Category: Ice Hockey

The NHL free agent frenzy began less than a week ago, and as is usually the case, several clubs spent money irresponsibly. That is normally the case when July 1 comes around, but in a year where the free agent class was thin and two of the prime targets (Mitch Marner and Brock Boeser) did not get to the open market, clubs got into a bidding war and signed contracts with useful middle-of-the-lineup players that will not age well. 

Here are five contract signings that teams will likely regret:    

Tanner Jeannot: Boston Bruins (Five Years, $3.4 Million AAV) 

The bruising winger is not the player who scored 24 goals with Nashville four years ago, but after a failed stint in Tampa Bay, Jeannot became a useful crash-and-bang forward with the Los Angeles Kings, leading the club in hits until an injury ended his season in late March.

Jeannot benefited from teams looking to emulate the Florida Panthers model and parlayed that into a five-year deal, but Boston GM Don Sweeney’s desperation to make the Bruins relevant again led him to make a big mistake.

Connor Brown: New Jersey Devils (Four Years, $3 Million AAV) 

After some early success in Toronto and Ottawa, Brown’s career was derailed by a serious knee injury with Washington. His first year back with Edmonton was as a fourth-line role player, and last season he was more useful (13 goals, 17 assists in the regular season, five goals in the playoffs), but the term and salary given by the Devils for a bottom-six forward were excessive.  

Cody Ceci: Los Angeles Kings (Four Years, $4.5 Million AAV) 

Possibly the worst deal signed on July 1, as Kings GM Ken Holland went hog wild on a spending spree (Joel Armia, Brian Dumoulin, Anton Forsberg, Corey Perry) but did not address his new club’s crying need for offense. 

Ceci is, at best, a middle-pairing blueliner and better suited to bottom-pairing duty, but benefited from a dearth of right-handed defensemen in free agency. A one or two-year deal would have been understandable, but a four-year contract for someone who will play behind Drew Doughty and Brandt Clarke on the right side is absurd.  

Ryan Lindgren: Seattle Kraken (Four Years, $4.5 Million AAV) 

The same term and AAV as Ceci, the issue with Lindgren is not his quality as a player, but the fact that he may be the oldest 27-year-old in the NHL. After absorbing a ton of punishment as a shutdown defenseman with the Rangers playing alongside Adam Fox for five seasons, New York was fearful of signing him to a long-term deal and traded the blueliner to Colorado as a rental. 

The concern over Lindgren’s durability is valid, and the deal for a defenseman who has never scored more than 20 points in a season, even with the cap going up, was a risky proposition. 

Ivan Provorov: Columbus Blue Jackets (Seven Years, $8.5 Million AAV) 

Provorov benefited from the Noah Dobson contract (eight years at $9.5 million), making him and former Blue Jacket Vladislav Gavrikov the most sought-after defensemen on the market. The 28-year-old is a solid top-four blueliner who normally scores in the 30-35 point range and logs major minutes, but while the Rangers got Gavrikov at a $7-million cap hit, GM Don Waddell clearly paid a “Columbus tax” for Provorov. 

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The NHL off-season is in full swing, giving us the perfect opportunity to look at each team’s prospect pools, continuing now with the Buffalo Sabres. 

It is worth noting that a player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer considered a prospect for the purposes of these exercises.  

In this series, Tony Ferrari will dig into each team’s strengths and weaknesses, a quick overview of their latest draft class, where each team's positional depth chart stands and who could be next in line for an NHL chance! 

Initial Thoughts

The Sabres haven’t made the playoffs since the 2010-11 season, which is tied with the New York Jets for the longest drought in North American pro sports at the moment. They haven’t really even been close, having finished in the bottom half of their division every year during their drought. They haven’t been able to find the right mix, but it’s given them a very promising prospect pool. 

Konsta Helenius had a very solid first season in the AHL last year, showcasing his two-way game while growing into an offensive contributor throughout the season. His game has always been one of little flash and flair, built more on substance and intelligent habits. Helenius might not be a top-line center, but he has the potential to be a very good matchup center who can win his minutes. Amping up his pace will be the biggest growth opportunity heading into next season. 

Speaking of pace, Noah Ostlund is a center who brings plenty of pace and speed to the game. He can play on the wing if needed as well, which gives him some versatility, but it’s his intelligence and playmaking that make him a dangerous offensive player. He has the highest upside of the forward prospects in the system because of his combination of intelligence, speed, and puck skill, but he needs to show that he can handle the physicality of North American pro hockey, something he began to show with a great first full AHL season. 

Anton Wahlberg continued to prove his worth as a prospect with a 30-point rookie year in the AHL and an excellent performance at the World Junior Championship for Sweden. He has size and speed, which are tough to handle because he works his tail off, especially around the net and along the boards. Wahlberg might end up as a winger at the NHL level, but he’s the kind of high-work-rate player that finds himself playing with better players than he probably should because he finds a way to help make their life easy. 

Seemingly right on the cusp of breaking onto the NHL roster, Isak Rosen has a whippy shot that comes off a quick, deceptive release. He is an excellent offensive creator in space and thrives when he is able to create separation with subtle changes in speed or quick cuts. Rosen could be one of the first players called up this season when they need some top-nine help. 

With a huge step up in his age-21 season in the KHL, Prokhor Poltapov put himself back on the map for the Sabres. His dynamic dangles and slick offensive tools are what have allowed him to become an impact player for CSKA. His skating is the biggest thing holding him back, but he’s made strides in that department, no pun intended. 

The blueline is an area that has been a strength for the Sabres as well. They have Owen Power, 22, already on the roster, and Rasmus Dahlin and Mattias Samuelsson are still just 25, so the core of the defense group is young. They have Bowen Byram on the trading block at the moment because they feel like they lean too far offensively, which makes the presence of a couple of solid defensive blueliners in the system a blessing. 

Maxim Strbak has been a steadying defensive presence for the Michigan State Spartans the last couple of seasons in the NCAA as the school has become one of the best hockey programs in the country. Strbak isn’t often the first player named when the Spartans' success is brought up, but he’s always a player that coaches and teammates rave about. His attention to detail and defensive acumen are both excellent, understated qualities. 

Another excellent defensive blueliner in the system is University of Minnesota-Duluth defender, Adam Kleber. His reach and mobility allow him to track and shadow opposing attackers with ease, surfing back until the moment is right to strike with a well-timed poke check or a quick close out along the wall. Kleber isn’t dynamic or flashy, but he’s very effective. 

Although Devon Levi isn’t eligible for the Calder Trophy anymore, he remains the Sabres' top goaltending prospect. The 23-year-old has been fantastic at the AHL level, but he’s struggled to solidify himself at the NHL level. His agility and athleticism have always been impressive, but his 6-foot frame is going to be an obstacle for him to get over. 

The Sabres' pipeline has impressive depth in goal. Topias Leinonen, Scott Ratzlaff and Ryerson Leenders would all be the top netminder in nearly half of the systems across the league. It will be interesting to see which of them emerges as the alpha in the system as each of them brings excellent qualities in their own right.

Key U-23 Players Likely To Play NHL Games This Season

Zach Benson (LW), Jiri Kulich (C/W), Owen Power (D)

2025 NHL Draft Class

Round 1, 9th overall - Radim Mrtka, D, Seattle (WHL)

Round 3, 71st overall - David Bedkowski, D, Owen Sound (OHL)

Round 4, 103rd overall - Matous Kucharcik, C, Slavia Jr. (Czech)

Round 4, 116th overall - Samuel Meloche, G, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)

Round 5, 135th overall - Noah Laberge, D, Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)

Round 6, 167th overall - Ashton Schultz, C, Chicago (USHL)

Round 7, 195th overall - Melvin Novotny, L, Leksands IF Jr. (Swe)

Round 7, 199th overall - Evgeny Prokhorov, G, Babruysk Dinamo-Shinnik Jr. (Rus)

Round 7, 219th overall - Ryan Rucinski, C, Youngstown (USHL)

The Sabres’ draft was one that came with some questions from fans and analysts alike, but it wasn’t because they took bad players, it was because they played it fairly safe throughout the draft. Radim Mrtka is a big, rangy blueliner who is at his best when he plays a simple, controlled game with a focus on his own zone. He has some really intriguing flashes of offensive skill thanks to his creativity and mobility, but his offensive game may stagnate as he advances toward the NHL. 

Their next pick came in the third round, where they drafted defensive D-man David Bedkowski, one of the most physical players in the draft. He looks to punish opponents with big hits both in open ice and along the boards, bullying attackers and deterring them from coming his way. Bedkowski has a tendency to chase hits at times, but if he can rein that in, there is a solid, defensive-minded player here. 

The first of two fourth-rounders, Matous Kucharcik is a 6-foot-4 defensive forward who isn’t the most offensively inclined. His game is based around intelligent back tracking, solid defensive positioning and getting the puck to his wingers and allowing them to create. He can be an asset around the net. He’s not the most awe-inspiring player, but he could be a solid depth piece. 

Samuel Meloche played 51 games as a 17-year-old last year in the regular season in the QMJHL, and he more than held his own for Rouyn-Noranda. He was athletic enough to bail his team out when the defense broke down and technically sound enough to handle in-zone set attacks. He is one of the youngest goalies in the class, and having already proven he can handle nearly 65 total games between the regular season and playoffs, Meloche is a solid bet in the fourth round. 

The Sabres stuck with safe, defensive-minded players in the fifth round when they selected Noah Laberge. While he’s not the biggest defender at 6-foot-1, he plays a stout defensive game with good instincts. His quick stick gets on pucks right away as they enter his space, and he creates battles all over the ice rather than allowing the attacker to dictate play. Laberge can make a solid first pass, but don’t expect him to make dynamic plays offensively. 

Ashton Schultz was the Sabres' sixth-rounder. He is a support winger who can play a higher energy game at times and disrupt play on the backcheck. He’s not the kind of player who is going to put up crazy points or drive play offensively. He is more of a complementary support player who provides outlets or comes into a battle to create a numbers advantage for his team. 

The Sabres deviated from their plan of going safe and defensive in the seventh with their first pick of the round, Melvin Novotny. The Swedish winger is a crafty player who thinks the game tactically. His timing and play-reading ability are what make him dangerous in the offensive zone, waiting an extra second for a passing lane to open up or quickly taking advantage of a defender's feet turned the wrong way. Novotny might have the highest upside of any forward that they drafted, and it’s not particularly close. The reason he fell is that he’s not much of a physical player, and his skating is average at best. 

With their second-to-last pick, the Sabres selected netminder Yevgeni Prokhorov. The 6-foot-3 tendy had a solid season, but his six-game playoff stint, where he posted a .943 save percentage, is what really drew the attention of teams in the NHL. It’s a late swing on a goalie, and the Sabres have done a good job of identifying netminders in the later rounds. 

They capped off the 2025 NHL draft by taking Ryan Rucinski from the Youngstown Phantoms. He brings some physicality and a good shot along with some solid habits in his own end. He doesn’t have any truly high-end tools, but he works hard and crashes the net in the offensive zone to try and clean up the garbage around the crease. 

Strengths

The Sabres have been a team that has been building up their pipeline for quite some time now. Understandably, that means they have some really solid talent. They have a number of solid blueliners and more than a few quality netminders, but the position of true strength is down the middle. Helenius and Ostlund should compete for roles in the top six, and Anton Wahlberg is a potential third-line center of the future. 

Even players like Kucharcik and Schultz could be potential centers at the pro level. The depth of centers is what is really impressive, especially since they have Kulich, 21, and Peyton Krebs, 24, who will likely be in the lineup full time this season. Young, solid center depth could be what gets the Sabres out of the futility that they’ve lived in for a decade and a half. 

Weaknesses

The Sabres don’t have many weaknesses in their pipeline, but if you want to nitpick, you could say that it’s the skill on the wings. Rosen is the most skilled player on either wing, and he could wind up being a top-nine winger. They have players like Poltapov, Novotny and Ziemer who could fill depth roles, but none of them look like potential top-six players. There is always a chance that some of their centers move to the wing, so the issue may not be quite all that integral, especially since they have Benson, 20, Jack Quinn, 23, and Josh Doan, 23, who can play important roles on the wing as young players. 

Hidden Gem: Luke Osburn, D

Heading into last year’s draft, Osburn was one of my favorite sleepers, so when Buffalo took him in the fourth round, it was instantly a prospect that I was keeping my eye on. His step-up with Youngstown in the USHL this year was impressive, becoming a true difference maker on the ice in transition and in the offensive zone. 

Osburn is a very fluid skater who can get moving quickly to open passing lanes. His ability to activate compromises opposing defenders as they have to commit to tracking him, which gives him an open man to pass to. Osburn could be a sneaky good defenseman at the next level, but first, he’s headed to the University of Wisconsin. 

Next Man Up: Isak Rosen, RW

There is no obvious answer to who will be the next man up because the Sabres have so many young players already on the roster or players who have already used up their Calder eligibility, which makes it hard to choose from the group below on the depth chart. Devon Levi is set to play a bigger role in the NHL, assuming he can take hold of a spot in camp, as the team is hoping. Kulich and Benson are both going to play major roles on the NHL roster in what could be a breakout year for both of them. Owen Power is just 22 years old and still just scratching the surface of what the Sabres hoped for when they drafted him. 

If there is a player from the AHL squad who could move up and take a spot in the NHL lineup, it very well could be Rosen. The young Swede has a quick release, and he’s an intelligent passer as well. With fluidity on his feet also a major strength, Rosen has the tools to be an impactful dual-threat attacker at the next level. 

Prospect Depth Chart Notables

LW: Prokhor Poltapov, Melvin Novotny, Viktor Neuchev

C: Konsta Helenius, Noah Ostlund, Anton Wahlberg, Matous Kucharcik

RW: Isak Rosen, Brodie Ziemer, Ashton Schultz

LD: Luke Osburn, Nikita Novikov, Noah Laberge, Norwin Panocha

RD: Radim Mrtka, Maxim Strbak, Adam Kleber, David Bedkowski, Vsevolod Komarov, Gavin McCarthy

G: Topias Leinonen, Scott Ratzlaff, Ryerson Leenders, Yevgeni Prokhorov

For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook and Future Watch editions of the Hockey News print edition.

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When the player-elected arbitration deadline passed yesterday, only Jayden Struble elected to use that course of action. Jakub Dobes was eligible for it, but he didn’t file. It turns out he didn’t need to; less than 24 hours later, the Montreal Canadiens announced they had put pen to paper with the promising young goaltender.

Dobes got his baptism of fire in the NHL this past season when he was thrown into action against the Stanley Cup defending champions, the Florida Panthers, on December 28. After the Christmas break, the Canadiens put Cayden Primeau on waivers, and when he was ignored, they assigned him to the Laval Rocket and recalled Dobes as a result.

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Nobody thought the 24-year-old would be making his debut last season. When the Canadiens traded Jake Allen at the trade deadline during the 2023-24 season, it was because they believed Primeau was ready to shoulder the load of backup. His numbers did suggest that he was. He finished that season with an 8-9-4 record, a 2.99 goal-against average, and a .910 save percentage. Unfortunately, October was a bad month, followed by an even worse one in November and a terrible one in December.

By the time he was sent down to Laval, he had a 2-3-0 record with a 4.70 GAA and a .836 save percentage, and Martin St-Louis had lost faith in his backup, which prompted Dobes’ arrival. In his first game with the Canadiens, he blanked the Panthers, making 34 stops. He won his first five starts, dispatching the Panthers, the Colorado Avalanche, the Washington Capitals, the Dallas Stars, and the New York Rangers: four playoff teams and a team with a lot of big guns.

The following 11 games were more challenging, and he went through a couple of three-game losing streaks, but he bounced back, and in his last two games of the season, he had a .973 SV and a .971SV, which gave him a 7-4-3 record with a 2.74 GAA and a .909 SV on the season.

The new deal he signed is a two-year, one-way contract with a $965,000 AAV and comes in just $185,000 under the one signed by 28-year-old free agent signing Kaapo Kahkonen. Interestingly, Dobes’ deal will end exactly when Samuel Montembeault’s does, leaving Kent Hughes free to implement a new salary structure in the crease depending on how each goaltender performs. Montembeault will be a UFA and Dobes a RFA with arbitration rights, just one year away from unrestricted free agency. Meanwhile, Jacob Fowler will have just one year left on his ELC.

When training camp rolls around, Dobes will have a battle on his hands for the backup role, while most are ready to give it to him, Kahkonen has been clear about his intention of making his way back to the NHL. The Finn has 140 games of NHL experience and will have to clear waivers to be assigned to the Laval Rocket.

It will be interesting to see how Dobes handles the internal competition. Still, he does start with the inside lane, being well-known within the organization and having demonstrated his capabilities last season. While Dobes is a different kind of goaltender from what we’ve been used to seeing in Montreal, he has been entertaining to watch. While his technique and positioning aren’t necessarily great, he finds a way to stop the puck, and often in spectacular fashion, even if he caused it to be stunning in the first place.

Unlike Samuel Montembeault, he’s also very aggressive in his crease with a strong stick he uses to cut passes and abort plays. He doesn’t hesitate to police his crease and push out any intruder. With this signing, Struble is now the sole free agent on the team that Hughes needs to sign.

Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

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The following is a list of notable players who have signed as free agents with, or been loaned, traded, or otherwise transferred to European clubs during the 2025 off-season.

Where applicable, the club that holds the player’s NHL negotiating rights is also noted. 

If a player’s name is highlighted, it means that the news of his transfer of signing was featured or mentioned in a THN International article. Click on the link to read the story.

Noteworthy players who skated for European clubs last season and are still available on the free-agent market can be seen here. 

Players are separated by position and listed according to age.

Goaltenders:

Július Hudáček G 36 SVK Kölner Haie (GER) – Dresdner Eislöwen (GER)
Antti Raanta G 35 FIN Genève-Servette (SUI) – Lukko Rauma (FIN)
Sami Aittokallio G 32 FIN HK Nitra (SVK) – Glasgow Clan (GBR)
Chris Driedger G 31 CAN Winnipeg Jets (NHL) – Traktor Chelyabinsk (RUS)
Spencer Martin G 30 CAN Carolina Hurricanes (NHL) – CSKA Moscow (RUS)
Adam Húska G 28 SVK HC Lugano (SUI) – Admiral Vladivostok (RUS)
Aleš Stezka G 28 CZE Seattle Kraken (NHL) – Kometa Brno (CZE)
Evan Fitzpatrick G 27 CAN Red Bull Munich (GER) – Nuremburg Ice Tigers (GER)
Connor Hughes CAN Montreal Canadiens (NHL) – Lausanne HC (SUI)
Waltteri Ignatjew G 25 FIN Calgary Flames (NHL) – Linköping HC (SWE)
Jakub Škarek G 25 CZE New York Islanders (NHL) IFK Helsinki (FIN)

Antti Raanta Signs With Hometown Finnish Team Antti Raanta is finally going home. On Monday, Liiga club Lukko, located in Raanta’s hometown of Rauma, on Finland’s west coast, announced that the 36-year-old goaltender had signed a one-year contract.

Defensemen:

Jakub Kindl D 38 CZE  Joensuun Kiekko-Pojat (FIN) – Boxers de Bordeaux (FRA)
Michal Kempný D 34 CZE Sparta Prague (CZE) – Brynäs (SWE)
Miika Koivisto D 34 FIN Timrå IK (SWE) – Vaasan Sport (FIN)
Jesse Blacker D 34 KAZ Avtomobil Yekaterinburg (RUS) – Avangard Omsk (RUS)
Sami Vatanen D 33 FIN Genève-Servette (SUI) – JYP Jyväskylä (FIN)
Mark Pysyk D 33 CAN SaiPa Lappeenranta (FIN) – Sparta Prague (CZE)
Ryan Murphy D 32 CAN Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) – Red Bull Munich (GER)
Darren Dietz D 31 KAZ Avtomobil Yekaterinburg (RUS) – Dinamo Minsk (BLR)
Connor Carrick D 31 USA Edmonton Oilers (NHL) – HC Lugano (SUI)
Mikael Seppälä  D 31 FIN HV71 (SWE) – Sparta Prague (CZE)
Dillon Heatherington D 30 Anaheim Ducks (NHL) – Red Bull Munich (GER)
Theodor Lennström D 30 SWE Genève-Servette (SUI) – Linköping HC (SWE)
Jordan Gross D 30 USA Dinamo Minsk (BLR) – Traktor Chelyabinsk (RUS)
Madison Bowey D 30 CAN Cleveland Monsters (AHL) – Augsburger Panther (GER)
Lukáš Klok D 30 CZE SC Bern (SUI) – EHC Kloten (SUI)
Robert Hägg D 30 SWE Vegas Golden Knights (NHL) – Brynäs (SWE)
Brady Keeper D 29 CAN HK Poprad (SVK) – Glasgow Clan (GBR)
Andreas Borgman D 29 SWE Fribourg-Gottéron (SUI) – HV71 (SWE)
Keaton Thompson D 29 USA Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (RUS) – Grizzlys Wolfsburg (GER)
Mark Friedman D 29 CAN Nashville Predators (NHL) – Rögle BK (SWE)
Sami Niku D 28 FIN EHC Kloten (SUI) – Lausanne HC (SUI)
Gabriel Carlsson D 28 EV Zug (SUI) – Färjestad BK (SWE)
Nicolas Mattinen D 27 Toronto Maple Leafs (TOR) – Adler Mannheim (GER)
Tarmo Reunanen D 27 FIN Energie Karlovy Vary (CZE) – TPS Turku (FIN)
Filip Roos D 26 SWE Ottawa Senators (NHL) – Färjestad BK (SWE)
Gustav Lindström D 26 SWE Montreal Canadiens (NHL) – Djurgården (SWE)
 Luke Martin D 26 USA IFK Helsinki (FIN) – Örebro HK (SWE)
Thomas Grégoire D 26 CAN EHC Kloten (SUI) – Severstsal Cherepovets (RUS)
Mattias Norlinder D 24 SWE MoDo (SWE) – Brynäs (SWE)
Erik Brännström D 25 SWE Buffalo Sabres (NHL) – Lausanne HC (SUI)
Filip Král D 25 CZE Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL) – Kometa Brno (CZE)
Valtteri Pulli D 24 FIN HC Lugano (SUI) – Djurgården (SWE)
Topi Niemelä D 23 FIN Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) – Malmö Redhawks (SWE)
Roni Hirvonen D 23 FIN Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) – Kärpät Oulu (FIN)

Erik Brännström Signs Multi-Year Deal In Switzerland Swedish defenseman Erik Brännström, 25, has signed a three-year contract with Lausanne HC, the National League club announced on Monday.

Forwards:

David Booth W 40 USA Ferencvárosi TC (HUN) – Melbourne Ice (AUS)
Vladimír Sobotka F 37 CZE Sparta Prague (CZE) – Dynamo Pardubice (CZE)
Tomáš Zohorna F 37 CZE Motor České Budějovice (CZE) – Kometa Brno (CZE)
Michael Raffl W 36 AUT Lausanne HC (SUI) – Red Bull Salzburg (AUT)
Zach Boychuk F 35 CAN Eisbären Berlin (GER) – Olimpija Ljubljana (SLO)
Teemu Hartikainen 35 FIN Genève-Servette (SUI) – KalPa Kuopio (FIN)
André Petersson RW 34 SWE HV71 (SWE) – SCL Tigers (SUI)
Tomáš Tatar 34 SVK New Jersey Devils (NHL) – EV Zug (SUI)
Taylor Beck F 34 CAN Sibir Novosibirsk (RUS) – Genève-Servette (SUI)
Lukáš Radil W 34 CZE Dynamo Pardubice (CZE) – Mountfield HK (CZE)
Scott Wilson LW 33 CAN Salavat Yulaev Ufa (RUS) – Sibir Novosibirsk (RUS)
Linden Vey C 33 CAN Fribourg-Gottéron (SUI) – Vienna Capitals (AUT)
Mike Sgarbossa C 32 CAN Washington Capitals (NHL) – HC Lugano (SUI)
Patrick Russell W 31 DEN Linköping HC (SWE) – Kölner Haie (GER)
Tim Bozon LW 31 FRA Lausanne HC (SUI) – Genève-Servette (SUI)
Reid Boucher RW 31 USA Avangard Omsk (RUS) – Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg (RUS)
Alexander Khokhlachyov F 31 RUS HK Sochi (RUS) – Lada Togliatti (RUS)
Riley Barber W 31 Neftekhimik Nizkhnekamsk (RUS) – ERC Ingolstadt (GER)
Jack Rodewald F 31 CAN Admiral Vladivostok (RUS) – Salavat Yulaev Ufa (RUS)
Chris Tierney C 31 CAN Dinamo Minsk (BLR) – HC Ambrì-Piotta (SUI)
Justin Kloos F 31 USA Leksands IF (SWE) – HV71 (SWE)
Henrik Haapala W 31 FIN Malmö Redhawks (SWE) – Tappara Tampere (FIN)
Drake Caggiula F 30 CAN Edmonton Oilers (NHL) – Lausanne HC (SUI)
Nic Petan F 30 CAN Ak Bars Kazan (RUS) – HC Ambrì-Piotta (SUI)
Balázs Sebők F 30 HUN Fehérvár AV19 (HUN) – Ässät Pori (FIN)
Sean Malone C 29 USA SCL Tigers (SUI) – Örebro HK (SWE)
Jayce Hawryluk RW 29 CAN EHC Kloten (SUI) – HKM Zvolen (SVK)
Axel Holmström C 29 SWE Vaasan Sport (FIN) – HC Litvínov (CZE)
Ryan MacInnis C 29 USA Adler Mannheim (GER) – Kölner Haie (GER)

List Of Available Free Agents In EuropeThe following is a list of notable players who finished the 2024-25 season with a European club and have no contract to play anywhere in 2025-26, and are therefore free agents. Only players whose seasons have finished are listed. 

Karson Kuhlman RW 29 USA Lukko Rauma (FIN) – Rögle BK (SWE)
Fredrik Olofsson F 29 SWE EV Zug (SUI) – Rögle BK (SWE)
Dominik Kubalík W 29 CZE HC Ambri-Piotta (SUI) – EV Zug (SUI)
Daniel Audette C 29 CAN EHC Kloten (SUI) – Rytíři Kladno (CZE)
Radim Zohorna F 28 CZE HC Lugano (SUI) – Färjestad BK (SWE)
Evgeny Svechnikov W 28 RUS Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (RUS) – Amur Khabarovsk (RUS)
Mārtiņš Dzierkals W 28 LAT Skellefteå AIK (SWE) – Sparta Prague (CZE)
Chase Pearson F 27 CAN Villacher EV (AUT) – Nottingham Panthers (GBR)
Henrik Borgström F 27 SWE HV71 (SWE) – Fribourg-Gottéron (SUI)
Rasmus Asplund F 27 SWE Florida Panthers (NHL) – HC Davos (SUI)
Jere Innala LW 27 FIN Colorado Avalanche (NHL) – Frölunda HC (SWE)
Lukáš Jašek F 27 CZE MoDo (SWE) – Ilves Tampere (FIN)
Joachim Blichfeld W 26 DEN Rögle BK (SWE) – Tappara Tampere (FIN)
Lukáš Rousek F 26 CZE Buffalo Sabres (NHL) – HV71 (SWE)
Oscar Flynn LW 26 CZE Bílí Tygři Liberec (CZE) – Oceláři Třinec (CZE)
Rasmus Kupari F 25 FIN Winnipeg Jets (NHL) – HC Lugano (SUI)
Jesse Ylönen W 25 FIN Nashville Predators (NHL) – Djurgården (SWE)
Egor Sokolov W 25 RUS Utah Mammoth (NHL) – CSKA Moscow (RUS)
Egor Sokolov W 25 RUS CSKA Moscow (RUS) – Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (RUS)
Dominik Bokk W 25 GER Löwen Frankfurt (GER) – Kölner Haie (GER)
Justin Schütz LW 24 GER Kölner Haie (GER) – Adler Mannheim (GER)
Ruslan Iskhakov F 24 RUS CSKA Moscow (RUS) – Metallurg Magnitogorsk (RUS) New York Islanders
Michal Teplý W 24 CZE Oceláři Třinec (CZE) – HC Plzeň (CZE)
Aku Räty W 23 FIN Chicago Blackhawks (NHL) – Kärpät Oulu (FIN)
Jakub Konečný C 22 CZE Kometa Brno (CZE) – Rytíři Kladno (CZE)
Victor Stjernborg F 22 SWE Växjö Lakers (SWE) – Skellefteå AIK (SWE)  Chicago Blackhawks
Adam Bareš F 21 CZE Lahti Pelicans (FIN) – Rytíři Kladno (CZE)
Alex Čiernik W 20 SVK Leigh Valley Phantoms (AHL) – Lahti Pelicans (FIN) Philadelphia Flyers
Lucas Pettersson C 19 SWE MoDo (SWE) – Brynäs (SWE) Anaheim Ducks

Photo © Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images: Rasmus Kupari playing for the Winnipeg Jets in the 2024-25 NHL season. 

Tomáš Tatar Signs Multi-Year Deal In Switzerland Slovak forward Tomáš Tatar, 34, has signed a two-year contract in Switzerland with EV Zug, the National League club announced on Tuesday.

On Saturday, 11 players elected arbitration, including one from the Montreal Canadiens: Jayden Struble. The 23-year-old left-shot defenseman is just coming off his ELC deal, which had a $867,500 cap hit.

A second-round pick at the 2019 draft, Struble spent four years in the NCAA before joining the organization at the end of the 2022-23 campaign. The Northeastern University alums played nine games with the Laval Rocket that season on an amateur tryout and started his ELC the following season.

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He has played 56 games in the NHL in each of the last two seasons, scoring five goals and adding 18 assists for 23 points, while also accumulating 109 penalty minutes. He also had brief stints in the AHL with the Rocket, but he has reached a point where he needs to secure regular ice time in the NHL.

Much like Arber Xhekaj, he has struggled to establish himself as a regular in the NHL. If he hoped that David Savard’s departure would have given him a chance to step into the vacated roster spot, the Noah Dobson acquisition put an end to those hopes.

Last offseason, Kent Hughes had to negotiate a second contract with Xhekaj and Justin Barron. Xhekaj signed a 2-year, one-way deal with a $1.3 M cap hit while Justin Barron put pen to paper on a two-year, one-way pact with a $1.15 M cap hit. A few months later, Barron was traded to the Nashville Predators in return for Alexandre Carrier.

Earlier this week, the Canadiens made a qualifying offer to Struble, ensuring they kept his rights. According to his previous contract, that qualifying offer had to be at least $813,750. At this stage, it’s hard to get a sense of what Struble’s demands may be, but he has very little leverage at this point, having failed to establish himself as a regular.

Hopefully, the two parties can reach an agreement before the arbitration hearing, as this procedure is never beneficial to the relationship between the team and its player. It’s essentially a meeting in which the player’s side tells the arbitrator how much they believe he’s worth and why, and then, the team tells the arbitrator why he doesn’t deserve that money, listing the deficiencies in his game.

The hearings are scheduled to take place between July 20 and August 4, giving Hughes at least two weeks to work his magic. Despite the salary cap, it’s hard to imagine Struble getting much more than Xhekaj, the team’s tough guy, who played three playoff games while Struble was in the press box. It’s worth noting that Jakub Dobes could have opted for arbitration as well since he was eligible, but he decided not to go that way.

Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

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The Toronto Maple Leafs prospects got a firsthand look at current NHL players as they filed into the rink during development camp.

John Tavares, Scott Laughton, and Chris Tanev are only a few of the current Maple Leafs remaining at the team's practice facility in Etobicoke to train throughout the offseason. They've learned a bunch from guest speakers throughout the week, such as Mark Giordano, who shared his story of being an undrafted defenseman who eventually won the Norris Trophy.

However, it was a real eye-opener for the prospects to watch players like Tavares train on the ice before their on-ice sessions began.

"When Mark Giordano spoke to the players yesterday (Friday), one of the players asked, who are some of the best pros you've ever been around, and his first answer was John Tavares," Maple Leafs assistant GM, player development, Hayley Wickenheiser said.

"I've trained with John myself over the years, and he's just the ultimate pro. He doesn't leave any details unturned and he has a plan for himself.

"And so one of the cool things about doing development camp is, we have these guys that are skating before some of the pros that are in town, so we give the players a chance to watch them, ask them questions, and opportunity to just see, 'Oh, that's what it takes to get to that level,' and John is the epitome of that."

'This Is For Real Now': Matthews, Tavares, Nylander Texts Help Welcome New Maple Leafs ProspectsIn the hours—and likely days—after the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Tyler Hopkins with their third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, the 18-year-old sifted through all of the messages received about being selected.

The prospects raved about watching the current Maple Leafs workout, applauding their work ethic and detail, which will be positive aspects to remember when the younger players return to training next week.

"They're incredible. You watch them on TV as a kid growing up for my whole life, and then you see them in real life, and you're like, 'Wow, it's kind of crazy,'" 2025 seventh-round pick Matthew Hlacar said.

John Prokop, who's entering his one-year contract with Toronto, watched Tavares and Tanev train on the ice. He played a handful of games with the Toronto Marlies this past season after leaving Union College, but this was the first time catching a glimpse of these NHLers up close.

"They're how old, played how many years in the league, and still they look like they're 24, 25, and that's really impressive," he said. "And their work ethic in the gym, on the ice, it's been awesome."

'He Always Wants To Be The Best': Why Tinus Luc Koblar Could Be Maple Leafs' Biggest Steal Of The 2025 NHL DraftA few weeks after being drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tinus Luc Koblar is soaking up his time in the city.

Giordano's speech at development camp also resonated with Prokop since he, too, is an undrafted defenseman.

"It was really cool to see his journey, his ups and downs, and how he persevered, ended up being the captain, jumped to different places even in the expansion draft with Seattle," the 24-year-old said.

"Then compete. He got to play with some pretty talented players, like (Jarome) Iginla, and just hearing how they worked and how he worked, and his career ended up what it was."

Maple Leafs Forward Nick Robertson Files For Salary Arbitration, Timeline, Reasons And What’s Next?For the first time in his tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Nick Robertson has leverage. The forward filed for salary arbitration on Saturday, which allows a third party to decide his compensation for the upcoming season.

Toronto 2022 third-round pick Nick Moldenhauer, who spends his offseasons in the Greater Toronto Area, actually got on the ice with Scott Laughton since returning home from the University of Michigan.

"He's a great guy. Came up and introduced himself to me as soon as I got on the ice," Moldenhauer smiled.

"I think the biggest thing when we were skating the first time was just how patient he is with the slot shots he takes. We were doing little shave-ice drills with releasing pucks in the slot and just watching him make it look so effortless was really cool...

"There was one rep where he went three in a row just exact same slide and shot, top right, and I was just like, this guy makes it look so easy. Just taking away those little things that he does well, I think is going to be beneficial for me and just continue to pick his brain over the offseason."

'Time Will Tell': Is Maple Leafs Prospect Easton Cowan Ready For The NHL Next Season?One year ago, it was only the NHL or OHL for Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan. However, now, it'll be NHL or AHL for the 20-year-old.

Moldenhauer hopes to skate with Laughton for a lot of the offseason before returning for his junior year at Michigan. The 21-year-old had a down season, scoring three goals and seven assists in 29 games, compared to his eight goals and 13 assists in 41 games the year prior.

"Being able to skate with (Laughton), ask him questions, even though it's been real quick so far, I'm looking to continue to do that" Moldenhauer said, "and just build little things he does well into my game and just continue to benefit from all these great players who train here over the summer as much as I can."

'What's This Horse About?': Maple Leafs Prospects React To Having Wild Colt At Development CampThe Toronto Maple Leafs prospects didn't know what they were getting themselves into when they rolled into Exhibition Place on Friday morning.

One of the most unique reactions to seeing current Maple Leafs on the ice was from Toronto 2025 third-round pick Tyler Hopkins. The 18-year-old grew up a Maple Leafs fan, and when he entered the rink on Friday and saw Tavares skating, he witnessed what was needed to reach the next level.

"It looks like he could play in a World Championship game right now. The biggest game, you put him in, he looks like he's in great shape," Hopkins smiled.

"A lot of people here have touched on how hard he works, and it's pretty clear to see that when you see him on the ice, he's going as hard as he can every rep and sticking to those little details."

(Top photo of Tanev and Tavares:  Kim Klement Neitzel / Imagn Images)

The NHL trade rumors have been strong with the Philadelphia Flyers this summer, but New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov has taken an opportunity to clear the air.

Previously, it was reported that the Flyers, along with the Boston Bruins, were interested in trading for Romanov, still an RFA at the time.

Instead, the 25-year-old Russian signed an eight-year, $50 million contract ($6.25 million AAV), tying him down in Long Island in 2033, when he'll be 33 years old.

“I was shocked when I heard [the trade rumors]. I immediately texted [agent] Dan Milstein and asked, ‘What is this?’ He told me it wasn’t true,” Romanov told RG's Sergey Demidov in a recent interview. “Both Boston and Philly are already set on the left side of their defense. From what I understand, they weren’t even interested.”

And, Romanov is right in his assessment of the Flyers, given the team's steadfast commitment to reaching an agreement with RFA defenseman Cam York.

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Even with Travis Sanheim already playing on the right side, the Flyers still have York, Nick Seeler, Egor Zamula, and Emil Andrae occupying the left.

Plus, when accounting for the contract Romanov just signed and the additions of Dan Vladar and Christian Dvorak in the opening hours of NHL free agency, the Flyers would be roughly $700k over the salary cap had they acquired Romanov and re-signed him.

Romanov would have been a fun add to the Flyers given his pugilistic playstyle, but, logistically, things got hairy for the Flyers rather quickly.

Plus, it takes two to tango, and the Flyers were apparently never interested to begin with.

If you're wondering who might've stood out at Toronto Maple Leafs development camp, look no further than 2025 third-round pick Tyler Hopkins.

The 18-year-old center impressed many he went up against in the three-day camp. He was one of the smaller players picked by Toronto in the NHL Draft, but there's a lot that the Maple Leafs like in his game.

He was a bit nervous coming in. You couldn't tell, though, when he stepped onto the ice for the first time on Thursday.

"Honestly, I felt pretty good. None of those real nerves actually came out," he said on the final day of development camp.

"Once I hit the ice, everybody was really welcoming here, kind of made me feel at home pretty quick, the staff and even most of the players. It was easy to get into all the drills and things like that with people that are like-minded and trying to achieve the same goals."

'He Always Wants To Be The Best': Why Tinus Luc Koblar Could Be Maple Leafs' Biggest Steal Of The 2025 NHL DraftA few weeks after being drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tinus Luc Koblar is soaking up his time in the city.

There might be bigger expectations that come with being drafted where he was by Toronto, even more so when he had the season he did with the Frontenacs this past year. Maple Leafs assistant GM, player development, Hayley Wickenheiser, who was overseeing the camp, was impressed by Hopkins, though.

"He stood out for me as well. Just because of his hockey sense," Maple Leafs assistant GM, player development, Hayley Wickenheiser said on the final day of camp.

"He made some really nice plays. Not an overly big kid, not overly fast, but you notice him out there many of times, just by the ability to complete plays and put the puck on people's sticks, so it was nice to see. That's what we've saw of him in the draft as well, and it seemed to translate the last few days."

Hopkins has faced a few players prior to this development camp. Playing in the OHL with the Kingston Frontenacs, where he scored 20 goals and 31 assists in 67 games, Hopkins faced off against players like Easton Cowan with the London Knights and Ben Danford with the Oshawa Generals.

He called Danford a difficult player to go up against, citing the defenseman's skill at shutting down plays and being physical. Danford, who was rooming with Hopkins throughout Toronto's development camp, also praised the center's game.

"He's a great player. He's someone that's really solid," said Danford. "I think he's just going to keep getting better, the more he fills out. He's really skilled. His hands, his shot. Good skater. He's a really great player."

'Time Will Tell': Is Maple Leafs Prospect Easton Cowan Ready For The NHL Next Season?One year ago, it was only the NHL or OHL for Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan. However, now, it'll be NHL or AHL for the 20-year-old.

Hopkins hopes to add more strength to his game this summer. He was one of the younger players at this camp, so with an NHL training camp this fall, and then his next season with Kingston, Hopkins wants to bulk up so that he can take another step.

"I think just putting on a little bit more weight, upper-body strength, to go into those corners and still be strong and be able to hold onto the puck and make plays, I think that's the biggest thing for me," Hopkins said.

"I think just working as hard as I can in front and around the net. Try to score a little bit more goals as well is always something that I'm trying to do, so I think those are kind of the two big things for me going into this offseason."

(Top photo of Hopkins: Nick Barden / The Hockey News Toronto)

After TSN tried its hand at projecting Team Canada’s roster earlier this week, NHL.com took a stab at projecting Team USA’s roster. At the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Montreal Canadiens didn’t have a single player on the finalists’ roster, but this year, it seems like NHL.com will be different.

Up front, Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Brady and Matthew Tkachuk have already been named to the roster, and NHL.com would complete the forwards’ corps with Matt Boldy, Kyle Connor, Jack Guentzel, Jack Hughes, Clayton Keller, Dylan Larkin, J.T. Miller, Jason Robertson, Tage Thompson and Canadiens’ snipper Cole Caufield.

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On the blueline, Quinn Hughes and Charlie McAvoy have already been chosen, and NHL.com would add Brock Faber, Seth Jones, Brett Pesce, Jake Sanderson, Jaccob Slavin, and Zach Werenski. Meaning there is no room on this roster for Canadiens’ standout defenseman Lane Hutson.

The roster is wrapped up with Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger, and Jeremy Swayman. There’s no denying that it’s a good roster from top to bottom, but it’s at least worth considering Hutson for the blueline.

The projected defense already has two 22-year-olds with Faber and Sanderson, and I guess it makes sense to have some experience there. Still, there’s certainly an argument to be made for Hutson taking Sanderson’s spot or even Faber’s. Although they have more experience, with three NHL seasons and two seasons under their belt, respectively, neither has ever been as productive as Hughes in a single season. However, would they be cast in such a role? Looking at the other names on there, they may be out of offensive roles on the blueline.

If they were to be used in a more defensive role, they would probably prefer their size to Hutson’s. Still, for now, it’s only speculations, and should Hutson have yet another electric start to the season, he may well book a place on the real roster.

Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

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DETROIT - Saying that it was time for a “new chapter” in his life, former Detroit Red Wings forward Christian Fischer has announced his retirement from the NHL at only 28 years of age. 

Fischer, who played a total of 124 games while wearing the Winged Wheel from 2023 to 2025, thanked those who he encountered along his NHL journey and expressed gratitude to those who helped make it possible. 

“I’m very thankful for all the people I’ve come across, and I’d tell you right now: I didn’t get here on my own,” Fischer said, via Max Bultman of The Athletic. “It makes me look back and just appreciate the whole journey, and it makes me very thankful for it all.”

During his time with the Red Wings, Fischer was used in a bottom-six role while also playing a regular part on the penalty kill. He ultimately played in 79 games for Detroit during the 2023-24 season, scoring five goals while adding 14 assists. 

Christian Fischer, while falling down 🤯

HUGE goal to tie things up in Detroit 🚨 pic.twitter.com/KjaN9ThV1P

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 16, 2024

It was also his first NHL campaign in four years in which he didn’t record a negative plus-minus rating. 

Selected with the 32nd pick in the 2015 NHL Draft by the Arizona Coyotes, Fischer would make his NHL debut at only 19 years of age after getting his feet wet at the professional level with the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners. 

He would go on to play parts of six seasons with the Coyotes, the last of which yielded a career-high 13 goals. Fischer then signed a one-year contract with Detroit, and would later earn a one-year extension for the 2024-25 season. 

However, his second campaign in Detroit wasn’t as productive, as he scored only once while adding six assists in 45 games played. 

Designated a healthy scratch in 12 of Detroit’s 26 games leading up to the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, Fischer was placed on waivers on March 6 and subsequently claimed by the Columbus Blue Jackets, with whom he played a single game. 

Fischer finishes his NHL career with 62 goals and 75 assists in 523 career games with the Coyotes, Red Wings, and Blue Jackets.

Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Mark Letestu has landed an exciting new job. 

The Colorado Avalanche's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, have announced that they have hired Letestu to be their new head coach. 

Ohio ✈️ Colorado

Welcome to #EaglesCountry Mark! pic.twitter.com/aiLFW4fPJI

— Colorado Eagles (@ColoradoEagles) July 5, 2025

Before landing this new job with the Eagles, Letestu spent each of the last four seasons as an assistant coach of the Cleveland Monsters, who are the AHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Now, after gaining a good amount of coaching experience as an assistant, he will now be the Eagles' bench boss. 

Letestu began his NHL career as a player with the Penguins. In 85 games over three seasons as a Penguin from 2009-10 to 2011-12, he recorded 15 goals, 14 assists, and 29 points. His time with the Penguins ended during the 2011-12 season when he was traded to the Blue Jackets in exchange for a fourth-round pick. 

Following his Penguins tenure, Letestu had stints with the Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, and Winnipeg Jets. In 567 games over 11 NHL seasons, he recorded 93 goals, 117 assists, and 210 points. Now, he will look to thrive as the Eagles' new head coach from here. 

Ex-Penguins Defenseman Is Top Free Agent LeftWith it now being multiple days after July 1, most of this year's top unrestricted free agents (UFAs) have found their new homes. While this is the case, there are still some solid players available who should get signed before the start of the campaign. 

© Kim Klement-Imagn Images

Egor Zamula will be one of multiple Philadelphia Flyers battling for a roster spot come training camp and preseason.

Injuries to other defensemen saw an early season surge from Emil Andrae, who supplanted Zamula in the Flyers' lineup for parts of the season.

Zamula, 25, played 66 games last season and 63 games this past season, coming in and out of John Tortorella's gameday squad due to inconsistencies and, sometimes, struggling with the pace of play.

With new head coach Rick Tocchet coming to town, the 2025-26 season will be a fresh start for Zamula, who now faces competition for a roster spot in the form of Andrae, as well as Helge Grans, Adam Ginning, Hunter McDonald, and newcomers Noah Juulsen and Dennis Gilbert.

Two-time Olympic Gold medalist Igor Kravchuk, a former NHL defenseman and current KHL assistant coach, believes the book is not closed on Zamula in Philadelphia.

Kravchuk noted that Zamula and Alexander Romanov, who just signed a massive eight-year, $50 million contract extension with the New York Islanders, were both standouts on the same Russian U18 and U20 national teams, but their careers have since gone in opposite directions. 

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"By the way, Romanov was a leader of the defense in the Russian youth team, along with Egor Zamula. Unfortunately, Zamula’s career is not going as well as Romanov’s," Kravchuk told Russia-Hockey.ru in a recent interview. "The current Philadelphia is a peculiar team. There are problems with the balance of the roster, with the entertainment. Zamula is a little lost in it, but there is still time to return his career to the right trajectory. Especially since the coach has changed in the club."

Heading into the crucial third full season of his NHL career, Zamula has already played for Alain Vigneault, Mike Yeo, John Tortorella, and Brad Shaw in parts of five seasons.

Next up will be Tocchet, who's previously coaxed career years out of Jakob Chychrun, Filip Hronek, and Quinn Hughes during his time working with those players.

Assistant coach Todd Reirden, tasked by Tocchet with running the penalty kill and defense, has previously worked with John Marino, Marcus Pettersson, Mike Matheson, Alex Goligoski, Kris Letang, Matt Niskanen, Dmitry Orlov, John Carlson, Karl Alzner, and Nate Schmidt when those players were in their early and mid-20s, too.

Whether or not the previously undrafted Russian can follow in their footsteps remain to be seen, but the potential is there.

Zamula, at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, has the size the Flyers need and want on their defense, even if he seldom uses it to his advantage.

The left-shot defender also has a penchant for sneaking shots through traffic, and has a better shot in general than most would give him credit for.

That's something that led to Tortorella and Co. icing him for power play minutes, even though Zamula is not particularly agile and one of the slowest skating defenders in the NHL.

But, for a guy who played even strength minutes almost exclusively this season, Zamula's underlying analytics looked amazing, as noted in the image above.

He cut his penalty minutes from 32 to six from 2023-24 to 2024-25, and those can be a good indicator of whether or not a young, non-physical, non-fighter player is struggling to keep up with his competition.

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And yes, Zamula scored only three goals, 12 assists, and 15 points in 63 games this season, but he only registered 37 shots on goal. Zamula's 8.1% shooting percentage actually impressively ranked in the 85th percentile amongst his defensemen peers, according to NHL EDGE.

The big flaw, as previously referenced, will be Zamula's skating. His top speed, 22+ MPH bursts, 20-22 MPH bursts, and 18-20 MPH bursts all ranked below the 50th percentile.

The 6-foot-3 defender will now need to shift his focus towards building trust with a new coaching staff with his in-zone defending and play with the puck; managing the puck effectively will be crucial to Zamula's success, given his weaknesses with mobility and turnovers.

Heading into the last year of his contract, Zamula's Flyers future is entirely in his hands.

The NHL's free-agent frenzy has colmed down considerably, with most of the available talent now off the market. And the Buffalo Sabres still have approximately $13.6 million in salary cap space to utilize. So, is there anything left for Buffalo to spend on the open market, or is the only road to improvement via trades?

From this writer's perspective, it's a no-brainer -- there's next-to-nothing left in free agency. Sure, the Sabres can take a run at center Jack Roslovic, who posted 22 goals for the Carolina Hurricanes this past season. Or perhaps Buffalo can offer former Vegas Golden Knights winger Victor Olofsson a second stint with the Sabres; Olofsson had 15 goals and 29 points with Vegas last season, and who knows -- he might get back to the 28-goal form he had with Buffalo in 2022-23. 

Otherwise, Sabres GM Kevyn Adams is looking at a whole lot of slim pickings in free-agency. And that means it's almost certainly going to be trades Adams makes that remodels Buffalo's lineup for next season.

Of course, everyone and their know-it-all neighbor is expecting the Sabres to trade RFA defenseman Bowen Byram. Adams came out after free-agency began and stated plainly that he's going to match any offer sheet a team would present to Byram, but let's remember that GMs are always playing a long game of chicken with their counterparts. We're not suggesting Buffalo won't match a Byram offer sheet, but we are saying Byram is the biggest trade chip Adams is likely to use in the coming days and weeks, and that's not going to change anytime soon.

Personally, it's our opinion that Adams should be prepared to trade other Sabres veterans, but for argument's sake, let's presume that Buffalo trading Byram is the Sabres' biggest move before training camp begins in the fall. You'd better believe that Adams has to hit a home run with a Byram trade -- we're talking an experienced forward who can contribute meaningfully right away next year -- to justify parting ways with Byram.

Olofsson Another Former Sabre Still Unsigned The signings by NHL clubs have ground to a halt five days into free agency, with the most sought-after players locked up on Day 1 and the biggest fish in Nikolai Ehlers finally signing with the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. A pair of former Buffalo Sabres are among the most prominent players still not signed. Jeff Skinner had 16 goals last season with Edmonton, but played sparingly in the playoffs, while Victor Oloffson had a solid injury-shortened season with the Vegas Golden Knights.   

If Adams doesn't come away with a major trade in the coming days and weeks, a sense of despair will wash over Sabres fans. They're not naive enough to imagine that Buffalo's lineup as-is can somehow vault over most teams in the hyper-competitive Atlantic Division and end their 14-year streak without Stanley Cup playoff hockey. They know it's going to be a long season if they're at that point.

Adams can pretend all he wants he's going to retain Byram's services. But if Byram returns, the Sabres are going to be top-heavy with defensemen, and light on the type of high-end forwards Buffalo needs to be a true playoff contender. So it's up to Adams to find a team that is (a) in need of Byram's skills, and (b) prepared and stocked to give the Sabres the high-impact forward they're looking for in return.

That said, nobody is going to be doing the Sabres any favors as they make alterations to their lineup. So Adams has to drive a hard bargain on the trade front. He can't pretend he's happy with the roster as it's currently constructed. He's really only added role players thus far, and that can't be the final result he's looking for.

Are The Sharks Hunting For Byram?Most of the speculation surrounding the Buffalo Sabres continues to be on restricted free agent defenseman Bowen Byram. Earlier this week, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that interested clubs were contemplating an offer sheet and that could still be the case if Byram does not opt for salary arbitration by 5 pm Saturday. The St. Louis Blues according to Jeremy Rutherford of the Athletic are in hot pursuit of the blueliner, but the Blues may have company.

If we're still waiting for a Byram trade a month from now, something seriously wrong has taken place in Buffalo. Whether it's trade paralysis on Adams' behalf, a directive from ownership to keep the payroll well below the salary cap limit, or both, there's going to be a clear issue in the front office, and Sabres fans will see right through it.

You can't say Adams is on the clock in terms of making a trade or two in the next day or so. But every day that passes without a major trade only builds pressure on him to do something of consequence.

Adams has to come up with something he can show Sabres fans and give them something to invest in, financially and emotionally. Otherwise, the backlash against Adams will be heavy, prolonged and justified.

After a start to the NHL’s 2025 free agency period saw the Toronto Maple Leafs trade away star right winger Mitch Marner, Leafs GM Brad Treliving hinted at more moves to come from his team. 

“Mitch was a top-six forward, and we haven’t replaced that hole,” Treliving said after Marner was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights Tuesday. “That’s really where our focus is.”

We’re taking Treliving at his word, and we don’t expect him to make any more notable moves in free agency. So, trades are going to be the route the Maple Leafs make to fill that need, and one trade in particular makes a lot of sense for Toronto, is acquiring veteran center Nazem Kadri from the Calgary Flames in return for defenseman Morgan Rielly.

Now, before we go any further, let’s be clear – both Kadri and Rielly would have to sign off on this deal to make it happen. Each of them has a no-trade clause, and in Rielly’s case in particular, Flames GM Craig Conroy would have to sell Rielly on coming to Calgary – at least, in the short term.

Why is that? Well, because the smart thing Conroy could do would be flipping Rielly to a playoff-bound team in need of an experienced blueliner who can contribute on offense and eat up 20 minutes a night. That’s probably not the Flames right now, especially after they do what many think they’ll do by trading veteran blueliner Rasmus Andersson. But if Rielly agreed to be moved to Calgary for the time being, with the knowledge that he can direct Conroy as to where to flip him, the deal definitely makes sense for both sides.

Certainly, the money involved in a Kadri/Rielly trade is almost a perfect match. Kadri is signed at $7-million per season for the next four years, while Rielly is signed at $7.5- million per season for the next five years. If the Flames are taking on that extra year of Rielly’s salary, Treliving may have to add another asset to make a deal work for the Flames – something like a second-round draft pick, which the Maple Leafs have in the 2027 and 2028 drafts.

But if that deal goes down, the Leafs change their DNA and add a second-line center, probably moving freshly re-signed pivot John Tavares to the wing. And all of a sudden, the Leafs would have a plethora of centers – Auston Matthews, Kadri, Tavares, new Leaf Nicolas Roy, Scott Laughton and David Kampf. That’s more than Toronto needs down the middle, but at that point, Treliving could trade or buy out Kampf, freeing up more money to spend on wingers, or perhaps, on a depth defenseman.

It won’t be easy for the Leafs to turn a position of need into a position of strength, but one trade – albeit a big trade – could do the trick for them in that regard. A reunion with Kadri surely would be welcomed by the former Leaf, and his growth as a competitor and his Cup championship pedigree from his time with the Colorado Avalanche would only help the Buds become a significantly harder team to play against.

Saying goodbye to Rielly – a cornerstone component in Toronto and a terrific human being – would be tough for the Leafs. But the time to act and move on from Rielly is now, and if the Leafs and Calgary can work together on finding him a better work situation, Rielly would be erring if he didn’t accept a trade and get a new lease on life on the ice, the same way Marner has. 

If Treliving is able to pull off this deal, don’t say you didn’t see it coming. The fit on Toronto’s end is just about perfect, and the Leafs’ desire to change their makeup would be fulfilled by bringing Kadri back to a place he still considers home.

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