68 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage.

Those were career-best numbers for Annunen in any season where he appeared in at least 20 games.

He also delivered one of the best performances of his NHL career, stopping all 43 shots he faced to record Nashville’s first shutout in more than a year.

“I thought Big Juice was outstanding,” Predators head coach Andrew Brunette told reporters after the win. “We’ve had a lot of [shutouts] that slipped away and they weren’t going to let this one go for Big Juice. He’s been put in real tough scenarios. I think they all wanted to get him a shutout.”

The momentum carried over beyond the NHL season.

Annunen earned the starting role for Finland at the 2026 IIHF Men’s World Championship and delivered when his country needed him most.

He was perfect in the gold medal game, stopping all 22 shots he faced in a 1-0 overtime victory against Switzerland to secure the championship for Finland.

The victory came against Predators captain Roman Josi, who captained Switzerland to a silver medal.

Annunen finished the tournament with a 7-1-0 record, a 1.47 goals-against average, and a .933 save percentage while serving as Finland’s starter.

For a goaltender who spent much of the previous year trying to establish himself, it was another reminder that his ceiling may be much higher than many originally thought.

His development also caught the attention of Chris MacFarland.

Now Nashville’s general manager, MacFarland knows Annunen better than most. He was part of the Avalanche front office that helped oversee his development before ultimately trading him to the Predators.

“I’m not surprised that Justus came here and found his game with his commitment and work,” MacFarland said. “I think the goaltending department here has done some really good work and it allowed him to develop, stretch his wings a little bit.”

That may become one of the biggest storylines for Nashville heading into next season.

Juuse Saros has been the Predators’ unquestioned starter for the last five seasons, but 2025-26 was easily one of the most difficult years of his career.

In 59 games, Saros posted a 28-22-8 record with a 3.16 goals-against average and an .894 save percentage.

Meanwhile, Annunen enters the offseason with confidence, momentum, and a two-year contract extension signed in January.

Nashville doesn’t need to rush into replacing Saros, but it may make sense to give Annunen a much larger role next season. A true rotation between the two goaltenders could allow both players to stay fresh while giving the Predators a better evaluation of what they have.

But if Annunen continues playing at this level, the conversation could change quickly.

Starting goaltenders rarely emerge overnight. They earn that opportunity through consistency, confidence, and proving they can handle the pressure.

Annunen is doing exactly that.

If he takes another step forward, Saros could eventually become one of the most intriguing names on the trade market next season.

It may not happen. It may not even be the direction Nashville wants to go.

But for the first time, there is a legitimate question surrounding the Predators crease.

Who is the future in net?

Colorado believed Annunen had that potential when they drafted and developed him. Nashville gave him the chance to finally prove it.

The trade worked out exactly as both sides hoped.

The Avalanche found a dependable veteran in Wedgewood, who has played the best hockey of his career in Colorado.

Annunen found something just as valuable in Nashville: opportunity.

Now, the potential Colorado once saw is finally turning into production.

The Buffalo Sabres snapped their 15-year postseason drought, winning the Atlantic Division and advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but after an offseason that saw Bowen Byram and Alex Tuch being dealt, the task of repeating as division champion or finishing in the top three of the Atlantic could be significantly more difficult. 

This week, we will look at the seven other teams in the Atlantic to see where they stand in comparison to where they were at the end of last season and see where they potentially stack up as competition with the Sabres.

The Ottawa Senators were the polar opposite of the Detroit Red Wings after the  Olympic break, going 16-5-4 to beat out the Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Washington Capitals, and NY Islanders for one of the two Eastern Conference wildcard spots. The Sens battled the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, but only scored five goals in a four-game sweep. 

After the season, there was little hint that things between the club and team captain Brady Tkachuk had reached a crossroads, but behind the scenes he indicated that he would not be re-signing in Ottawa after the final two years of his contract, which led to him being traded to the Florida Panthers to join his brother Matthew. 

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Additions

William Eklund - acquired from San Jose for the ninth overall pick in the 2026 Draft (Keaton Verhoeff), under contract for three more years at $5.6 million AAV

Philip Tomasino - signed to one-year, $900,000 deal

Samuel Ersson - acquired from Toronto for a 2027 fifth round pick  

Andre Burakovsky - acquired from Chicago for a 2027 sixth-round pick 

Subtractions 

Brady Tkachuk - 59 points (22 goals, 37 assists) in 60 games, dealt to Florida for the 2026 ninth overall pick, 2026 25th overall pick (Jonas Lagerberg-Hoen), a 2027 second-round pick in the 2027 draft and conditional 2029 first round pick.

Outlook

The Sens core group (Tim Stutzle, Shane Pinto, Dylan Cozens, Eklund, Jake Sanderson) are all 25 or younger, and head coach Travis Green has veterans Drake Batherson, Artem Zub, Thomas Chabot, and Claude Giroux who are contributors. Ridly Greig provides sandpaper, Tyler Kleven and Jordan Spence provide quality depth on the blueline, and Linus Ullmark has returned to Vezina form in stretches.  

As currently constructed, Ottawa and Buffalo are about even in goal with Ullmark and Ersson against the Sabres trio. Defensively, Sanderson and Chabot are quality top four defenders, but they do not come up to the level of Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power, the departure of Byram has weakened the Sabres defensive depth, and Ottawa draws close to even with the second and third pairing blueliners. Where the Sabres have a clear advantage is up front, where the loss of Tkachuk is by far more impactful than the departure of Tuch. 

The Senators have also taken a step back, to the point where they are likely battling to stay out of the bottom of the Atlantic Division next season instead of competing for a wildcard spot. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

The Hamilton Hammers, the New York Islanders' American Hockey League affiliate, announced on Sunday afternoon that they had signed right-shot defenseman Ryan Healey.

.@hammersahl have signed RHD Ryan Healey, who #Isles acquired the rights to from #mnwild for future considerations.

His rights were set to expire on Aug. 15.

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) July 19, 2026

This deal is a one-year AHL deal. 

Hamilton also announced that they have signed goaltender Ryan Fanti to a one-year AHL deal. 

The Hockey News reported the goalie signing on Saturday morning.

Hamilton Hammers Add Depth GoaltenderFormer Minnesota Duluth standout Ryan Fanti joins the organization on a one-year deal, providing veteran stability for the IronHawks while bolstering the Islanders’ goaltending hierarchy for 2026.

Healey, 22, was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL Draft and had spent the last four seasons at Harvard, where he recorded 55 points (19 goals, 36 assists) in 130 NCAA games. 

The Islanders acquired the rights to Healey on June 27 from the Wild for future considerations.

His rights were set to expire on Aug. 15. Because it is strictly an AHL deal, any NHL team can sign Healey. 

It’s been three weeks since the opening of free agency, and the Montreal Canadiens have not put pen to paper with any NHLers aside from players who were already theirs. Kent Hughes has also been quiet on the trade market, although that wasn’t for lack of trying; as things stand, the Habs are set to run it back with the same lineup that lost the Eastern Conference Final in five games.

Nobody can complain about the work Hughes has done so far, and staying away from the big contracts and overpayment that normally characterize free agency has served him well in the last five years. However, with so many of the Canadiens’ core players signing team-friendly contracts, the Habs GM will need to have something to show them for it sooner or later. Of course, that could be later down the line when the Habs’ prospects join the lineup, and there’s plenty of cap room to get them to commit long term, but in the meantime, Montreal’s lineup could do with a placeholder.

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A veteran player who can still produce and is seeking a short-term contract would be ideal. There’s one veteran player who’s still a free agent and who has signed a one-year deal for his last three contracts: Patrick Kane.

The 37-year-old put up 57 points in 67 games with the Detroit Red Wings last season and is still a productive player in the NHL. For a Habs team that is hoping to see Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky join at the end of the season, the American could be just what the doctor ordered.

Of course, Kane has never been known as a genius on the defensive side of the game, but he does have a very high hockey IQ and elite decision-making, which could make him an ideal candidate to thrive in Martin St-Louis’ brand of hockey.

Would he be able to commit to playing a complete game on both sides of the puck? That’s the question, but he may very well be worth a one-year gamble, especially since the Habs have been unable to get anyone else so far. Last year, Kane had a $3 million cap hit; the year before, it was $4 million, and three years ago it was $2.75 million. He’s won three Stanley Cups with the Chicago Blackhawks and knows what it takes to make it all the way. He’s at the very least an option to seriously consider, as his presence on Ivan Demidov’s wing could be a game changer.

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