Category: Ice Hockey

There have only been two players wear the #64 for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Unfortunately for Columbus, neither one of them made a significant impact for Columbus. Cleveland is a different story, however. 

Trey Fix-Wolansky - 2019-25

Many people thought, despite being drafted so late in the draft and his diminutive size —5-foot-7, 180 pounds —he would turn out to be a really good winger in the NHL. So far, he’s yet to be able to show his talent at the NHL level.

Fix-Wolansky played three seasons in the WHL for the Edmonton Oil Kings. In those three seasons, he played 206 games, scored 93 goals, and had 245 points. His production improved year after year, so many thought he could translate that into the pros.

He made his full-season pro debut during the 2019-20 season for the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. He would play in 43 games, score 12 goals, and end with 26 points. The following season, he suffered a leg injury that required surgery, limiting him to only nine games. But even in those limited games, he would have nine points.

In the 2021-22 season, Fix-Wolansky played in 53 games and had 33 points, but more importantly, on February 8th, 2022, he would make his NHL debut. Fix-Wolansky would score in his debut against the Washington Capitals, taking a pass and sneaking the puck by Phoenix Copley. He finished playing in six games for Columbus that season, netting two points. He had five shots in those six games and had an average time on ice of around six minutes. 

TFW's breakout season in the AHL would be the 2022-23 season. He would score 29 goals and total 71 points in 61 games. He set career highs in goals, assists, points, games played, and power-play goals. Fix-Wolansky played in nine games for the CBJ, scoring only one goal. He did average almost 13 minutes a game, however.

Fix-Wolansky had two very good seasons in 23-24 and 24-25. In each season, he finished with 26 goals and 60 points. Despite having an unreal career for Cleveland over the last seven years, Fix-Wolansky never got an extended chance to prove he could be an everyday NHL player and was not tendered a contract in 2025. He went on to sign a deal with the New York Rangers. He would never play for the Rangers, but played 72 games for the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack, scoring 31 goals and totaling 55 points.

He is signed with the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks for next season. 

TFW is generally considered the greatest player in Monsters' history. He leads the Monsters franchise with 112 goals, 147 assists, and 259 points. His goals, assists, and points records are fairly safe, but Owen Sillinger and Luca Del Bel Belluz are within 120 points of him. 

Tyler Motte - 2017

Tyler Motte was the first player to wear #64 for the Blue Jackets, although it wasn't for very long. 

Motte was traded to Columbus by Chicago with Artemi Panarin and the NY Islanders' 6th-round pick (previously acquired; Columbus selected Jonathan Davidsson) in the 2017 NHL Draft for Brandon Saad, Anton Forsberg, and Columbus' 5th-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, June 23, 2017.

Motte would go on to play in 31 games for the Blue Jackets, scoring 3 goals and 5 points, while averaging 9:56 per game of ice time. 

Later that season, Motte was traded to Vancouver by Columbus with Jussi Jokinen for Thomas Vanek on February 26, 2018.

The St. Clair, Michigan native went on to play four more seasons in Vancouver. After playing with the Detroit Red Wings in 24-25, He played in the AHL for Charlotte in 25-26. Motte currently sits without a contract after playing nine NHL seasons. 

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In our Atlantic Division offseason series, we've already compared the Senators to the:

- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Montreal Canadiens
- Tampa Bay Lightning

Next up are the Buffalo Sabres, another Atlantic rival that had some big losses this summer. Like Ottawa a year earlier, the Sabres finally broke their playoff drought this past season, although Buffalo's was the longest in NHL history at 14 years.

Not only did they break the drought, they won the division. But not by much.

Senators Offseason Summary

The Senators' offseason turned on a dime when captain Brady Tkachuk requested a trade and was eventually sent to Florida for the ninth and 25th picks in the 2026 draft, a 2027 second-rounder and a 2029 first-round pick.

GM Steve Staios then flipped the ninth pick to San Jose for William Eklund and prospects Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda.

Ottawa also acquired Andre Burakovsky and goalie Samuel Ersson, while re-signing Claude Giroux, Nick Cousins, Jordan Spence and Leevi Merilainen.

The biggest question remains whether Eklund and Burakovsky can replace enough of Tkachuk's offence.

Let's compare that with Buffalo's offseason.

Sabres Trades: Subtractions

Like Ottawa, Buffalo's biggest offseason departure was one of its most important forwards.

Alex Tuch, the Sabres' third-leading scorer, was dealt to Washington in a sign-and-trade after agreeing to an eight-year, $84 million extension. Buffalo received bottom-six forward David Kämpf and a 2027 third-round pick.

The Sabres also traded defenseman Bowen Byram and rugged forward Jordan Greenway to Chicago for the fourth and 45th picks in the 2026 NHL Draft and 6-foot-8 defenseman Louis Crevier.

Also gone is Michael Kesselring to San Jose as part of a deal to move up from 27th to 20th in the first round.

Goaltender Devon Levi, the former Carleton Place Canadian, was sent to Edmonton along with a 2028 seventh-round pick for a 2028 third-rounder.

All told, that's a decent amount of NHL talent heading out the door. And they weren't particularly well replaced...

Sabres Additions

The Sabres flipped the 45th pick and prospect Anton Wahlberg to Anaheim for 22-year-old defenseman Olen Zellweger.

Zellweger should immediately help replace some of the mobility and offence lost with Byram, while Crevier gives Buffalo another young right-shot defenseman.

Free agency was relatively quiet. Buffalo re-signed Zellweger, and also brought back veteran Conor Sheary and Sens UFA defenseman Dennis Gilbert.

The Sabres also signed Zach Benson, Peyton Krebs, amd Beck Malenstyn to long term extensions.

Buffalo also built for the future, using the fourth overall pick acquired from Chicago to select defenseman Daxon Rudolph and the No. 20 pick to select centre Ilia Morozov.

Who Had The Better Offseason?

Both teams lost an important winger. Ottawa lost Tkachuk while Buffalo lost Tuch.

But the Sabres also bid farewell to Byram, Greenway, Kesselring, and Levi. 

There's plenty to like about Buffalo's return. Zellweger is already an NHL player with considerable upside, while the fourth overall pick could eventually become a major piece.

But much of that return is geared toward the future. The Sens' response was a little more focused on the present.

Staios turned the ninth pick into Eklund, a 23-year-old established NHL forward who immediately steps into the top six. Burakovsky provides another offensive option and Ersson gives Ottawa a new partner for Linus Ullmark. And 21-year-old winger Kasper Halttunen, acquired with Eklund, is a compelling prospect who might be ready for an NHL look later in the season.

The Senators also retained Giroux, Cousins and Spence, keeping several important pieces of last year's team in place.

Offseason edge: Senators

Who's Better Right Now?

Buffalo finished ahead of Ottawa last season and still has plenty of talent.

Tage Thompson remains as big and elite as ever, while Josh Norris, Zach Benson, Jack Quinn, Josh Doan, Jason Zucker, and Ryan McLeod fill out a strong group of forwards.

Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power, both former first overall picks, remain the foundation of an excellent blue line.

Ottawa counters with Tim Stützle, Drake Batherson, Dylan Cozens, Shane Pinto, Giroux and newcomers Eklund and Burakovsky up front, with Thomas Chabot, Jake Sanderson and Spence on defence and Ullmark in goal.

Also keep in mind that Ottawa's goaltending, injury luck and off-ice drama would be hard-pressed to be worse than they were last season, and the Senators still made the playoffs with 99 points.

Buffalo earned the right to enter this comparison with an advantage after finishing ahead of Ottawa last season.

But after what happened this summer, that advantage may have disappeared.

Better team right now? The Senators. But not by much.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article first appeared at The Hockey News Ottawa. For full Senators coverage, check out one of The Hockey News headlines below:
- Senators Won't Be Replacing Daniel Alfredsson On Their Coaching Staff
- A Member Of The Senators 'One-And-Done' Club Announces His Retirement
- 20 Years Later: Three Moves That May Have Cost The Senators A Stanley Cup
- Rest Is A Weapon: New NHL Schedule Leaves Senators At A Big Disadvantage

Report: Senators Players Grew Tired Of The Noise Around Brady Tkachuk, Including His PodcastAccording to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Sens teammates grew weary of the noise surrounding their former captain.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have made multiple moves this off-season, but they should be open to making more. After losing Ryan Shea in free agency to the Edmonton Oilers and trading Parker Wotherspoon to the Vegas Golden Knights, it is clear that the Penguins could use another left-shot defenseman.

Because of this, let's look at two potential defenseman trade targets for the Penguins to consider.

Alexander Nikishin, Carolina Hurricanes 

With Alexander Nikishin being a 24-year-old defenseman with great upside, he is exactly the kind of defenseman who a retooling team like the Penguins should make a serious push for. He just had a strong rookie season with the Hurricanes, posting 11 goals, 33 points, and a plus-18 rating in 81 games. The potential for him to become a high-impact defenseman in the NHL is there, so he is a blueliner the Penguins should consider making a serious push for. 

Morgan Rielly, Toronto Maple Leafs 

If the Penguins want to add another veteran defenseman, Maple Leafs blueliner Morgan Rielly could be worth taking a gamble on. The 32-year-old defenseman has been the subject of trade rumors throughout this off-season and would be a nice addition to the Penguins' left side if acquired. However, he has a full no-movement clause, so he would need to approve any potential trade. In 78 games last season for Toronto, he posted 11 goals and 36 points. 

When looking at the Buffalo Sabres' current roster, it is fair to wonder if they could look to bring in a player to training camp on a professional tryout (PTO) agreement.

One remaining UFA who could be worth taking a look at on a PTO for the Sabres is forward Jonathan Drouin. 

Drouin was bought out by the Blues earlier this off-season after a tough 2025-26 season. In 64 games split between the New York Islanders and Blues, he posted four goals, 20 assists, and 24 points.

While Drouin struggled offensively last season, his previous seasons indicate that he could potentially bounce back if he landed another chance. 

Just back during the 2024-25 season with the Colorado Avalanche, Drouin posted 11 goals, 26 assists, and 37 points in 43 games. This was after he scored 19 goals and set career highs with 37 assists and 56 points in 79 games for the Avalanche during the 2023-24 season. With this, he has had some recent offensive success. 

With the Sabres needing more forwards, it could make sense of them to take a gamble on Drouin with a PTO. It would come with zero risk, and they could simply release him from his PTO if the fit isn't there. 

In 671 career NHL games, Drouin has recorded 111 goals, 287 assists, and 398 points. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins should be open to bringing in a player or two to training on a professional tryout (PTO) agreement.

When looking at the remaining UFAs at this point in the off-season, Carson Soucy is an interesting defenseman who could be worth taking a gamble on with a PTO for the Penguins. 

With the Penguins' left side not having the strongest depth, a player like Soucy would have the potential to be an interesting addition to their group if he earned a contract for the season. When playing at his best, the 32-year-old defenseman can be a solid bottom-pairing defenseman due to his steady defensive play and physicality. 

Soucy split this past season between the New York Rangers and New York Islanders, where he recorded five goals, 12 points, 91 blocks, and 105 hits. This was after he had four goals, 13 points, 106 blocks, and 115 hits in 75 games split between the Vancouver Canucks and Rangers during the 2024-25 season.

Overall, with the Penguins needing more defensive depth, there would be no harm in them taking a look at Soucy on a PTO. He could work on their bottom pairing or as an extra defenseman for the Penguins if signed. 

For many NHL players, Winnipeg is a quick stop along their professional hockey-playing journey. But for Michael Hutchinson, it became his home.

The former Winnipeg Jets goaltender announced his retirement this week, bringing to a close an 11-season NHL career, to which he spent time with six different big league organizations. While his playing days took him across North America and eventually overseas, Hutchinson's roots remained firmly planted in Manitoba.

After signing with the Jets organization in 2013, Hutchinson quickly became a fan favourite, starring with the St. John's IceCaps before earning a full-time NHL opportunity. He enjoyed his best season in 2014-15, posting a 21-10-5 record with a 2.38 goals-against average and .914 save percentage in relief of Ondrei Pavelec. His play helped Winnipeg return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the franchise relocated from Atlanta.

The Barrie, ON. product would appear in 102 games for the Jets over parts of five seasons before later spending time with the Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings. He finished his NHL career with just another 52 games played, for a total of 154 NHL games before spending his final professional season with Sai Pa in Finland's Liiga.

Yet for many Manitobans, Hutchinson has become much more than just a former Jets goaltender.

His wife, Jenna Hutchinson, is the co-founder of Jenna Rae Cakes - an immensely popular Winnipeg bakery that she launched alongside her twin sister, Ashley Kosowan. What began as a single bakery has grown into one of Manitoba's best-known local businesses, with multiple locations across the city and a national following.

The couple also chose Winnipeg as their permanent home base despite Hutchinson's career taking them to several NHL cities. In a feature for House & Home on their custom-built home, Jenna described Winnipeg as the place they would always return to, while Michael spoke about finally having a place to call his own after years of moving from team to team.

That connection to the province has only strengthened since his playing days with the Jets, with Hutchinson frequently returning to Winnipeg during the offseason and remaining a familiar face around the city. Recently, he and Jenna attended Adam Lowry's wedding this July.

The Jets recently posted online, congratulating Hutchinson on his retirement, adding they "can't wait to see you at the Alumni Game" - a fitting next chapter for a player whose impact in Winnipeg extended well beyond the crease.

Oh, and not to mention, Hutchinson now runs a local goaltending school (@HutchinsonGoaltending) to which he serves as the lead instructor in Winnipeg.

Over a decade of success and a lifetime to go - the now 36-year-old family man has chosen to remain in the place where he spent the longest stretch and found the most success in his career: Winnipeg.

The 2026-27 season will see plenty of new faces in the Vancouver Canucks lineup. This includes some players who could be making their NHL debuts during the campaign. With this in mind, here is a look at three players who could be doing a rookie lap this season. 

Sawyer Mynio

Sawyer Mynio has come a long way since he was drafted in 2023. The 21-year-old defenceman made the jump full-time to the Abbotsford Canucks last year, where he recorded 21 points in 58 games. With all the injuries in both Vancouver and Abbotsford, Mynio demonstrated that he could not just play big minutes, but also find ways to contribute on special teams. 

With the Canucks defence core currently in a logjam, it may take some time before Mynio gets called up. That being said, injuries and trades can occur at any time, which could push the former WHLer into the lineup at a moment's notice. Based on the way the organization views Mynio and his relationship with Manny Malhotra, it will not be surprising if he makes his NHL debut at some point during the campaign. 

Chase Wouters

The NHL door has opened for forward Chase Wouters. For the first time in his career, the 26-year-old signed an NHL contract as he agreed to a one-year, two-way extension this past off-season. Wouters has played his entire career with the AHL Canucks, which included captaining the team to a Calder Cup championship in 2025. 

Wouters is the type of player every organization needs at the AHL level. He not only performs on the ice but is also often seen at community events. Ultimately, Wouters deserves at least one NHL game, as he has been a heart-and-soul player for Abbotsford since its inception.

 Caleb Malhotra

While Caleb Malhotra is NCAA-bound, there is a chance he could play games for Vancouver this season. Once Boston University's campaign is complete, the 2026 third-overall pick could sign his entry-level contract and hit the ice with the Canucks. There is also a chance that Malhotra signs an AHL contract to potentially get some playoff games in at the AHL level. 

The big question with Malhotra is how many seasons he wants to play in the NCAA before making the jump to the pro level. Vancouver will be eager to sign him at the end of the campaign, but from a development perspective, it may be best for the 18-year-old center to spend another year at Boston University. Unless Malhotra verbally commits to the NCAA for multiple years, there will be plenty of debate once his season ends over whether he should sign his entry-level contract at the end of the year. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins had a big season offensively last year. Their 293 goals ranked third in the NHL. They scored 201 of those goals at 5-on-5 play, second in the league – shooting 11.1% (that ranked second as well). Their power play converting 24.1% of the time, good for seventh.

This scoring outburst was done largely balanced and by committee – 13 players had double-digit goal seasons. Only four players had 20+ goals, and none more than Anthony Mantha’s 33. They had six players score between 15-19 goals, some of whom certainly would have gotten to 20+ with more games (Egor Chinakhov scored 18 goals in 43 games with the team, injuries and suspensions limited Evgeni Malkin to 19 in 56 games).

Ten players had tied or set career-best goal scoring years, including Mantha and Chinakhov but also for modest numbers like Avery Hayes and Elmer Soderblom scoring five times. Justin Brazeau, after scoring only 16 total goals in the first 95 games of his career prior to 2025-26 ended up beating that with 17 goals last season.

NHL.com included a blurb about the Pens’ shooting in their offseason recap:

Here's how the @penguins are shaping up ahead of the 2026-27 season! 🐧

Read more on Pittsburgh's projected lineup ➡️ https://t.co/n8sYdLojRJpic.twitter.com/B6meHREd8b

— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) July 27, 2026

The Penguins led the NHL in high-danger shots on goal (740) last season and have now finished no lower than sixth in that category during the puck and player tracking era (since 2021-22). Despite being limited to 60 games, forward Rickard Rakell led Pittsburgh and ranked highly at his position in high-danger shots on goal (90; 97th percentile). Another EDGE standout for the Penguins in terms of shot location was Karlsson, who ranked in the 94th percentile or higher among defensemen in high-danger shots on goal (14), midrange shots on goal (44), long-range shots on goal (81), midrange goals (six) and long-range goals (six; tied for fourth in the League). — Troy Perlowitz

The first sentence stood out as far as high danger shot generation being sixth or better for the last five years. That hasn’t always been reflected in total goals scored, the Pens numbers there have been:

• 2025-26: 3rd (293)
• 2024-25: 18th (242)
• 2023-24: 18th (253)
• 2022-23: 16th (261)
• 2021-22: 11th (269)

Last season was the first time that having a high number of chances led to being near the top of the league in goals. The formula was simple enough. The Penguins scored a lot of goals and on a high percentage of shots in large part due to generating so many scoring chances from the high danger area. Whether it was fresh, freeing concepts from new coach Dan Muse, sheer better luck, the addition of a nice finisher like Anthony Mantha (who went onto have a career-year), or as always a combination of many factors, it worked out. It’s no secret that things under Mike Sullivan got stale and goals fell each season from 2022 to 2025 before last year’s big turnaround.

That makes the question multi-faceted moving forward, can the Penguins once again generate some of the most chances in the league and will that lead to being at the top of the NHL for total goals? Maybe even improve on last season’s totals and hit 300 goals? It’s a big number, but if they can build off Muse’s first year that would be the number to track.

There’s some reason for optimism. Nick Robertson and Andrey Kuzmenko ought to continue the high amount of finishing. Both are known via their advanced stats for their ability to convert chances into the red light flashing behind the goalie. Losing Mantha will be a big hole to fill from his contributions last season, but the Pens did a pretty good job to make sure they could bring in some players with similar finishing ability.

It takes a lot of work and consistent scoring for a team to get near 300 goals, it’s only happened eight times in the last five seasons. That threshold gets a little easier now that the schedule is increasing from 82 to 84 games, and at this point it’s a barometer worth seeing if the Penguins could try to threaten again in 2026-27.

They have the playmakers able to create chances, and supporting players like Rakell, Kuzmenko and Robertson have shown the ability to finish. As has Chinakhov, whose metrics for shot speed and odd man rushes are virtually off the charts.

Under Dan Muse, and let’s face it since the days of Sidney Crosby (and of course Mario Lemieux before him), Pittsburgh has thrived as an uptempo offensive team and struggled when an ill-fitting coach like Kevin Constantine or Mike Johnston attempted to limit creativity by building in too much structure. You have to let the wild ponies run free to get the most out of them. This season, that would mean taking a run at the 300 goal mark and trying to do what the team did in 2025-26 by attempting to out-score their defensive and goaltending issues.

Shooting variances or a decrease in chance generation could easily derail the progress of results made in 2025-26 and don’t make progress a sure proposition, but it sure would make for a fun season of hockey if next year’s Penguin team can make a run at the 300 mark.

Sharks star Macklin Celebrini signs 5-year extension worth NHL-record $18.8M per season originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Macklin Celebrini is staying in teal for the foreseeable future.

Celebrini signed a five-year contract extension with the Sharks on Wednesday, worth an NHL-record $18.8 million per season.

HERE WE GO 🦈

Macklin Celebrini has signed a five-year contract with the @SanJoseSharks! pic.twitter.com/1cUpziaTSP

— NHL (@NHL) July 29, 2026

One of the brightest young stars in the sport, Celebrini previously had expressed his openness to an extension this summer.

“I’m just open to every possibility. There’s nothing really that goes into it,” he told reporters on April 18, two days after the Sharks’ season ended. “I want to commit to this team and be here, and I love it here. I’m just open to whatever happens. Like I said, I haven’t really talked about it.” 

The newly 20-year-old phenom became eligible for an extension on July 1 as he begins the final year of his entry-level contract, signed after San Jose selected him No. 1 overall in the 2024 NHL Draft.

“In just two seasons as a teenager in the National Hockey League and on the International stage, Macklin has established himself as one of the premier players in the world,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier wrote Wednesday in a statement announcing the record-setting extension. “We are extremely excited to have him secured and committed as the centerpiece of a core of talented players in San Jose. 

“As we continue our goal of building a team capable of annually competing for the Stanley Cup, we want to thank Macklin and his representatives for a respectful negotiation process, and acknowledge the flexibility they have provided to the team in how we allocate future dollars towards the team being constructed around Macklin.”

The agreement comes after a historic 2025-26 NHL season for Celebrini, who broke the Sharks franchise record for points in a single season with 115, eclipsing Joe Thornton and his 114 points from the 2006-07 season.

“I couldn’t be happier to sign an extension today,” Celebrini wrote in a statement. “The faith and support that Mr. Plattner, Mike Grier and the entire staff have shown me throughout the past two seasons is proof that we are building something special here. My teammates and I are ready to take another step toward the ultimate goal of bringing a Stanley Cup to this city and its incredible fans. I can’t wait to get going.” 

In only his age-19 season, Celebrini nearly carried San Jose to the Stanley Cup playoffs almost single-handedly; his 45 goals led his team by 21 (Will Smith, 24) and his 70 assists the most by 32 (William Eklund, 38). With a point on 46.2 percent of the Sharks’ goals, Celebrini set an NHL record for a teenager as San Jose narrowly missed out on the Western Conference’s final-wild-card spot.

At $18.8 million AAV, Celebrini’s new contract — which will kick in for the 2027-28 NHL season — ranks as the highest in the league in annual value. Minnesota left winger Kirill Kaprizov’s eight-year deal worth $136 million was the largest contract in NHL history in both total and annual cost.

This story originally appeared on NBCSportsBayArea.com.

One of the keys to being a successful team in the NHL is the way the salary cap is allocated throughout the roster. 

Typically, teams that have won Stanley Cups in recent memory don't have star players who are handsomely paid. In fact, no team has won the Stanley Cup with a player earning more than $10 million against the salary cap. Instead, the money is spread out to all areas of the lineup, and that's all possible with players taking team-friendly contracts.

For the Toronto Maple Leafs, here are three of the most team-friendly contracts on the roster going into the 2026-27 NHL season, in no particular order, and not including entry-level contracts.

John Tavares, C

John Tavares by far has the most team-friendly contract on the Maple Leafs.

The 35-year-old center signed a four-year contract at $4.39 million per season in June 2025, which lasts through the 2028-29 campaign. He inked this deal after equalling his second-highest goal total of his NHL career with 38, as well as 36 assists for 74 points in 75 games.

Based on the production he still provides, his value on the open market could've easily been north of $7 million per season. 

In 2024, Steven Stamkos signed a four-year deal worth $8 million per year after scoring 81 points in 79 games. In fairness to him, that's a notch more than what Tavares registered in his contract year, but Stamkos nearly earned double what Tavares got from the Leafs.

Maple Leafs' Three Most Challenging Contracts For 2026-27 NHL SeasonFor the most part, the Toronto Maple Leafs are in pretty good shape when it comes to the roster's payroll. However, there are a small handful of contracts that may become challenging to deal with in the future.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D

Oliver Ekman-Larsson earns $3.5 million against the cap and will do so for the next two seasons for the Maple Leafs.

The veteran defenseman is well past the prime of his career as he enters season No. 17. However, the 35-year-old is coming off one of the best campaigns he's had in quite some time.

Ekman-Larsson scored eight goals and 39 points this past year, which is the highest point total he's registered since 2018-19. Other defensemen who scored at a similar rate to Ekman-Larsson in 2025-26 include Shea Theodore, who earns $7.425 million per year, and Dougie Hamilton, who nets $9 million against the cap.

For what Ekman-Larsson earns on his deal, that's a pretty team-friendly contract. Not to mention, he was excellent for Sweden as he captained his nation at the 2026 IIHF World Championship.

Where Does The Maple Leafs' Defense Rank In The Atlantic Division?With some tweaks to the blueline this off-season, where does the Toronto Maple Leafs' defense rank in the Atlantic Division on paper going into next season?

Chris Tanev, D

Chris Tanev's contract is certainly a longer deal considering his age. The 36-year-old makes $4.5 million against the cap for the next four seasons. Though that contract will take him to the age of 40 when it expires, it's the cap hit that is team-friendly, especially as the NHL salary cap increases.

The Maple Leafs didn't get to see much of Tanev this past year as he dealt with multiple injuries and only featured in 11 regular-season games. Though it would be ideal to have Tanev on the ice, a team can always bury a player's salary from the payroll if they suffer from a lengthy injury. So there isn't a huge loss financially when Tanev can't play, just the loss of a quality player on the Leafs' back end.

But when he is healthy, he's one of the top defensive defensemen in the NHL, and certainly one of the best shot blockers of this generation. Since entering the league in 2010-11, Tanev is a top-10 shot-blocker, with a total of 1,856.

He also makes a great shutdown pairing with Jake McCabe, who also isn't locked into a terrible contract either, costing $4.51 against the cap for the next four years.

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A former Columbus Blue Jackets goalie is calling it a career.

The Winnipeg Jets shared that former Blue Jackets goalie Michael Hutchinson has announced his retirement from professional hockey.

Hutchinson spent the 2022-23 season with the Blue Jackets organization. In 16 games with Columbus that campaign, he posted a 2-6-3 record, an .877 save percentage, and a 4.29 goals-against average. This would be his lone season with the Blue Jackets, as he spent his first NHL season with the Detroit Red Wings in 2023-24. 

Hutchinson played his final professional season overseas with SaiPa of Finland's Liiga during the 2024-25 campaign, where he had a 7-9-6 record, an .886 save percentage, and a 3.02 goals-against average. 

In 154 career NHL games split between the Jets, Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche, Blue Jackets, and Red Wings, Hutchinson had a 57-62-18 record, a 2.94 goals-against average, a .903 save percentage, and six shutouts. 

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A breakdown of what Macklin Celebrini's NHL-record contract extension looks like originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Forty-six days after turning 20 years old, Sharks superstar Macklin Celebrini signed a record-setting five-year contract Wednesday that carries the highest annual average value of any NHL deal.

Celebrini’s $18.8 million per season surpasses Leo Carlsson’s $18 million, which he just signed to remain with the Anaheim Ducks after they matched the Philadelphia Flyers’ offer sheet.

So, what does Celebrini’s new contract, which kicks in for the 2027-28 NHL season, look like? Puck Pedia provided a detailed breakdown of the deal.

Celebrini 5 year $18.8M Cap Hit #SJSharks ext:

Year 1: 950K salary & 19.85M Signing Bonus
Year 2: 950K & 19.85M SB
Year 3: 1M & 19.8M SB
Year 4: 1M & 16.1M SB
Year 5: 1M & 13.5M SB, No Move Clause

Years 1-3 are for $20.8M in compensation, which is the most annual compensation…

— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) July 29, 2026

Most of the $94 million in the new contract will be paid to Celebrini in the form of signing bonuses. Only $4.9 million will constitute base salary over the life of the deal.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, Celebrini is set to play the 2026-27 season on the final year of his Entry-Level Contract, which will pay him $877,500 in base salary and carries a $97,500 signing bonus and $3.5 million in performance bonuses.

Celebrini’s raise is well-deserved, as he broke the Sharks’ single-season points record in the final game of the regular season, recording 115 points.

The Sharks missed the playoffs, but Celebrini gave them a legitimate shot to end the drought last season.

With Will Smith, Michael Misa, Ivar Stenberg and others by his side, Celebrini has a chance to carry the Sharks to lofty heights.

Wednesday’s news is just the beginning for Celebrini.

Download and follow the San Jose Hockey Now podcast

Macklin Celebrini signs record five-year, $18.8M AAV Sharks contract extension originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Macklin Celebrini is staying in teal for the foreseeable future.

Celebrini signed a five-year contract extension with the Sharks on Wednesday, worth an NHL-record $18.8 million per season.

HERE WE GO 🦈

Macklin Celebrini has signed a five-year contract with the @SanJoseSharks! pic.twitter.com/1cUpziaTSP

— NHL (@NHL) July 29, 2026

One of the brightest young stars in the sport, Celebrini previously had expressed his openness to an extension this summer.

“I’m just open to every possibility. There’s nothing really that goes into it,” he told reporters on April 18, two days after the Sharks’ season ended. “I want to commit to this team and be here, and I love it here. I’m just open to whatever happens. Like I said, I haven’t really talked about it.” 

The newly 20-year-old phenom became eligible for an extension on July 1 as he begins the final year of his entry-level contract, signed after San Jose selected him No. 1 overall in the 2024 NHL Draft.

The agreement comes after a historic 2025-26 NHL season for Celebrini, who broke the Sharks franchise record for points in a single season with 115, eclipsing Joe Thornton and his 114 points from the 2006-07 season.

In only his age-19 season, Celebrini nearly carried San Jose to the Stanley Cup playoffs almost single-handedly; his 45 goals led his team by 21 (Will Smith, 24) and his 70 assists the most by 32 (William Eklund, 38). With a point on 46.2 percent of the Sharks’ goals, Celebrini set an NHL record for a teenager as San Jose narrowly missed out on the Western Conference’s final-wild-card spot.

At $18.8 million AAV, Celebrini’s new contract — which will kick in for the 2027-28 NHL season — ranks as the highest in the league in annual value. Minnesota left winger Kirill Kaprizov’s eight-year deal worth $136 million was the largest contract in NHL history in both total and annual cost.

Download and follow the San Jose Hockey Now podcast

Macklin Celebrini signs record five-year, $18.8M AAV Sharks contract extension originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Macklin Celebrini is staying in teal for the foreseeable future.

Celebrini signed a five-year contract extension with the Sharks on Wednesday, worth an NHL-record $18.8 million per season.

HERE WE GO 🦈

Macklin Celebrini has signed a five-year contract with the @SanJoseSharks! pic.twitter.com/1cUpziaTSP

— NHL (@NHL) July 29, 2026

One of the brightest young stars in the sport, Celebrini previously had expressed his openness to an extension this summer.

“I’m just open to every possibility. There’s nothing really that goes into it,” he told reporters on April 18, two days after the Sharks’ season ended. “I want to commit to this team and be here, and I love it here. I’m just open to whatever happens. Like I said, I haven’t really talked about it.” 

The newly 20-year-old phenom became eligible for an extension on July 1 as he begins the final year of his entry-level contract, signed after San Jose selected him No. 1 overall in the 2024 NHL Draft.

“In just two seasons as a teenager in the National Hockey League and on the International stage, Macklin has established himself as one of the premier players in the world,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier wrote Wednesday in a statement announcing the record-setting extension. “We are extremely excited to have him secured and committed as the centerpiece of a core of talented players in San Jose. 

“As we continue our goal of building a team capable of annually competing for the Stanley Cup, we want to thank Macklin and his representatives for a respectful negotiation process, and acknowledge the flexibility they have provided to the team in how we allocate future dollars towards the team being constructed around Macklin.”

The agreement comes after a historic 2025-26 NHL season for Celebrini, who broke the Sharks franchise record for points in a single season with 115, eclipsing Joe Thornton and his 114 points from the 2006-07 season.

“I couldn’t be happier to sign an extension today,” Celebrini wrote in a statement. “The faith and support that Mr. Plattner, Mike Grier and the entire staff have shown me throughout the past two seasons is proof that we are building something special here. My teammates and I are ready to take another step toward the ultimate goal of bringing a Stanley Cup to this city and its incredible fans. I can’t wait to get going.” 

In only his age-19 season, Celebrini nearly carried San Jose to the Stanley Cup playoffs almost single-handedly; his 45 goals led his team by 21 (Will Smith, 24) and his 70 assists the most by 32 (William Eklund, 38). With a point on 46.2 percent of the Sharks’ goals, Celebrini set an NHL record for a teenager as San Jose narrowly missed out on the Western Conference’s final-wild-card spot.

At $18.8 million AAV, Celebrini’s new contract — which will kick in for the 2027-28 NHL season — ranks as the highest in the league in annual value. Minnesota left winger Kirill Kaprizov’s eight-year deal worth $136 million was the largest contract in NHL history in both total and annual cost.

Download and follow the San Jose Hockey Now podcast

The Los Angeles Kings entered the offseason knowing they had one impossible task: replacing Anze Kopitar.

For nearly two decades, Kopitar was the foundation of the franchise. He was the player who drove the offense, handled the toughest defensive assignments, won important faceoffs, and provided the type of leadership that cannot simply be replaced through one roster move.

Now, with Kopitar officially retired, the Kings are entering a new era — and one major question remains unanswered: who is the true No. 1 center of this team?

That uncertainty is exactly why The Athletic placed Los Angeles near the bottom of its offseason rankings of the NHL's best top-six center duos. The Kings landed in the seventh tier, categorized among teams with a "major weakness" down the middle.

And it's difficult to argue with that assessment.

The Kings have made improvements throughout their roster, but center depth remains one of the biggest concerns heading into the 2026-27 season. If Los Angeles wants to finally get past the first round of the playoffs after years of early exits, finding more stability at the position has to be a priority for general manager Ken Holland.

The Kings drafted Quinton Byfield second overall in the 2020 NHL Draft because they believed he could eventually become the next elite forward to lead the franchise.

At 23 years old, Byfield still has plenty of time to reach that potential. His combination of size, skating ability, vision, and shooting talent gives him all the physical tools needed to become a legitimate first-line NHL center.

But the reality is that he has not reached that level yet.

After showing signs of a breakout, Byfield finished last season with 49 points in 79 games. That production is respectable for a young forward still developing, but it falls short of expectations for a player who was viewed as a future cornerstone of the franchise.

Now, with Kopitar no longer there to shoulder the responsibility, Byfield will face a completely different challenge. He will not just be expected to improve — he will be expected to become the player the Kings envisioned when they selected him nearly six years ago.

The talent is there. The question is whether he can consistently produce at the level of a true No. 1 center over an entire season.

One of Los Angeles' biggest offseason additions was Artemi Panarin, who gives the Kings a much-needed offensive weapon.

Panarin is still an elite talent capable of changing games offensively, but his production has dipped slightly from the level he established during his prime years with the New York Rangers.

Last season, Panarin recorded 28 goals and 56 assists for 84 points in 78 games between the Rangers and Kings. Those are impressive numbers, but they also show a slight decline from the player who consistently produced 90-plus points in New York and recorded 120 points during the 2023-24 season.

That does not mean Panarin cannot still be a difference-maker in Los Angeles. He absolutely can.

However, the Kings cannot expect one player to fix all of their offensive issues. Panarin needs the right supporting cast around him, and that includes having enough talent down the middle to maximize his playmaking ability.

The familiarity with head coach Peter Laviolette should help, considering their previous success together in New York, but coaching familiarity alone will not solve the roster's biggest weakness.

The Kings need more than just one elite offensive player.

Where Los Angeles continues to separate itself is on defense.

The Kings have built one of the stronger defensive structures in the NHL, and their ability to limit chances and play a physical style has kept them competitive for years. Goaltending should also remain a strength, with Anton Forsberg expected to take over as the team's starter.

But defense can only carry a team so far.

The biggest concern remains the lack of scoring depth and uncertainty at center. Players like Scott Laughton and Erik Haula bring experience, defensive responsibility, and faceoff ability, but neither player is expected to replace the offensive impact Kopitar provided for years.

That leaves Byfield with enormous pressure and leaves Holland with a difficult decision.

Earlier this offseason, The Hockey News discussed the possibility of Los Angeles exploring a trade involving Darcy Kuemper in an effort to address the need for more center depth. Moving a veteran goaltender for help down the middle could make sense if the Kings believe Forsberg is ready to handle the starting role.

Because this weakness is unlikely to disappear on its own.

The Kings have built a roster capable of competing, but their biggest question is located directly in the middle of the ice. If Byfield takes the next step and their veteran centers provide more offense than expected, Los Angeles could quickly prove The Athletic's ranking wrong.

But until that happens, the center position remains the biggest obstacle standing between the Kings and the deeper playoff run they have been chasing.