On this day in 2013, Daniel Alfredsson signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings, ending 17 seasons as the face of the Ottawa Senators franchise and setting up what would become the final chapter of a Hall of Fame career.
The deal carried a $5.5 million cap hit, built around a $3.5 million base salary with performance bonuses, and it stunned a league that largely expected the longtime Ottawa captain to either re-sign with the Senators or retire outright.
Alfredsson was 40 years old at the time of the signing, and his decision to leave the only organization he had ever known came down to a chance to finally win the Stanley Cup.
He had spent 18 years in Ottawa without ever hoisting the trophy, including a run to the 2007 Final that ended in a loss to the Anaheim Ducks, and he made clear that the pursuit of a championship. Alfredsson served as the Red Wings' assistant captain in 2013-14 and put together a respectable final season, recording 18 goals and 31 assists for 49 points in 68 games.
At 41 years old, he was still productive enough to be one of Detroit's most important forwards in a season that saw the Red Wings finish fourth in the Atlantic Division before falling to the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs. Back issues kept him from training camp the following season, and rather than push through another year, Alfredsson announced his retirement in November 2014.
A month later, he signed a ceremonial one-day contract with Ottawa so he could officially retire as a Senator, taking part in warmups and the ceremonial faceoff in his final appearance at what was then Canadian Tire Centre.
The situation echoes, in some ways, what the Red Wings find themselves navigating now with Patrick Kane, another future Hall of Famer brought in during the twilight of his career to add scoring punch and leadership to a team trying to climb back into true contention.
Alfredsson won the Calder Trophy in 1996, was named Ottawa's captain in 1999 and held that role until his departure in 2013, won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, and took home the Mark Messier Leadership Award shortly before he left for Detroit.
By the time he left Ottawa, he held the franchise records for games played, goals, assists and points, finishing his time with the Senators having played 1,178 games and totaling 426 goals, 682 assists and 1,108 points, numbers that still stand as franchise benchmarks today.
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PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 29: Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Nicholas Robertson (89) skates with the puck against Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) during the third period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on November 29, 2025, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The NHLPA announced that 15 players have filed for arbitration by the 5pm deadline today.
The National Hockey League Players’ Association announced that 15 players have elected salary arbitration:
Bourgault, Xavier (Ottawa Senators)
Dach, Kirby (Montreal Canadiens)
Drysdale, Jamie (Philadelphia Flyers)
Greaves, Jet (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Jefferies, Alex (New York Islanders)
Krebs, Peyton (Buffalo Sabres)
McMichael, Connor (St. Louis Blues)
Perfetti, Cole (Winnipeg Jets)
Robertson, Jason (Dallas Stars)
Robertson, Nick (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Schmid, Akira (Florida Panthers)
Schneider, Braden (New York Rangers)
Seeley, Ronan (Carolina Hurricanes)
Sillinger, Cole (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Zegras, Trevor (Philadelphia Flyers)
The deadline for the second club-elected salary arbitration notification is July 6 at 5 p.m. ET. Salary arbitration hearings will be held from July 20 to Aug. 1.
Nick Robertson was the only Penguin to elect to start the process. Egor Chinakhov, Arturs Silovs and David Gustafsson had the option but did no go that route and will negotiate their contracts outside of arbitration.
Robertson can still negotiate with the Pens and sign at any point up to his hearing. The overwhelming majority of cases in the past get settled before that process formally kicks in, this is a commonly a tool used to set a deadline to get the ball rolling for the next contract. Robertson, like his brother, is now ineligible to sign an offer sheet with another team. For what that may or may not mean, Chinakhov potentially still could.
The Chicago Blackhawks have brought in some new players this off-season as they look to take a step forward in 2026-27. However, they also had some departures from last season's roster.
The most notable player the Blackhawks lost through free agency this off-season is Ilya Mikheyev. The 31-year-old winger signed a four-year, $15.4 million contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning and should now be a solid part of their forward group.
Seeing Mikheyev sign elsewhere was certainly one of the tough moments of the Blackhawks' off-season. The veteran forward was a key contributor on the Blackhawks' roster, and they will miss him now that he is in Tampa Bay.
Mikheyev made his biggest impact with the Blackhawks with his excellent penalty-killing and two-way play. He also provided Chicago with solid secondary scoring during each of his two seasons with the Original Six club. In 77 games last season was Chicago, he recorded 18 goals and a career-high 36 points. This was after he had 20 goals and 34 points in 80 games for the Blackhawks in 2024-25.
With this, there is no question that Mikheyev was a valuable part of the Blackhawks' roster during his two-year stay with the team. It will be interesting to see how much of an impact he can make with the Bolts from here.
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.
Kekalainen ideally would like to replace the 60-to-70 point production that he lost with Tuch, and one possibility still unsigned is big winger Anthony Mantha. The 31-year-old enjoyed a renaissance last season, scoring a career-high 33 goals with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The former Detroit first rounder scored 20+ goals in consecutive seasons with the Red Wings, but has struggled with injuries throughout his 11-year NHL career.
After being dealt to Washington in 2021, the 6’5”, 240 lb. forward, was dealt to Vegas at the 2024 trade deadline as a rental, and played only 13 games for Calgary in 2025. Pittsburgh signed Mantha to an incentive-based one-year deal and were paid off with his best offensive year, but he now is looking for a deal with some security and a bump from his $4.5 million AAV.
Never known as a good defensive player, Mantha was +10 last season and was utilized on the Penguins power play. The Sabres are likely looking for someone who can replace Tuch on the man advantage and at this point less than one week into free agency, the only potential answers on the open market are Mantha, and Buffalo native Patrick Kane.
On most draft nights, top-10 picks are under the brightest lights in hockey, walking the stage, shaking hands, posing for photos, and stepping into the NHL spotlight in real time.
Carson Carels did it differently. He was back home on the family farm in Cypress River, Manitoba, where the noise wasn’t cameras and draft buzz, but cattle, chores, and the rhythm of calving season.
That contrast followed him straight into Calgary Flames development camp, where the 6-foot-2, 198-pound left-shot defenseman finally stepped onto the ice as a top-10 pick — still very much carrying that rural identity with him.
“I’m embracing it all,” Carels told NHL.com's Lawrence Heinen after the first day of development camp. “It’s kind of settling in more and I get to feel like I’m a part of the organization more, so it’s nice.”
For Carels, the path to becoming the No. 6 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft didn’t come with a trip to Buffalo’s KeyBank Center. It came with a family decision to stay put, to remain on the farm, and to let the moment unfold in a place that’s been part of his life far longer than hockey arenas.
That decision wasn’t a reaction to precedent, either. Nashville Predators prospect Brady Martin also stayed home on draft night a year earlier, but Carels said the choice wasn’t modeled after anyone else.
“It was more just a group decision to just do it, and I mean, I don't think if Brady wouldn't have done it last year, that we would have changed our minds,” Carels said. “We probably would have done the same thing. We’re a really tight-knit family. We're just calving cows still. Right now we're kind of in between, where we're getting a little off calving and getting into the haying.”
That same farm-first mindset didn’t disappear when he arrived at WinSport for development camp. Between skating sessions on adjacent rinks and quick turnarounds that barely left time to return to the locker room, Carels found himself pulled into a different kind of attention — this time from fans rather than livestock.
@CHGO_Blackhawks I’ve been saying the hawks need a Dwayne Robertson cowboy ala Mighty Ducks D2 for a while now and today’s pod vindicated that 😆 pic.twitter.com/HsQtCIUFyM
“Some of us guys didn't really get to go back to the locker room after the first skate,” Carels said. “We were just all fan interaction and everything like that. It's really special to see everyone come out like this. It's a really special fanbase here and it's been awesome so far.”
Flames general manager Craig Conroy wasn’t bothered in the slightest by how Carels chose to experience draft night.
“We ask everybody, are you going to the draft, when we were at the (NHL Scouting) Combine,” Conroy said. “He said, 'No, I'm going to do it from the farm.' Brady Martin did it last year. I thought it was great. When I talked to him, he was definitely having a party in the background. I could hear all the noise, so they were having fun. He seemed very excited, too, about being a Flame. It's an exciting time for the organization.”
The organization’s development staff sees something deeper than just a rural backdrop.
“The first thing that comes to mind for me is just you that that there's the character and the work ethic and the ability to fight through adversity and all those things are there,” said Flames director of player development Ray Edwards. “There's a special player there. Obviously, we don’t want to put a lot of pressure on him, but to get him where we got him ... he was our No. 1 defenseman all the time. He was our guy.
“To get him where we got him, we were ecstatic.”
That same identity carried into the end of camp as Carels skated with Team McDonald, helping them to a 10-8 win over Team Vernon to capture the Snowy Cup, named in honor of former Flames assistant general manager Chris Snow.
On the ice, though, the focus is already shifting toward what comes next.
Carels put up 73 points (20 goals, 53 assists) in 58 games with the Prince George Cougars, finishing tied for fourth among Western Hockey League defensemen, and will head to the University of North Dakota this fall.
“It’s going to be a good step for me to make a step instead of a leap to this next level,” Carels said. “I think UND is going to shape me to be a more complete player and continue my maturity as a player. It's going to be a good step and I'm really happy going there.”
There, he’ll be joining Flames forward prospect Cole Reschny — a familiar face from international tournaments and now the college ranks — as the next chapter begins, one that doesn’t feel like leaving the farm behind, but more like carrying it with him into every rink he steps on.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild have retained one of their young defensemen, re-signing restricted free agent Daemon Hunt ahead of the 2026-27 season.
The 24-year-old has spent the past several seasons splitting time between the NHL and AHL, showing flashes of the two-way game that made him a third-round pick by Minnesota in the 2020 NHL Draft.
In 32 games last season, Hunt recorded six assists and 43 blocked shots. He also played in five playoff games and recorded one assist, eight blocked shots and six hits.
With Quinn Hughes, Brock Faber, Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin, Olli Maatta and Zach Bogosian all expected to compete for NHL minutes, Hunt will likely continue battling for a roster spot while providing valuable depth if injuries arise.
The Wild have emphasized keeping their defensive depth intact this offseason, and bringing Hunt back ensures another young option remains in the organization.
Minnesota and Hunt's contract is one-year, $900,000.
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The Calgary Flames last played a Stanley Cup playoff game on May 26, 2022, against their provincial rival, the Edmonton Oilers, in a 5-4 overtime loss in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series. Barring a miracle run to the playoffs this year, that game may be the last postseason contest ever on Saddledome ice.
In the over 1,500 days since the Flames lost that overtime game, the roster has undergone a complete overhaul. Whether it was a superstar forward, a solid defenseman, or the best goalie the franchise has employed in almost a decade, every single one of them is gone, except one.
As the longest-tenured Calgary player in franchise history, approaching his 19th season, current captain Mikael Backlund is the only skater still in the 2026-27 lineup to have played in a Stanley Cup playoff game with the club.
Where did everyone go? Here's a quick look at what happened to the Flames' lineup from May 26, 2022.
July 2022
Johnny Gaudreau signs with the Columbus Blue Jackets for seven years and $68 million as a free agent on July 13.
Erik Gubranson, on the same day as Gaudreau, agrees to a deal with the Blue Jackets for four years and $16 million.
Calle Järnkok leaves the club two days after Gaudreau and Gubranson, agreeing to a four-year deal worth $8.4 million with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Matthew Tkachuk informs the Flames that he will not re-sign with the club and is traded to the Florida Panthers on July 22. Calgary receives Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, Cole Schwindt, and a first-round draft pick in 2025.
July 2023
Trevor Lewis re-signed as a free agent in July 2022 and played one more season in Calgary before returning to the team he won two Stanley Cups with, the Los Angeles Kings, on a one-year deal.
Milan Lucic, one of the few players ever traded between Calgary and Edmonton, returns to the Boston Bruins on a one-year deal.
Michael Stone played out the 2022-23 season, retiring on July 5, 2023, and immediately moving into a role with the Flames' player development team.
Nikita Zadorov was traded to the Vancouver Canucks on November 30 for a fifth-round pick in 2024 and a third-round pick in 2026.
January 2024
Dillion Dubé requests an indefinite leave from the team. Eventually, Dubé was implicated in the 2018 World Juniors scandal and left the NHL to play in the KHL.
Elias Lindholm was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in January 2024 in a deal that saw the Flames acquire Hunter Brzustewicz, Joni Jurmo, and Andrei Kuzmenko, plus 2024 first- and fourth-round picks.
Tyler Toffoli finds a new home with the New Jersey Devils after the Flames deal him for Yegor Sharangovich and a third-round draft pick in 2023.
February 2024
Chris Tanev got dealt to the Dallas Stars in a three-team trade involving the Devils. The Flames received Artem Grushnikov and a second-round pick in 2024.
March 2024
Noah Hanifin leaves the Flames in a three-team deal that also involves the Philadelphia Flyers and ends up with the Vegas Golden Knights. In the exchange, Calgary received Daniil Miromanov, plus a first-round pick and a third-round pick in 2024.
August 2024
Oliver Kylington took a mental health break from the Flames at the onset of the 2022-23 season and wouldn't skate in the NHL again until January 2024. Following a brief return, he signed as a free agent with the Colorado Avalanche in August.
June 2024
Andrew Magiapane is traded to the Washington Capitals for a second-round draft pick in 2025.
Jacon Markström is dealt to the Devils for Kevin Bahl and a first-round pick in the 2025 Draft.
January 2026
Rasmus Andersson is traded to the Golden Knights, reuniting with Hanifin for a first-round and second-round pick in 2027, plus Zach Whitecloud and Abram Wiebe.
July 2026
Blake Coleman, the second-to-last player from the 2021-22 team, is traded to the Minnesota Wild along with Olli Määttä for Jacob Middleton, plus three draft picks in 2027 (third round), 2028 (fourth), and 2029 (second).
Backlund is signed through the end of the 2027-28 season, which would give him a chance to become the only player in Flames history to play 20 seasons with the franchise.
However, the team is focused on rebuilding and loading up with young talent these days, meaning that no matter when the captain leaves, whether it's a trade before his deal is up, or he skates into retirement, there's a chance that he remains the last Calgary player to participate in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
For Colorado Eagles fans, the turnover in Loveland this offseason is starting to feel less like roster tweaks and more like a full reset — and now another familiar name is gone from the blue line.
The Washington Capitals have signed veteran defenseman Jacob MacDonald to a one-year, two-way contract, ending his second stint with the Eagles. The deal was announced by Capitals senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick.
For Colorado, it's the latest in a string of departures that has quietly stripped away much of the core that helped power a deep Calder Cup Playoff run just a season ago.
Head coach Mark Letestu, who guided the Eagles to the Western Conference Final in his first year behind the bench, was poached by the Vegas Golden Knights to join their staff as an assistant coach. On the back end, Jack Ahcan departed on a two-year, two-way deal with the Nashville Predators, taking one of Colorado’s most reliable puck-moving defensemen with him. Up front, veteran forward T.J. Tynan, a long-time fixture across multiple stints in the organization, also moved on, signing with the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Now MacDonald joins that list — and in some ways, his exit hits differently.
At 33, he was one of the most productive offensive defensemen the AHL has seen in the modern era, and was still producing when healthy.
In an injury-shortened 2025-26 season with the Eagles, MacDonald still managed 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists) in just 17 regular-season games. He added two more points in 17 playoff appearances as Colorado pushed all the way to the Western Conference Final.
But it’s his body of work that sets him apart.
MacDonald ranks seventh all-time among AHL defensemen in goals with 103, a rare milestone for a blueliner. His peak came in 2024-25, when he put together one of the most dominant seasons by a defenseman in league history. He won the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL’s top defenseman after scoring a league-record 31 goals from the blue line and finishing with 55 points to lead all AHL defensemen.
He was just as dangerous on special teams. 13 of his goals came on the power play — the most among AHL defensemen — and he tied for the league lead with five game-winning goals from the back end. That season earned him First Team AHL All-Star honors and a selection to the All-Star Classic.
Across his AHL career, MacDonald has played 357 games and recorded 260 points (103 goals, 157 assists) with Springfield, Albany, Binghamton, San Jose, and Colorado. A significant portion of that production came on the power play, where he’s totaled 134 points.
His production has shown up everywhere he’s gone. In 2017-18 with Binghamton, he led all AHL defensemen with 55 points and earned First Team All-Star honors. In Colorado during the shortened 2019-20 season, he again led all defensemen in goals with 16 and was named a Second Team All-Star.
He also brings NHL experience, appearing in 135 games with the Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche, and San Jose Sharks, recording 27 points (10 goals, 17 assists). In the AHL postseason, he’s appeared in 35 Calder Cup Playoff games with 11 points.
MacDonald’s path has been anything but linear. Undrafted out of Cornell, he began his pro career in the ECHL with the Elmira Jackals before carving out a long, productive career as one of the most consistent offensive defensemen in the league.
Now, as he moves on to the Capitals organization, the Eagles are left to piece things back together. Not just after losing a high-end scoring defenseman — but after watching another key part of a once-promising core walk out the door in what has become a defining offseason of change.
The
Montreal Canadiens are known for being protective of their players. It’s not
because the media want to speak to a particular player or prospect that they’ll
get to speak to them. We had prime examples of that when Patrik Laine joined the organization
or when Jakub Dobes said he wouldn’t understand if he were sent down to the
Laval Rocket last season. So when development camp came around, mere days after
Jeff Gorton intrigued a lot of people when he said that summer is long and that
plenty of things could happen and could make Michael Hage reconsider his
decision to go back to school, it wasn’t a given that the Habs would make the
exciting prospect field questions, but they did. That was the right call.
After
Gorton insinuated the door was still open for Hage to join the Habs this
season, it was obvious that the youngster would be grilled about that
possibility and the reasons which motivated him to make that call. Despite being
only 20 years old, the youngster spoke with calm and eloquence, making it clear
that it wasn’t a decision he had made in the heat of the moment but one he had
really thought through.
Essentially,
the young man believes he still has things to improve before making the jump to
the NHL, and he wants to help Michigan win a national championship. It’s
admirable that he has the maturity to prioritize those things over the
temptation to turn pro and maximize his earnings earlier, because the sooner
you get through your ELC contract, the sooner you can sign a big-money deal. To
see Hage prioritize his development rather than choose to get to the dollar
bags quicker shouldn’t be all that surprising, really. Kent Hughes has made it
clear that the Canadiens, when they draft a player, want to draft character
players. Players who will want to be part of a team and work toward one
objective: winning, not toward maximum earnings.
When Hage
committed to Michigan, he did it to win there, and last year that didn’t happen.
The high ankle sprain he suffered threw a spanner in the works, and he couldn’t
play as much or as well as he would have had he been healthy for the Frozen
Four. At the same time, when he joins the Canadiens, he wants to be the best player he can be, and in that sense, he reminds me of former Habs captain
Max Pacioretty.
Suivez les points de presse des espoirs des Canadiens en direct du camp de perfectionnement
Back in
2009, Pacioretty had raised more than a few eyebrows in town when he declared
in November that his development would be best served with first-line, full
minutes with the Hamilton Bulldogs rather than by playing part-time, fourth-line
minutes with the Canadiens. The Habs had still called him up, and after 52
games in which he put up only 14 points, they sent him back down to Hamilton,
where he was really given a chance to blossom. There’s nothing wrong with an
athlete wanting to improve and to be as good as they can be when they make the
jump to the NHL. Last season, the American-born winger was a special assistant
to coach Brandon Naurato at Michigan, where Hage is playing. I’m not implying
that he swayed Hage’s decision; the young man is clearly mature enough to make up
his own mind, just highlighting the fact that patience can be a virtue. Given that
the Habs’ brass are advocating for fans to be patient with them as they try to
keep improving the team by any means possible, they can hardly be mad at Hage for
asking the same of them.
Hage wants
to be a center in the NHL, and he knows there are still things he needs to work
on to do that. He mentioned he wants to get better at carrying the puck up ice,
making the players around him better, taking those big faceoffs in the dying
moments of a game, being a better player on the defensive side, and, of course,
being better when playing without the puck. Sure, he could work on that in the NHL, and he
will no doubt continue working on them when he does turn pro, but it’s wise to
keep working on those things at the NCAA level. When he takes that next step,
the level of difficulty will be much higher, and the NHL is not a development
league.
Not so long
ago, the Canadiens were in full rebuilding mode and cared very little about
results; they focused heavily on development, but that's no longer the case.
Now, Montreal wants to win; their core players have all committed long-term to
the team, leaving money on the table, and they want to keep making the playoffs
and improve. There’s nothing wrong with Hage wanting to be as good a player as
he can be when he joins them; that’s not a selfish move on his part, far from
it. Just as Pacioretty once did, Hage knows what he feels is best for him right
now, and seeing him stick to his guns is a testament to his commitment to being
the best player he can be; that should be seen as good news for the Canadiens.
DOVE VALLEY, COLORADO- JULY 2: Francesco Dell'Elce (56) skates during the Colorado Avalanche's on-ice Development Camp at Family Sports Center in Dove Valley, Colorado on July 2, 2025. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) | Denver Post via Getty Images
Long before the summer ends, there was a glimpse at the current generation of Colorado Avalanche prospects at Family Sports Center this past week. It was three days of practices, the first two in smaller groups and then on the third day Jared Bednar and his staff ran a NHL-style practice with the full group participating.
Arguably the top prospect for the Avalanche in attendance was the newly drafted Beckett Hamilton. The 74th overall pick flashed some individual skill you’d expect for someone taken early in the third round and was one of my top three standouts from the practices. The right handed center has a lot of tools to offer including precise puck handling in traffic, playmaking with good vision, is a volume shooter with a heavy shot and good on his edges. Watching him put a couple plays in sequence together offers an idea of what a well-rounded player Hamilton could be at the next level. As one of the few Avalanche prospects not heading to the NCAA and returning to the CHL this fall, he’s expected to join the Avalanche for NHL training camp in September.
Beckett Hamilton with some great vision for an 18 year old. He works behind the net and sees an open pass in front for the opportunity. Hamilton has been impressive for his age, playing the body and getting shots off when you don't expect it. #Avs#GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/3YZTRafrxP
— Hockey Mountain High (@HockeyMtnHighCO) July 2, 2026
Jake Fisher was my second standout as he really showed the maturity he’s gained in his game through two years playing at DU. There was a polish and poise to his game as well as that consistency and nose for the net, which speaks to his readiness to reach the next level. Drafted in the fourth round in 2024, Fisher is 21-years-old currently and wouldn’t look out of place on the Eagles right now so it will be interesting to see when he decides he’s ready to turn pro.
Jake Fisher, who won a championship with DU, has played secon line minutes with them and learned to attack the front of the net. He slated to attend DU for his junior year next season. #Avs#GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/cs51qSSPTj
— Hockey Mountain High (@HockeyMtnHighCO) June 30, 2026
The third standout from development camp was defenseman Francesco Dell’Elce, who in particular put on a show the third day in the joint practice. He’s gained some confidence and comfort in the process over the last year and was able to show his goal scoring ability the whole morning. Dell’Elce has always reminded of a left handed Malinski but as he begins to round out his game it’s now even more evident. The 2025 third rounder is a good transition player with speed and likes to shoot the puck as well. As he’s heading into his junior year at UMass, perhaps Dell’Elce is not too far off from a pro contract as well.
Not only is Francesco Dell'Elce good on the defensive end, he can handle the puck too. He has shown that he can play both sides and drive by getting low. Reminds us a lot of Sam Malinski. Dell'Elce is set to attend UMass in the fall. #Avs#GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/ldZvjVfrcw
— Hockey Mountain High (@HockeyMtnHighCO) July 2, 2026
The rest of the 2026 Avalanche draft class which were in attendance included the two fifth round defenseman Cole Tuminaro and Teddy Lechner. Both have size and are right shots but other than that their games couldn’t be more opposite. Tuminaro has the reputation of being a tough customer and heavy hitter but in this setting with little game action, he didn’t have much opportunity to bring the thunder. I liked that he was able to show other parts of his skill set, and while raw, there were glimpses of speed, puck handling and offense generation that makes him a more interesting prospect than just the token big strong guy in the system. Lechner showed he’s a much more cerebral type and kept up with the group well considering he was drafted just out of high school.
Other prospects of note who were present at development camp was one in Christian Humphreys. He certainly looked confident coming off his Memorial Cup win and was trying to flash a lot of offensive skill. Defenseman Linus Funck had a little more laid back approach but scored on a slap shot in the shootout, which is always fun.
It was an intriguing group of goaltenders with the newly drafted Tobias Tvrznik and Alexandre Raymond on hand. So was 2024 fifth round pick Louka Cloutier who had an outstanding year at Boston College. All the goalies did well but the one who turned heads the most was the newly signed undrafted free agent Nikita Novosyolov. He might impact the organization more than was perceived when he signed.
On the needs some work end of the spectrum was a trio of defenseman. First, the fact that KHL Nikita Ishimnikov was in attendance at the camp was a surprise because he is not signed to the Avalanche nor is expected to be anytime soon. Still, he took his time this year to partake in this annual organizational activity. At first his smooth skating and puck handling were evident but the skating in transition and play with teammates could use some improvement.
Fellow prospect Tory Pitner has been hampered with injuries and only played in six games with the Pioneers in the last year and it showed as his game now needs to get up to speed. Likewise for Chris Romaine who has only played in 27 games over two seasons at Ohio State, which is probably why he’s transferring to Maine next season.
The Avalanche announced that the next time the prospects are scheduled to hit the ice will be at the annual Rookie Tournament, which will be held in San Jose this year. Colorado is expected to play two games at the showcase on September 12th and 13th. It is highly likely that a day of rookie camp practice will be held in Denver on Friday, September 11th. All details including roster will be released much closer to the event.
The Colorado Avalanche have already taken a swing on a reclamation project this offseason, but some fans believe general manager Joe Sakic isn’t done yet—with calls growing for another gamble, this time on Seattle Kraken forward Shane Wright.
Let's cut to the chase. Prior to the 2022 NHL Draft, Wright was widely projected to go first overall. But on draft night, he slipped to fourth. The reasons weren't about skill or hockey sense—those were never in question. Instead, scouts pointed to concerns about his intensity and, at times, his consistency of engagement from shift to shift.
So instead of the Montreal Canadiens taking him first overall, they went with Juraj Slafkovský, and in hindsight, that decision has aged remarkably well. The 6-foot-3 forward has developed into a true cornerstone in Montreal. In just his fourth professional season, the 22-year-old posted his first 30-goal campaign, finished with 73 points, represented Slovakia at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games, and added 12 points in 19 postseason games. The Canadiens walked away with a legitimate star and a foundational piece.
The Seattle Kraken selected Wright, and to this point, it simply hasn't gone as planned.
While Slafkovský stepped directly into the NHL, Wright's development took a much different path. His first two professional seasons were split between the OHL's Windsor Spitfires, the AHL's Coachella Valley Firebirds, and the Kraken. During that span, he appeared in just 16 NHL games, recording five goals and two assists.
The last two seasons have been Wright's first real opportunity as a full-time NHL player.
In 2025-26, he appeared to be turning a corner, finishing with 19 goals and 25 assists for 44 points in 79 games. While Seattle missed the playoffs, the season offered encouraging signs that the former fourth-overall pick was beginning to establish himself as an everyday NHL contributor.
That momentum didn't carry over.
With the Kraken finishing 34-37-11 and missing the postseason for a second straight year, Wright's production dipped to 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points in 74 games. The statistical regression reignited some of the same concerns scouts voiced before the 2022 NHL Draft. His talent has never been the question, but his ability to consistently impact games—particularly when the stakes aren't at their highest—has remained a point of debate throughout his young career.
Whether that's a fair assessment or not, it's become part of Wright's NHL story. Four years after entering the league as one of the most highly touted prospects of his generation, he's still searching for the consistency that made him the consensus No. 1 overall pick—until he wasn't.
That uncertainty has naturally fueled speculation about whether a change of scenery could unlock the player many projected would become a franchise centerpiece. It's also why some Avalanche fans have floated Wright as an intriguing buy-low trade target.
On paper, the fit is easy to understand. Colorado has built a reputation for identifying players whose value has dipped and putting them in positions to succeed alongside an elite core. If Sakic believes Wright's ceiling is still there, acquiring a 22-year-old former top prospect before he fully breaks out is exactly the kind of move contenders occasionally regret passing on.
The timing also makes the conversation more realistic. According to reports, the Kraken and Wright are mutually working toward finding a trade this offseason, meaning Seattle is open to moving the former fourth-overall pick if the right deal materializes.
But should the Avalanche be the team to make that move?
That's where the conversation becomes much more complicated.
Colorado isn't searching for reclamation projects anymore. It's searching for players who can help win another Stanley Cup immediately.
It's hard to imagine Shane Wright being a proper locker room fit with Nathan MacKinnon. Credit: Isaiah J. Downing - Imagn Images
This is a locker room driven by Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Brock Nelson, Martin Nečas and Josh Manson—a veteran core that has built one of the NHL's strongest cultures around accountability, preparation and consistency. MacKinnon, in particular, the reigning Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy winner, has never hidden his expectations. If someone isn't pulling their weight, he'll let them know and sometimes in brutal fashion. It's one of the many reasons Colorado has remained among the league's elite for a number of years now.
Wright's talent has never been questioned. His consistency has.
Those same questions that followed him into the 2022 NHL Draft—his nightly engagement, intensity and ability to impact games every shift—still linger four years later. While there have been flashes of why he was once viewed as the consensus No. 1 prospect, they haven't become the standard.
Could Colorado's leadership group help him unlock another level? Absolutely.
But that's a different question than whether the Avalanche should spend valuable assets to find out.
The Avalanche have done well to replenish some of their draft capital this offseason and still possess intriguing young assets like goaltenders Ilya Nabokov and Trent Miner, along with defenseman Mikhail Gulyayev. Moving any combination of those pieces—or future draft picks—for a player whose development remains uncertain feels difficult to justify for a team operating squarely within its Stanley Cup window.
Wright may be one of the NHL's most intriguing change-of-scenery candidates this summer. But for a team with championship aspirations and a dressing room built on demanding standards, the risk may ultimately outweigh the reward.
It wouldn’t be far-fetched to see shades of Mason McTavish in new Vancouver Canucks prospect Adam Novotný’s game. After all, that’s the player the 24th-overall pick in this year’s draft says he models his game after.
“Rob Wilson, our coach [with the Peterborough Petes], he told me that I’m so similar to him, and then I started to watch him a little bit more when I was here,” Novotný told the media during Vancouver’s development camp. “He’s a great player, competitive, versatile, can play a lot of roles, and it’s just fun to watch him.”
The fact that Novotný fell to 24th was a surprise for many, including Canucks General Manager Ryan Johnson. The forward was projected to go anywhere from 13th-overall to 26th, with the majority of scouts and media projecting him to be picked in the late-teens. Novotný didn’t have any particular inkling as to where he’d go until the Canucks’ pick appeared on the horizon.
“Honestly, I didn’t have any expectations from the draft, but as it was getting closer to the 24th pick and I knew the Canucks were there, so I had like a little bit of an inside feeling, and I’m happy it worked out this way, because it’s such a great organization and I’m so happy to be here.”
Evidently, Novotný is happy that things worked out with him landing in Vancouver. The Canucks couldn’t agree more.
“He was a guy that we targeted. The way he plays, again, his character, his interview was very well-received,” Johnson had said after drafting the forward last week. “He exudes winner, compete, along with obviously a skill set, the amount of goals he scored, his size, he’s already very physically mature, the way he skates — again, it was a player that we felt that at 24 we were extremely lucky to get, and again he’s got pro habits at a young age.”
Part of the comparison to McTavish comes from the fact that, like the now-St. Louis Blues forward, Novotný has also played for Peterborough in the OHL. The new Canucks forward also holds the potential of becoming a lethal goal-scorer while maintaining an eye for other sides of the game. This skill of his was apparent throughout camp, but most-notably so during the prospects’ scrimmage on the final day.
Two goals and a slick assist during the scrimmages were only the cherry on top of what was overall an impressive skate for the young winger.
“First of all, his awareness and his skating ability looks really strong with a good posture,” Canucks development coach Mikael Samuelsson said of Novotný after the camp’s scrimmage. “He’s skating around there with a smile on, and you can’t forget about that. Some guys get tight, but he seems to enjoy it, he seems to love what he does and that’s a good start.”
As a whole, however, the development camp experience is something Novotný didn’t plan on overlooking. With great resources in former NHL veterans like Samuelsson, Mike Komisarek, and Alex Edler, as well as Olympic medallist and PWHLer Jenn Gardiner, Novotný headed into camp just hoping to soak everything in.
“Just gives me so much experience, meeting new guys and great coaching staff here, and the organization is just really good,” he’d said during camp. “We have a great program here, and I’m enjoying every moment, because not every guy can experience this, and I’m so excited to be here, and it’s just so much fun.”
Photo Credit: Kaja Antic-THN
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As NHL free agency creeps into its fifth day, there's still a sizeable group of former Ottawa Senators waiting for the phone to ring.
Fifteen ex-Sens remain unsigned after becoming unrestricted free agents on July 1.
Some will almost certainly land NHL contracts. Others may have to settle for AHL deals, head to Europe, or begin thinking seriously about retirement.
Steve Staios says he's excited to see how William Eklund's skill meshes with the Senators' top forwards.
Four of the 15 unsigned former Senators were once first-round picks by the organization, making them a good place to start.
Former Senators First-Round Picks Still Unsigned
Colin White (21st overall, 2015)
Shane Bowers (28th overall, 2017)
Curtis Lazar (17th overall, 2013)
Logan Brown (11th overall, 2016)
Colin White, Ottawa's 21st overall selection in the 2015 NHL Draft, still appears on the books for the Sens. After buying out the final years of his contract, Ottawa will carry an $875,000 cap charge for each of the next two seasons.
White spent last season with the AHL's San Jose Barracuda, where one of his teammates was another former Senators first-rounder, Shane Bowers, who also just became a UFA.
Selected 28th overall in 2017, Bowers was Brady Tkachuk's teammate at Boston U. before becoming part of the blockbuster Matt Duchene trade with Colorado just months after being drafted. After eight professional seasons, he's still searching for a breakthrough that has never come.
One former Senators first-rounder who's carved out a much better career is Curtis Lazar.
Senators fans will never forget Lazar picking up and eating a cheeseburger that had been thrown onto the ice during the famous Hamburglar run of 2015. While the 17th overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft never developed into an offensive threat, he's quietly put together a decade-long NHL career as a dependable depth forward.
After recording six points in 45 games with the Edmonton Oilers this past season, it'll be interesting to see whether another NHL team gives him an opportunity.
Then there's Logan Brown.
Chosen 11th overall in 2016, Brown spent last season with the Ontario Reign, the Los Angeles Kings' AHL affiliate, producing 16 points in 31 games. His skating at the NHL level has always been a concern, but injuries have been an even bigger obstacle.
Unsigned Former Senators Goaltenders
Matt Murray (SEA)
Cam Talbot (DET)
Marcus Högberg (NYI)
Hunter Shepard (MTL)
Goaltenders make up another sizeable chunk of Ottawa's unsigned alumni.
The most intriguing name is Matt Murray.
Murray won back-to-back Cups with Pittsburgh in his rookie and sophomore seasons. But his game faded over the next three years, and so the Pens traded him to the Senators, who promptly signed him to a four-year, $25-million deal. He appeared in 47 games for the Sens over two frustrating seasons before they convinced Toronto to take him off their hands.
He appeared in just five games with the Seattle Kraken this season, but he was excellent, posting a 2.21 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage. But a quick glance through Murray's injury history makes it hard to imagine another team investing significant money in him.
Cam Talbot is also still looking for work.
Pierre Dorion acquired Talbot from the Minnesota Wild in 2022 in exchange for Filip Gustavsson, hoping the veteran would finally stabilize Ottawa's crease. Talbot spent one season with the Senators before leaving as a free agent. Despite being 39 years old, his body of work suggests he could still attract interest as a veteran backup.
The other former Senators goaltenders still available are Marcus Hogberg and Hunter Shepard.
Hogberg who made a return to the NHL with the New York Islanders organization the past two seasons, and Hunter Shepard.
Shepard spent most of last year in the Montreal Canadiens organization after Ottawa traded him in March, along with Jake Chiasson, in exchange for forward Riley Kidney.
The Rest of the List
The remaining unsigned former Senators are:
Mike Reilly (Carolina Hurricanes)
Austin Watson (Detroit Red Wings)
Travis Hamonic (Detroit Red Wings)
Vladimir Tarasenko (Minnesota Wild)
Evgeni Dadonov (New Jersey Devils)
Matthew Highmore (New York Islanders)
Boris Katchouk (Philadelphia Flyers)
The list is an interesting mix of players at very different stages of their careers.
Although his production has declined from his peak years, a veteran winger like Tarasenko, with more than 300 NHL goals on his resume, will get a new NHL deal. When he signed with Ottawa three years ago, it was almost four weeks into free agency. He had a bounce-back year in Minnesota with 23 goals and 47 points.
For some of the others, the road back to the NHL may be more difficult.
Once the initial frenzy dies down, as it's starting to right now, jobs become increasingly scarce. Some of these players might still be on NHL opening-night rosters in October, but others have likely already played their last game in the league, even if they don't know it yet.
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:
It's been a little over a month since Chris MacFarland was hired as the Nashville Predators' next general manager, and he's stayed busy.
Since June 2, MacFarland has signed six players, traded for five more and drafted eight. He's also dealt three players, including Fedor Svechkov and Zach L'Heureux.
Erik Haula was also not resigned; he joined the Los Angeles Kings as a free agent, and Tyson Jost and Kevin Gravel have not been offered extensions as UFAs.
Making a handful of roster moves out of the gate, MacFarland hinted at more on the defensive end.
"The back end is something that we want to find a little bit more puck skill and a little more transition as part of our game," MacFarland said. "It's not easy to do, right? As you can see by free agency, there weren't a lot of those defensemen available. There's a reason for that. Those are the hard-to-get assets."
The Predators' defense struggled immensely last season, which ran counter to Barry Trotz's notion that the defense had been "fixed" during 2025 free agency with the acquisitions of Nic Hague and Nick Perbix.
With the blue line seemingly on MacFarland's radar, here's which players are likely on the trading block.
Justin Barron
Feb 2, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators defensemanJustin Barron(20) skates behind the net against the St. Louis Blues during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Barron was extended a qualifying offer, but as of July 4, he has not signed it. If it's not signed by July 5 at 4 p.m. CST, he will enter player arbitration, a battle that will likely not go his way.
His last contract was two years, $2.3 million, with a $1.150 million annual hit. Barron's qualifying offer is reportedly listed at $1.2 million annually.
It may have been strategic by MacFarland and staff to offer Barron and force his hand. The 24-year-old defenseman recorded nine points in 52 games last season and had just 12 points in 45 games the season before.
While Barron is one of the Predators' more active defensemen, he has struggled to produce in his two seasons in Nashville. Negotiations for him to either get more money or a longer contract will likely not fall in his favor.
Nic Hague
Dec 2, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators defensemanNicolas Hague(41) awaits the face off against the Calgary Flames during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Trotz talked a big game about Hague when he arrived in Nashville in the 2025 offseason. He said that Hague was going to play in the top pairing with Josi and would give the defense "back-end depth."
Hague was injured in the preseason and didn't return until late October. When he returned, Josi was injured, and the pair didn't get to play until late November, on an already compressed schedule.
While Josi eventually found his edge, Hague did not, putting up almost identical numbers to his time in Vegas when he was playing on the third pairing. In 62 games played, he had 15 points and a plus/minus of -10.
It can be argued that Hague could've put up bigger numbers if he wasn't injured, but at the end of the day he didn't make this defensive unit any better.
In the second year of a four-year, $22 million contract with a $5.5 million annual hit, it's a contract that's not impossible to move. At 6-foot-6, he brings a height edge that other teams may be looking for.
His six team no-trade list also doesn't come into play until the 2027-28 season.
Nick Perbix
Mar 22, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Nashville Predators defensemanNick Perbix(48) passes the puck away from Chicago Blackhawks left wingNickLardis (76) during the first period at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Another piece acquired by Trotz in the 2025 offseason, Perbix should have a bit more potential in the backend as one of the Predators' better skaters, but struggled to give them enough of a push.
In 79 games, Perbix had 20 points but a plus/minus of -14. Recording 197 speed bursts between 18 and 20 miles per hour, Perbix could be suited better for a role on Nashville's bottom pairing, but may not be ready for a top-four role.
He has proven before in Tampa that he can be a contributor with 20 points in the 2022-23 season and 24 points in the 2023-24 season.
In his final year of a two-year, $5.5 million contract, the Predators aren't risking too much by keeping him or trading him. Could get a little bit more back if he's traded, but it could be worth staying patient and trying him for one more year.
Adam Wilsby
It's likely that MacFarland will want to hang on to Wilsby as a 25-year-old entering the final year of his ELC. He's young and just finished his first full NHL season.
In 58 games, Wilsby had 16 points off a goal and 15 assists. He is debatably the Predators' fastest skater on the backend and could be a step closer to finding his game this season.
At the same time, that aspect could be enticing to other teams. He fits the build that more squads are looking for in their defensemen- guys that are quick and have an offense-first mindset.
Nashville will likely stay with Wilsby for another year, wanting to wait until he reaches RFA status, but it wouldn't be a massive surprise if MacFarland ops to trade him.
Brady Skjei
It's highly unlikely that the Predators will be able to move Skjei with a no trade clause a 15 team no-trade list and five years left on a seven-year, $49 million contract with a $7 million yearly hit.
While Skjei hasn't put up the same numbers that he did in Carolina, he's been a decent piece for Nashville on the backend.
This past season, he had 26 points in 82 games, recovering from a rough start to the year, during which he posted one of the worst plus/minus ratings in the NHL.
He's a player the Predators could get a bit more for on the market, but his contract is going to scare potential suitors away. At 32-years old, Skjei will be 37 by the time his deal is up.
Just four days into NHL free agency, Alexandar Georgiev is still without a contract — and what was supposed to be a reset opportunity is already looking more complicated than expected.
After terminating his deal with KHL Spartak and signaling a clear intention to return to North America, Georgiev re-entered the NHL market hoping to rebuild his value. Instead, he’s watching goaltending jobs disappear without his name coming off the board.
That’s a notable shift from where his career stood not long ago.
During his time with the Colorado Avalanche, Georgiev worked his way into a full-time starter’s role and reached his peak in 2023-24, when he led the NHL with 38 wins. He had also tied for the league lead in wins the season prior, briefly establishing himself as one of the league’s most productive regular-season goaltenders.
That same stretch also included one of the defining moments of his career — an All-Star selection in 2024, where he took part in the league’s skills showcase. In the one-on-one shooter-versus-goalie challenge, Georgiev stopped nine of 12 attempts from Connor McDavid in a minute-long showdown, earning $100,000 and a rare spotlight moment against the NHL’s best player. McDavid even joked afterward that Georgiev “had my number” in the event, a lighthearted but memorable highlight in his career arc.
But that version of Georgiev didn’t last.
His final stretch in Colorado during the 2024-25 season unraveled quickly, finishing 8-7-0 with a 3.38 goals-against average and a .874 save percentage. After a move to San Jose, the struggles continued over a larger sample, going 7-19-4 with a 3.88 GAA and a .875 save percentage in 31 appearances.
That downturn reshaped his market in real time — and it carried straight into his next stop.
After landing with Buffalo on a one-year, $850K deal just before training camp, Georgiev’s situation never stabilized. The Sabres were ultimately so dissatisfied with his place on the depth chart that they claimed Colten Ellis off waivers, pushing Georgiev further down the goaltending hierarchy. That move effectively signaled where things were heading, and it eventually led to a mutual termination of his NHL contract so he could pursue an opportunity with Spartak in the KHL.
In Russia, he found steadier results, posting a 2.37 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage over 24 appearances. It was a clear step forward from his North American struggles, but not enough to fully restore his NHL reputation to anything close to starter status.
Now back on the open market, Georgiev is trying to find a landing spot in a goaltending landscape that has already moved quickly. With the first wave of free agency behind us, most teams have addressed their starter or backup situations, leaving fewer obvious openings.
And that’s where the concern comes in.
Even with a respectable KHL rebound, NHL teams are still weighing the same question: which version of Georgiev are they getting — the 38-win starter from Colorado, or the goaltender whose performance declined sharply in both San Jose and his brief Buffalo tenure?
At this point in the summer, uncertainty is more damaging than upside. And in a market that’s already thinning out, Georgiev’s path back to the NHL looks less like a return — and more like a waiting game that may not go his way.
Whether Georgiev finds his way back to the NHL, returns to Russia again, or ultimately decides to step away from the game entirely remains to be seen.
