Category: Ice Hockey

Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jordan Staal is on there.

So are Jackson Blake, Logan Stankoven, Fredik Andersen, Brandon Bussi and the other players who had key roles in the Carolina Panthers’ Stanley Cup championship this year.

Their coach, Rod Brind’Amour, also is on there, as is general manager Eric Tulsky.

A total of 53 names have been engraved onto the Stanley Cup to represent the 2026 champions. At the very top of the list is team owner Tom Dundon ... and his wife and their five children, whose ages are believed to range from single digits to mid-20s.

The Dundon family comprises the entire first two rows of names on the iconic chalice, even though Papa Dundon is the only one who holds a position within the organization.

Read more:Carolina Hurricanes defeat Vegas Golden Knights for first Stanley Cup title in 20 years

According to the NHL’s website, up to 55 names per championship teams can be engraved on the Cup. Players who appeared in at least 41 regular-season games or one Stanley Cup Final game automatically make the cut, and teams can petition the commissioner for permission to include other players. The team determines which names from the management staff are engraved on the trophy, but all names must be approved by the Hockey Hall of Fame and NHL.

So it would seem that all the names submitted by the Hurricanes would have required approval before being etched into immortality. The Hockey Hall of Fame told the Associated Press it is not directly involved with the engraving.

The NHL did not immediately respond on Friday to a request for comment from The Times.

Owners have included family members’ names on the trophy before. In 1984, Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington had the name of his father, Basil Pocklington, engraved even though Basil held no position with the team. Apparently the NHL was initially unaware of this addition, and the elder Pocklington’s name was later covered with a row of X’s.

Read more:Ducks keep Leo Carlsson, matching offer sheet to make him NHL's highest-paid player

Penny Vinik, then-wife of Tampa Bay Lightning majority owner Jeffrey Vinik, was included with the 2021 championship listing. She didn’t hold a traditional position within the organization but was largely considered a co-owner and was active in team operations.

The wife and three children of Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola were included on the Cup following the team’s titles in 2024 and 2025. All of them, however, are designated as alternative governors on the team.

While the entire Dundon clan made the cut, some notable Hurricanes omissions include defenseman Joel Nystrom (who played 38 games with Carolina this season); development coach Jesper Fast (who played four of his 11 NHL seasons with the Hurricanes); nutritionist Kristin Pirigyi; and three investors (Brett Jefferson, Marc Grandisson and Bobby Farnham) who joined the team’s ownership group in March.

Dundon’s move was widely criticized — and ridiculed — after the Hurricanes on Thursday posted a picture of the engravings on social media. The team declined to comment for this story.

Read more:NHL draft: Maple Leafs select Penn State forward Gavin McKenna No. 1 overall

NHL reporter and broadcaster Chris Johnston, who also covers hockey for the Athletic, called the matter “embarrassing.”

“Let me be crystal clear here: If you didn’t give every last piece of your being to earn this thing, you don’t deserve to have your name engraved,” Johnston wrote on X. “If you’re in primary school in Dallas when a team wins in Raleigh ... forget it.”

Hockey broadcaster Jeff Marek had an interesting idea.

Read more:Kings re-sign defenseman Brandt Clarke to five-year, $37-million deal

“Compromise - if the Carolina Hurricanes owner wants to do this how about just engraving ‘The Dundon Family’ instead of each name?” Marek wrote on X.

Former NHL player and current analyst Anthony Stewart posted a doctored image of the engraving that featured his name in place of two of the Dundons as well as in several other spots down the list.

“I see zero issues with the names on the Stanley Cup,” he wrote.

Defector deputy editor Barry Petchesky may have had the funniest observation of all. He wrote of the first two lines of names on the Cup: “That’s more Dundons than an episode of Law & Order.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Buffalo Sabres suffered a notable loss to their roster this off-season. This is because they sent forward Alex Tuch to the Washington Capitals in a major sign-and-trade. 

Tuch was a very important part of the Sabres' top six during his time in Buffalo. However, with the Sabres being able to come to terms on a new deal with the then pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), it made sense that they traded him instead of losing him for nothing.

Now, due to this, the Sabres are being predicted to make a big move next season to replace Tuch.

In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Lyle Richardson predicted that the Sabres would trade for Detroit Red Wings star forward Alex DeBrincat at the 2027 NHL Trade Deadline. 

"Having traded Alex Tuch to the Washington Capitals, the Sabres could be in the market for a top-six winger by the trade deadline if they haven't addressed that need by then. If the Detroit Red Wings are out of playoff contention again, winger Alex DeBrincat could be available," Richardson wrote. 

If the Red Wings shop DeBrincat, it would make a lot of sense for the Sabres to try to acquire him. This remains the case whether it is this summer or next season. The Sabres could use another star in their top six, and landing DeBrincat would give them just that. 

DeBrincat appeared in 82 games last season for the Red Wings, where he posted 41 goals and set new career highs with 44 assists and 85 points. With numbers like these, he would be a strong pickup for a Sabres club that is looking to continue to head in the right direction. 

It will be interesting to see if the Sabres pursuing DeBrincat. If they acquired him, he could work well on their second line with Ryan McLeod and Jack Quinn. 

Senators general manager Steve Staios has turned his attention toward some of his Belleville free agents, and for the second straight day, he signed a 2021 first-round draft pick to a one-year, two-way contract for next season.

After Xavier Bourgault re-signed on Thursday, it was Tyler Boucher's turn on Friday.

Like Bourgault, Boucher is coming off his best pro season, by far, this past year and the Senators are hoping he can take another step this fall.

Over 47 games, Boucher had 12 goals, 14 assists, and 26 points with the Belleville Senators, which over a full 72-game AHL season, would be a valuable 40-point pace.

That was not only a good step, it earned him another contract. But games played will remain the key statistic for Boucher, as it does every year.

Looking back to the draft five years ago, Boucher was seen by most analysts as a very good prospect at the 2021 NHL Draft, and probably the most physical forward available, but almost no one, except for the Senators, saw him as top-10 overall material.

He'd love a chance to prove everyone wrong but he'll need to dodge that injury bug that always seems latched on to some part of his body. In the five seasons since his draft day, he's played only 177 hockey games total between his time at Boston U, the Ottawa 67s and the Belleville Senators. 

The Senators are obviously hoping (and banking) on Boucher being able to take another step this fall.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was first published on The Hockey News Ottawa Senators site. For full coverage of the Senators, check out one of the latest headlines below:

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The Buffalo Sabres could go a number of different ways as the NHL is in the midst of trade season following the NHL Draft and the opening of free agency on July 1. With the departure of winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram, GM Jarmo Kekalainen is expected to seek out offensive reinforcements to make up for the 44 goals lost by their departures. 

Over the next few weeks, we will continue to look at potential options for the Sabres.  Some of the possibilities are not going to match Tuch’s stats, but any additions could provide some relief to the pressure that youngsters Konsta Helenius, Jiri Kulich, or Noah Ostlund will be under to make up the deficit.

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Kekalainen ideally would like to make up as much of the 60-to-70 point production that he lost with Tuch, and another possibility is someone who may be readily available in the way of the Anaheim Ducks matching the offer sheet to center Leo Carlsson and that is veteran winger Chris Kreider. The 35-year-old was part of the dismantling of the NY Rangers by former Sabre Chris Drury, as he was dealt to the Ducks after 13 years on Broadway. In his first season on the West Coast, Kreider matched his goal total in his previous season with the Rangers (22) and posted 50 points. 

The matching of Carlsson’s five-year, $90 million deal ($18 million AAV) has left the Ducks with just over $9 million in cap space, 40-goal scorer Cutter Gauthier still to sign, and a blueline short-handed after the departures of vets Radko Gudas and Jacob Trouba, and the trade of Olen Zellweger to Buffalo last month. Ducks GM Pat Verbeek was taken by surprise at the Carlsson offer sheet, thinking he would have plenty of cap space to sign him, Gauthier, blueliner Pavel Mintyukov, and more defensive replacements. 

The Ducks scrambled to re-sign Mintyukov to a five-year deal at an AAV of $7.2 million, and now do not have enough cap space to extend Gauthier. A number of NHL insiders have indicated that Verbeek is now looking to jettison a contract to clear room to re-sign the 22-year-old scorer, which reportedly include Kreider, former Tampa winger Alex Killorn, and Frank Vatrano.

 Adding Kreider would make perfect sense for the Sabres, if he is not on their 15-team no-trade list. Even though he is slowing down, the Massachusetts native can still move and is capable of playing in the top-six. He has one year left on his contract at $6.5 million, which would mean no long-term commitment on the part of Kekalainen, and in the spot that Verbeek is in, a deal might be so low-cost that the Ducks would have to include a pick to take on contract. 

That might be a long shot, since there might be a number of teams interested in the big winger, but the potential cost would likely be significantly less than any of the other trade or free agent options out there currently.   

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The Senators announced on Thursday that restricted free agent forward Xavier Bourgault has signed a one-year, two-way contract for the 2026-27 season. Bourgault, who's entering his third season with the Senators organization, was scheduled for arbitration later this month.

The 23-year-old is a former first-round draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers, who dealt him to Ottawa in 2024 with Jake Chiasson for winger Roby Jarventie and a fourth-round pick.

Playing alongside Arthur Kaliyev and Phillipe Daoust, which was one of the most productive lines in the AHL, Bourgault had his best pro season by a country mile. He finished second in Belleville scoring with 25 goals and 57 points. He even got his first taste of the NHL, playing in two games this season, including his debut on December 27 in Toronto.

Bourgault is a player that Staios has liked and monitored since their junior days. In 2022, Staios was GM of the Hamilton Bulldogs when they came up against Shawinigan in the Memorial Cup, and Bourgault was the Cataractes' best player.

That fall, both men reported for pro duty in Edmonton. 

Bourgault turned pro and headed for the Oilers' training camp, while Staios was hired by Edmonton as a special advisor to the hockey operations staff. Bourgault didn’t make the Oilers out of camp and was sent to AHL Bakersfield, where Staios was obviously in a position to keep close tabs on him. 

Two years ago, after Staios had left Edmonton for Ottawa, he still thought enough of Bourgault to bring him to Ottawa in the Jarventie deal. 

With 26 points in 51 games, Bourgault's first season in Belleville was underwhelming. However, B-Sens head coach David Bell said last summer that he believed Bourgault played through injuries that prevented the skilled forward from showing what he was fully capable of.

Seems like he was right, because Bourgault was a different player. 

With his contract now signed, Bourgault heads into training camp this September with more momentum than at any point in his professional career. His next step is proving he can hang at the NHL level. 

In the meantime, with Garrett Pilon signing in the KHL for next season, Bourgault has probably even earned some consideration as Belleville’s next captain.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was first published on The Hockey News Ottawa Senators site. For full coverage of the Senators, check out one of the latest headlines below:

What The...??? Daniel Alfredsson Joins The Toronto Maple Leafs
Report: Sens Players Grew Tired Of The Noise Around Tkachuk, Including His Podcast
Staios' Gamble Pays Off; Claude Giroux Will Return to the Senators
Former Senators Defenseman Signs In Colorado, Where His Dad Won A Stanley Cup

Senators Walk Away From Belleville Sniper Who Scored 40 Goals This Season
Are The Senators Planning To Carry Three Goalies On Their Roster?
Former Senators Defenseman Joins Belleville's Coaching Staff
Meet The Future: Senators Draft Offensive Skill With Two First-Round Picks

Poor Joel Nystrom. 

Despite playing in 38 games this season for the Stanley Cup-champion Hurricanes, Nystrom’s name wasn’t engraved on the Cup, even though owner Tom Dundon included the names of his five children. 

Dundon is facing backlash for the decision, with hockey fans calling the move “disrespectful and shameful.”

“The fact that @Canes owner put 7 family names on the Stanley Cup ahead of any players and in one case of a player who played 38 regular season games, is a disgraceful action in NHL history,” one X user wrote. “What an embarrassment of a team. You can be champions clearly without class.”

Dundon, his wife and kids’ names take up the first two lines of the Cup, before the Hurricanes front office and coaching staff complete the next six rows. 

The players completed the last 24 names – players who appeared in at least 41 regular season games or that dressed for a Finals game are guaranteed a spot on the Cup, per NHL rules.

That didn’t apply to Nystrom, who played in just under half the Hurricanes’ games and spent the rest of the season with their AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves.

That he came so close and didn’t make the list while family members did has raised some eyebrows. 

Carolina could have made an exception like it seemingly did for Nicolas Deslauriers, who appeared in seven games for the franchise after being acquired midseason and one playoff game in the first round.

Nystrom wasn’t the only notable person excluded, with Bobby Gorman, the Hurricanes’ equipment manager who’s been with the team since 1993 and got a spot on their Cup in 2006, also missing out.

The Hurricanes won their second Stanley Cup in franchise history on June 14 after beating the Golden Knights in six games. 

This is the latest drama involving Dundon, who also bought the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers in March and has been panned for his cost-cutting moves with the franchise.

Fans have been piling on him on oscial media.

“Dumb Tom Dundon wasted so much space on the Stanley Cup by adding his useless children to it. Children who contributed nothing to the success of that team,” one X user wrote. 

“What a self serving prick. Shameful,”

NHL fans are up in arms that Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon not only put his family’s names on Lord Stanley’s Cup but at the top of the list.

A maximum of 55 names are eligible to be engraved on the Cup, and owner Tom Dundon included six of his family members: his wife Veruschka and their five children Caden, Dax, Drew, Blake and Tagan.

Those seven names, including the owner, potentially taking a spot away from some other members of the organization who were legitimately part of the team’s success.

What particularly has incensed some is including members of his family who do not hold specific roles with the organization.

The Detroit Red wings had nine members of the Ilitch family on the Cup after their titles in 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008, but all served as part owners or team vice president, per The Athletic.

The Florida Panthers reportedly did the same last season when the Viola family had five total family members engraved on the Cup –– although they all held titles, including alternate governors.

The Hurricanes do not meet such criteria with the family inclusion.

Still, the names are engraved and fans are not thrilled about it.

“We won’t be commenting as an organization,” a spokesperson for the Hurricanes told The Athletic.

The processes detailed on the official NHL website describe eligibility requirements for engravings, and it appears there were inconsistencies.

“A player is required to have appeared in at least 41 regular-season games with a team, or one Stanley Cup Final game, to be eligible to have his name engraved on the trophy. In 1994, a stipulation was added to allow a team to petition the Commissioner for permission to have players’ names put on the Stanley Cup if extenuating circumstances prevented them from being available to play. The management staff engraved on the trophy is determined by the team. However, it must be approved by the Hockey Hall of Fame and NHL.”

The Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF) responded to an email from The Athletic on the situation.

“Hockey Operations at the league (NHL) office in Toronto signs off on the names that go on the Stanley Cup. HHOF is not involved in this process.”

It’s a bizarre response considering what the league’s official rules state, and fans are still livid.

The Hurricanes defeated the Golden Knights in six games in the Stanley Cup Finals.

“Dumb Tom Dundon wasted so much space on the Stanley Cup by adding his useless children to it,” one particularly harsh critic on X wrote.

“Children who contributed nothing to the success of that team. What a self serving prick. Shameful.”

Although it hasn’t been announced yet, BPM Sports’ and RG.org’s Marco D’Amico has confirmed with player agency Gold Star that Bogdan Konyushkov has signed a two-year ELC contract with the Montreal Canadiens.

The 23-year-old was drafted by the Habs in the fourth round of the 2023 draft with the 110th overall pick, stands 6 feet tall, and weighs 171 pounds, according to the KHL website. Unlike last year, Konyushkov was not present at the development camp, which raised a few eyebrows, but it makes sense if the Canadiens were already planning to sign him and knew he would have to play with HC Torpedo this season.

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The Russian side published a news release today stating that the defenseman’s representatives had asked the team to technically terminate his contract so he could sign a two-way contract with the Canadiens. The release goes on to explain that the team agreed, but that he will still be loaned to Torpedo until the end of his existing contract with them on May 31, 2027.

While he’s not exactly big, the blueliner plays with a physical edge, and after a down year production-wise in the KHL in 2024-25 with just 17 points, he bounced back nicely with 38 points in 67 games in the 2025-26 campaign, averaging 21:25 in ice time. Konyushkov had a successful career at the lower levels in Russia as well, winning championships with his teams in both the MHL and the VHL. In the MHL, he had six points, all assists, in six playoff games while the rugged defenseman collected 13 points in 17 playoff games in the VHL.

When he does come over at the end of the KHL season, he will be able to either join the Laval Rocket in the AHL or the Canadiens. You can add his name to the list of reasons why Canadiens fans can look forward to next spring, right alongside Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky.

Big news might be coming out of Montreal soon… #WeAreGoldStar! pic.twitter.com/NhSUO2CTTy

— Dan Milstein (@HockeyAgent1) July 10, 2026

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The Buffalo Sabres have brought in a few new players this off-season, but they should not be done making moves yet. 

One way that the Sabres could look to strengthen their roster is through the free agent market. Because of this, let's look at three remaining UFAs who the Sabres should consider signing. 

Patrick Kane

Out of all the UFAs left, Patrick Kane stands out in a major way. The future Hall of Famer would have the potential to be a great addition to the Sabres' top six. With the Sabres taking a big step forward last season, now feels like the right time for them to bring the Buffalo native home. In 67 games with the Detroit Red Wings last season, he recorded 16 goals and 57 points.  

Anthony Mantha 

The Sabres have another top-six winger worth considering in Anthony Mantha. After posting career highs with 33 goals, 31 assists, and 64 points in 81 games last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the 2013 first-round pick is still a UFA at this point in the summer. The 6-foot-5 forward could be a solid replacement for Alex Tuch in Buffalo's top six. 

Vladimir Tarasenko 

Vladimir Tarasenko is another intriguing UFA still available right now. The 34-year-old winger had a nice bounce-back year with the Minnesota Wild in 2025-26, posting 23 goals and 47 points in 75 games. While he is no longer the star he was during his prime, he would still have the potential to be a good addition to Buffalo's middle six. It also doesn't hurt that he has won the Stanley Cup twice during his career.

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Wild has re-signed defenseman Carson Lambos to a one-year contract, keeping one of the organization's top young blueliners in the fold ahead of the 2026-27 season.

The move continues the club's work of retaining its restricted free agents this offseason. They also re-signed David Spacek and Caedan Bankier.

Lambos, 23, was selected by Minnesota with the 26th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft and has spent the past several seasons developing with the Iowa Wild.

The left-shot defenseman also made his NHL debut during the 2025-26 season, giving the organization a glimpse of what he could bring at the next level.

With Quinn Hughes, Brock Faber, Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon leading the NHL blue line, with a mix of Olli Maatta, Zach Bogosian and Daemon Hunt to round it out, Lambos will likely continue competing for opportunities while serving as valuable organizational depth.

He remains one of Minnesota's more intriguing defensive prospects and could push for a larger NHL role as the season progresses.

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In the last two seasons, the Montreal Canadiens made the playoffs, and their dominance over their divisional rival, the Florida Panthers, was a big part of that. The Habs have won their last seven games against the Cats. This past season, Montreal outscored Florida 13-7, while the January matchup ended 6-2; the other two games didn’t finish in regulation. The April bout was ultimately decided in a shootout, while the December meeting went into overtime.

Back in 2024-25, the Tricolore played four games against the Panthers and outscored them 14-5. Montreal blanked the Panthers 4-0 in their first matchup of the season, before winning 3-1 at home and 4-2 in Florida in March. They then wrapped up the season series with another triumph, this time at the Bell Centre by a score of 4-2. Back then, Florida was the two-time defending champions and being able to handle them like that was a big confidence builder for the young Habs.

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Looking ahead to the 2026-27 season, however, it looks like winning against Paul Maurice’s team won’t be quite that easy. After missing the playoffs last season, there won’t be any bumps or bruises left on the Panthers. Captain Aleksander Barkov sat out the entire season after undergoing knee surgery on both his ACL and his MCL, but he’ll be back with a vengeance.

Barkov won’t be the only addition, though; Bill Zito was able to add some more sandpaper to a team that hardly needed any more when Brady Tkachuk essentially fell into his lap after forcing his way out of Ottawa. The younger Tkachuk will join big brother Matthew and effective pest Brad Marchand, who’s just not slowing down despite being 38 years old. Last season, he put up 54 points in just 52 games; one can wonder if he would have kept up the same pace in 82 games, but it’s far from impossible that he would have. As for the older Tkachuk, he played only 31 games due to an injury, but he still put up 34 points. Those are three players who know how to get under your skin, and it will take a lot of self-control not to fall victim to their antics.

On July 1, they also added some depth at center, signing former Hab Lars Eller to a one-year deal at just $850,000. He may not put up many points, but he’s an effective player on both sides of the puck and highly responsible defensively. Since they knew they couldn’t afford to sign A.J. Greer to a new contract, they traded for Garnet Hathaway, who will replace Greer’s physicality, though he’s unlikely to be as productive.

On the blueline, Zito added even more physicality by signing Radko Gudas as a free agent. He may only be a third-pairing guy, but he knows how to lay down the boom effectively and punish his opponent’s forwards. Just like Marchand, Zito signed him to a long-term contract he probably has no hope of playing through, but it allowed the Panthers to spread out the money they have to pay him, bringing his cap hit down to just $1.5 million.

The offseason isn’t over yet, though, and the Cats have only $1,221,786 in cap space while still needing to sign a backup goaltender. They didn’t re-sign Sergei Bobrovsky, but they traded for Jacob Markstrom, who has a $6 million cap hit over the next two seasons. While he’ll be looking for a bounce-back season after only winning 23 games with a 3.07 goals-against average and a .883 save percentage, he has won his last four games against the Habs.

The Cats have also acquired goaltender Akira Schmid from the Vegas Golden Knights, but he’s an RFA right now and has filed for arbitration. The hearings are set to take place from July 20th to August 1st, so they should get some clarity on the net front sooner rather than later. Depending on the result, Zito may be forced to make another move as teams are allowed to go over the cap during the offseason, but they’ll have to be cap-compliant by the time the season starts.

Wherever you look in the Panthers’ lineup, there doesn’t seem to be any weakness. Meanwhile, Kent Hughes has yet to address any of the Canadiens’ needs this offseason. The GM is after a top-six forward (a center wouldn’t go amiss, but the Habs would settle for a winger if he were impactful), a top-four right-shot defenseman, and some more grit for the bottom six.

Of course, the offseason is far from over, but when you compare the Canadiens’ lineup to the Panthers, you get a sense of how much the Habs are missing to really ice a contender. That was also made clear by the Carolina Hurricanes' dominance in their third-round series. Hughes has a lot of futures to trade, but as he has said himself, there aren’t that many rebuilding teams looking for what he’s selling right now. There’s no doubt that this makes his job harder, and with the Canadiens making the Eastern Conference Final last season, other GMs aren’t exactly keen on helping the Habs improve. Still, the GM will need to find a way if he wants his team to keep improving. There’s only so much organic growth can do.

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The Toronto Marlies, AHL affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs, had an incredible campaign this past season. They went on to win the Calder Cup and were crowned champions of the American League, which is always a great sign for any organization.

The Marlies' success beamed a spotlight on the team's coaching staff. Now, John Gruden, head coach of the Marlies for the past three seasons, has earned a role with the Maple Leafs as an assistant coach next season.

As for the players on that Marlies team, there were multiple standouts. However, as good as some of the Marlies' core players were in the post-season, they may not get the opportunity they deserve in the AHL after a busy off-season for the Leafs and GM John Chayka.

Players such as goaltender Artur Akhtyamov, defenseman William Villeneuve, centers Jacob Quillan, Bo Groulx and others all deserve some more time in the NHL. 

Akhtyamov was stellar for the Marlies this past season, especially in the playoffs. He played 22 games, earning the starting role for the team early in the post-season, and finished with a .923 save percentage, a 2.22 goals-against average and a pair of shutouts.

The 24-year-old's campaign was so impressive that not only did he go home with his team carrying the Calder Cup, but he was also named the AHL playoff MVP and awarded the Jack A Butterfield Trophy.

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Villeneuve, 24, made his first three NHL appearances this past year, but really should get much more than that next season, considering his playoff campaign. 

He scored 23 points in 24 playoff games for the Marlies, leading all American League defenseman in scoring for the post-season by a landslide. Not to mention, he almost led the entire league in playoff scoring if it weren't for Toronto's Vinni Lettieri, who potted 26 points in 23 contests.

With a campaign that impressive and a blueliner who can move the puck and provide speed to an aging NHL D-corps, Villeneuve should certainly be given more than the three appearances he got in 2025-26.

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Quillan and Groulx got real looks in the NHL this past year, particularly after the trade deadline, when some regulars were shipped away for future assets and the Leafs' season was drifting away.

In Quillan's 23 games and Groulx's 13 appearances, they showed potential to be bottom-six centers who can contribute on the penalty kill. They have areas that could require some improvement, including Quillan's offensive presence and Groulx's record in the faceoff dot.

However, with the opportunity they got last year, they'll be looking for another taste after showing that they can hang in the NHL.

Maple Leafs Re-Sign Vinni Lettieri, Sign 3 More Depth Players To New ContractsThe Maple Leafs are bringing back one of the driving forces of their Calder Cup championship while adding to their depth.

Unfortunately for those players, who all have their own cases to get a chance in the NHL, there don't seem to be many open spots on the Maple Leafs' roster going into 2026-27.

One player a part of the Marlies' run that hasn't been mentioned is left winger Easton Cowan. He'll likely be an NHL regular this coming year after scoring 11 goals and 29 points in 66 contests for the Leafs in 2025-26. So that's one roster spot filled.

Of course, there are the stars or perennial NHLers on the roster, such as Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Matthew Knies, John Tavares, Morgan Rielly, Chris Tanev, Jake McCabe, and several others.

And within all those names, there were an abundance of additions this off-season, taking up half of the roster practically. In terms of forwards, the Leafs added Nick Paul, Jack Roslovic, Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger, Brandon Duhaime and even first overall draft pick Gavin McKenna.

On the blueline, Toronto completed a sign-and-trade for Darren Raddysh and acquired Emil Andrae in a separate trade. They also signed Troy Stecher to a two-year contract extension.

And in the crease, they traded away Joseph Woll, but acquired future Hall of Fame goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky in free agency, inking him to a three-year deal.

Indeed, injuries are a part of the game and could certainly free up some roster spots for the handful of Marlies who would deserve them. But in terms of flat-out making the team out of camp and having a relatively regular role next season, the odds are certainly against many of those Calder Cup champions.

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The New York Islanders have the seventh-most dead cap space in the NHL, per PuckPedia.

Teams with the most dead cap space:

San Jose - $6.53M
Buffalo - $6.44M
Vancouver - $6.27M
Montreal - $5.18M
Calgary - $3.85M
Nashville - $3.56M
NY Islanders - $3.50M
Edmonton - $2.85M
Chicago - $2.76M
Colorado - $2.29M
Dallas - $2.08M
Ottawa - $1.88M
Minnesota - $1.67M
St. Louis…

— NHL Rosters (@NHL_Rosters) July 10, 2026

The $3.5 million the Islanders have is solely Matthew Schaefer's bonuses after his Calder Trophy-winning rookie campaign.

The Islanders had around $3.5 million in available space come the end of the season, but that was because they were using Long-Term Injured Reserve to stay under the salary cap limit.

When LTIR is used to stay under the cap, that automatically triggers cap-overage penalties for bonuses. 

The Islanders $2.997 in available cap space right now includes Schaefer's bonuses.

That number is closer to $4 million if goaltender Vitek Vanecek begins this season in the minors, with the Islanders burying his entire $1 million cap hit in the minors. 

Expect Schaefer to continue to get the $3.5 million bonus in each of the next two seasons. So, unless the Islanders avoid using LTIR to stay under the cap, expect to see this trend continue for the totality of his entry-level deal. 

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Wild continued taking care of business with its restricted free agents on Friday, re-signing forward Caedan Bankier and defenseman David Spacek to one-year contracts.

Bankier, 23, was selected by the Wild in the third round (86th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft. The two-way forward has spent the past two seasons with the Iowa Wild, where he has continued to develop into a reliable depth option capable of playing in a variety of situations.

He is expected to return to Iowa this season as he continues working toward his first NHL opportunity.

Spacek, 23, was drafted in the fifth round (153rd overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft and has steadily climbed Minnesota's organizational depth chart.

The puck-moving defenseman has shown offensive upside during his time with the Iowa Wild and even played in two NHL games last season.

Both players are expected to play significant roles in Iowa during the 2026-27 season while continuing their development within the Wild organization.

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Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon is facing criticism after engraving the names of six family members onto the Stanley Cup ahead of those who helped win their first championship in 20 years.

Dundon added the names of his wife and five children immediately after his own, placing them ahead of front-office members, coaches, players and staff.

As a result, Tom Dundon, Veruschka Dundon, Caden Dundon, Dax Dundon, Drew Dundon, Blake Dundon, and Tagan Dundon now occupy the first two lines of the iconic trophy.