Category: Ice Hockey

The Buffalo Sabres made a pair of trades before and during the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles which were as much about changing the makeup of the roster as they were about trimming the budget of the club in advance of the beginning of free agency on July 1. 

The JJ Peterka trade brought back two players in defenseman Michael Kesselring and forward Josh Doan under contract for 2025-26. Kesselring will make $1.4 million and is an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent next summer, so the Sabres have control over him for two seasons. Doan is on the final year of his entry-level contract, and after this season Buffalo has four years of control over him before he becomes an unrestricted free agent. 

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Peterka obviously wanted out of Buffalo, but it is not clear if it was an issue with the organization being a perennial non-playoff club, if it was that the Sabres would not give him a significant raise and a long-term contract or all of the above. Clearly, the Sabres were not willing to pay a 23-year-old who at this point was not a complete two-way player the five-year, $38.5 million deal that Utah signed him to, and they did not want draft picks had Peterka gone the way of an offer sheet.

The trade sending a 2025 second round pick and defenseman Connor Clifton to Pittsburgh for defenseman Conor Timmins and minor leaguer Isaac Beliveau was an obvious salary dump. GM Kevyn Adams indicated that it was likely that Clifton would not be back after the final year of his three-year, $10 million deal, and that the Sabres had coveted Timmins for awhile, but not mentioned was the fact that they gave up a high draft pick to save likely $2 million in salary if Timmins takes his qualifying offer. 

After re-signing winger Jack Quinn to a two-year, $6.75 million contract extension, the Sabres now have just under $21 million going into free agency on Tuesday, but it remains a question whether this summer will be different than other recent ones where Adams is on a budget and leaves significant cap space unspent.       

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced their roster for this year's development camp.

All six of Toronto's selections from the 2025 NHL Draft (No. 64, Tinus Luc Koblar; No. 86, Tyler Hopkins; No. 137, William Belle; No. 153, Harry Nansi; No. 185, Rylan Fellinger; No. 217, Matthew Hlacar) will be in attendance for the three-day camp.

Seventeen of Toronto's draft picks, including the 2025 selections, and picks from previous drafts will be present, highlighted by Easton Cowan and Ben Danford. The other names on the list are 2024 picks, Miroslav Holinka, Victor Johansson, Matthew Lahey, Nathan Mayes, Sam McCue, Alex Plesovskikh; 2023 picks, Noah Chadwick, Hudson Malinoski; and 2022 third-round pick Nick Moldenhauer.

The Maple Leafs will also have four NHL-signed players at the camp: Luke Haymes, John Prokop, Blake Smith, and Borya Valis. All four players played at least one AHL game with the Toronto Marlies after signing in the spring.

Report: Maple Leafs Trying To Re-Sign Steven Lorentz Before Free Agency OpensThe Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly attempting a last-minute effort to re-sign pending unrestricted free agent Steven Lorentz.

Four players signed to AHL contracts, including Ryan Kirwan, Rhett Parsons, Chas Sharpe, and Landon Sim will attend the camp. Aside from Sim, who won the Memorial Cup with Cowan and the London Knights, all three players have appeared in a professional game.

A total of 48 players (29 forwards, 15 defensemen, and four goaltenders) are attending development camp this year. All four goaltenders are free-agent invites; none of Toronto's drafted goaltenders will be at the camp.

Matthew Knies Avoids Restricted Free Agency, Inks Long-Term Deal With Maple Leafs: 6 Years, $7.75M AAVMatthew Knies will be a Toronto Maple Leaf for six more years.

The three-day camp will feature approximately 10 hours of on-ice work for the prospects from Thursday, July 3, to Saturday, July 5. Maple Leafs assistant general manager, player development, Hayley Wickenheiser, will speak at the beginning and end of the camp.

(Top photo of Cowan: John E. Sokolowski / Imagn Images)

Brad Marchand staying with Panthers on six-year contract: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Brad Marchand isn’t just staying with the Florida Panthers, he is committing to the two-time defending Stanley Cup champs for six more years.

Yes, you read that right.

The 37-year-old veteran is “closing in on” a six-year contract worth just under $32 million with the Panthers, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Monday. The salary cap hit will be less than $5.5 million, which is pretty good value for Florida.

If Marchand plays out this entire contract, he’ll be 43 years old when it expires.

Hearing Brad Marchand is closing in on a six-year extension in Florida…just under $32M is the total.

The Panthers pulled it off. Verrrrrrrrrrry impressive

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) June 30, 2025

Marchand spent 15-plus seasons with the Boston Bruins before they dealt him to the Panthers at the trade deadline in March.

He made a seamless transition to the Panthers lineup and was arguably their best player in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He tallied 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 23 postseason games, including six goals in the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers. The Panthers won the series in six games to secure back-to-back championships.

The Panthers have done a masterful job re-signing their own free agents this offseason. In addition to Marchand, Florida has kept top-six center Sam Bennett (eight years, $64 million) and star defenseman Aaron Ekblad (eight years, $48.8 million).

The Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Utah Mammoth reportedly were going to have interest in Marchand if he hit the free agent market Tuesday, but now those teams will have to pursue other options.

The Detroit Red Wings traded right winger Vladimir Tarasenko to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for future considerations.

Tarasenko has one season left on a two-year contract with a $4.75-million cap hit. He heads to the Wild, his sixth NHL team since the start of 2022.

The 33-year-old spent the first 10 seasons of his NHL career with the St. Louis Blues, which selected him 16th overall in the 2010 NHL draft. During that time, he won the Stanley Cup in 2019.

In his 11th season, the Blues traded him to the New York Rangers in January 2023. He played the rest of the season for the Blueshirts before signing a one-year contract with the Ottawa Senators in free agency.

After 57 games with the Senators, which were on their way to missing the playoffs, they traded Tarasenko to the Florida Panthers at the NHL trade deadline in 2023-24. Tarasenko had 14 points in 19 games with the Panthers before putting up five goals and nine points in 24 games en route to the Panthers' first-ever Stanley Cup championship.

Tarasenko signed with the Red Wings as a UFA in 2024. This past season, he recorded 11 goals and 33 points in 80 games, both career lows in seasons when he played at least 40 games. His average ice time of 14:47 was the lowest since his rookie campaign in 2012-13.

Now, the Red Wings made a cap dump by trading him to Minnesota. They now have nearly $23.2 million in projected cap space, according to PuckPedia. They have five pending UFAs, including Patrick Kane, and three pending RFAs, including Jonatan Berggren.

As for the Wild, they get a sniper who can play up and down the lineup and potentially bounce back from the relatively low production in 2024-25. His shooting percentage this past season was 8.3 percent, the second-lowest of his career, in which he usually scores on between 10 percent and 15 percent of his shots.

Right winger Gustav Nyquist is among Minnesota's pending UFAs, so if he's out, Tarasenko fits right in for improved depth and secondary scoring.

The Wild still have just under $13 million in projected cap space, with three pending depth UFAs and pending RFA Marco Rossi, who's been a subject of trade speculation.

Tarasenko, a 6-foot-1, 219-pound NHL veteran from Yaroslavl, Russia, has 304 goals and 358 assists for 662 points in 831 career regular-season games. He also has 49 goals and 73 points in 121 post-season contests. He was voted to the NHL's second all-star team in 2014-15 and 2015-16, and he's played in four NHL All-Star Games.

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Former St. Louis Blues star Vladimir Tarasenko is once again heading to a new team. 

The Detroit Red Wings have announced that they have traded Tarasenko to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for future considerations. 

We have acquired right wing Vladimir Tarasenko from Detroit in exchange for future considerations. pic.twitter.com/YdyexgYu01

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) June 30, 2025

Tarasenko had been in the rumor mill since before the 2025 NHL trade deadline, as he just did not fit in well with the Red Wings. In 80 games with the Original Six club in 2024-25, he posted 11 goals, 33 points, and a minus-13 rating.

Tarasenko's goal will to now have a bounce-back season with the Wild from here. When looking at his past success, he undoubtedly has the potential to turn things back around. If he does, he could be a very solid addition to the Wild's middle six. 

In 644 games over 11 seasons with the St. Louis Blues from 2012-13 to 2022-23, Tarasenko recorded 262 goals, 291 assists, 553 points, and a plus-57 rating. His time with the Blues ended when he was traded to the New York Rangers at the 2023 NHL trade deadline. Since then, he has had stops with the Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Florida Panthers, and Red Wings. Now, he is heading to Minnesota. 

Report: Blues Still Trying To Re-Sign Veteran ForwardSt. Louis Blues forward Radek Faksa is one of the team's most notable pending unrestricted free agents (UFA) with July 1 being just one day away. However, while the start of free agency is just about here, the possibility of him staying in St. Louis is still there.

Photo Credit: © Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Sabres are in the midst of a reshuffle of their roster for next season and the bottom end of their blueline is the area where the upheaval is the most stark. If you look at the turnover from the opening night roster last season, Dennis Gilbert was dealt to Ottawa along with Dylan Cozens for Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker at the trade deadline, Connor Clifton was shipped to Pittsburgh for Conor Timmins, and Henri Jokiharju was sent to Boston for a 2026 fourth round pick.

Jokiharju, who was a pending unrestricted free agent when the Sabres traded him in March, re-signed with the Bruins on Monday to a three-year, $9 million contract extension. The 26-year-old had 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists) in 60 games with Buffalo and Boston last season, and is expected to play on the Bruins bottom pairing 

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Acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in 2019 in a swap for Alex Nylander, the former first-round pick had 81 points (19 goals, 62 assists) in 351 games over six seasons with the Sabres, playing at times with Dahlin on the club’s top pairing and higher in the lineup than maybe he should have because of a lack of options on the right side.  

The Sabres at this point are going to look different on defense to start next season, with righties Michael Kesselring (acquired in the JJ Peterka deal last week), Timmins (a restricted free agent) and Bernard-Docker on the right side. There is still a possibility of more changes, as Mattias Samuelsson and/or Bowen Byram could be moved this summer, leaving only Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power as defensemen who are certain to be back. 

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly attempting a last-minute effort to re-sign pending unrestricted free agent Steven Lorentz.

"With the free-agent market due to open in a little more than 24 hours, the Maple Leafs are exploring whether they can get something done with pending UFA Steven Lorentz to keep him in Toronto," TSN and The Athletic's Chris Johnston reported on X.

Lorentz scored eight goals and 11 assists in 80 games with the Maple Leafs last season, setting a new career-high in assists and tying that in points. The fourth liner also had 199 hits in the regular season, the second-most behind defenseman Simon Benoit (204).

The 29-year-old didn't find the back of the net through the playoffs, but did have two assists in 13 games, both coming against the Florida Panthers in the second round. He was third on Toronto in hits in the playoffs with 42, trailing only Bobby McMann (49) and Max Pacioretty (61).

Lorentz, a lifelong Maple Leafs fan, signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with Toronto last October after entering the team's training camp on a professional tryout. He played with the Florida Panthers in the season prior and skated in 16 games for the club en route to their first Stanley Cup win.

Report: Maple Leafs Are Frontrunners For Brad Marchand If He Hits Open Market, Could Still Re-Sign With PanthersIf Brad Marchand hits the open market on Tuesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs will reportedly be among several teams interested in the forward's services. And likely one of the frontrunners to land him.

The three former Panthers on Toronto—Lorentz, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Anthony Stolarz—were presented with Stanley Cup rings ahead of their first game in Florida this past season on Nov. 27.

This news comes amidst a busy time in the NHL with one day remaining until free agency opens. Already being reported is that Toronto could be the frontrunners to land Brad Marchand if he doesn't re-sign in Florida. There's also the potential of a sign-and-trade involving Mitch Marner and the Vegas Golden Knights.

On Friday afternoon, John Tavares signed a four-year, $17.55 million contract with an annual average value of $4.38 million. Forty-eight hours later, the Maple Leafs and Matthew Knies reportedly agreed on a six-year, $46.50 million extension and an AAV of $7.75 million.

Golden Knights Trade Nic Hague To Predators: What It Means For Maple Leafs And Mitch Marner Trade TalksAs speculation intensifies around a potential trade of Mitch Marner's negotiating rights from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Vegas Golden Knights, one potential trade piece is now off the table. Early Monday morning, multiple reports surfaced that Golden Knights defenseman Nic Hague was being dealt to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Jeremy Lauzon and forward Colton Sissons. Hague is also expected to sign a four-year extension worth $5.5 million per season.

Knies' deal is yet to be made official by Toronto.

TSN and The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun also reported that the Maple Leafs could be interested in pending UFA Michael Pezzetta when free agency opens. The 27-year-old was born in Toronto and didn't have a point in 25 games with the Montreal Canadiens last season.

He could fill the void that could come with Group 6 UFAs Alex Steeves and Nick Abruzzese, plus UFA Alex Nylander, potentially testing the open market. Pezzetta has 15 goals and 23 assists in 200 career NHL games with the Canadiens.

Why New Maple Leafs Prospect William Belle Wants To Model His Game Around Capitals' Tom WilsonWilliam Belle and a few of his new University of Notre Dame teammates were assembling a couch when his phone began to erupt with messages.

According to PuckPedia, the Maple Leafs have $13.57 million in cap space after the Tavares and Knies extensions.

(Top photo of Lorentz: Ed Mulholland / Imagn Images)

The Philadelphia Flyers desperately need their 2025 NHL draft class to be highly productive if their rebuild is going to show progression.

They took some big swings (Porter Martone) and some gambles (Jack Nesbitt) while adding some needed size. How it all turns out down the road will help define a franchise that has been stuck in neutral for way too long.

Brent Flahr, assistant GM, has had a mixed record since the Flyers hired him in December 2018 and have had him heading their draft board since 2019.

Hired by then-GM Chuck Fletcher, Flahr has overseen seven drafts with the Flyers, including this year’s.

During that time, he has had some good draft selections (Tyson Foerster in 2020), some puzzling ones (Cam York over Cole Caufield in 2019) and some that turned out superbly (Matvei Michkov in 2023).

He also made a wise choice, but as it turned out, set back the franchise by selecting Cutter Gauthier in 2022. Gauthier looks like a future star. The problem is he forced the Flyers to trade him because he didn’t want to play in Philadelphia.

Here’s a look at the Flahr-led drafts during his Flyers tenure:

2019

This will forever be known as the draft in which the Flyers bypassed Caufield. Twice. 

In hindsight, the decision isn’t as disastrous because of Bobby Brink’s development. Still, the decision to bypass Caufield stings.

Caufield was an electric scorer going into that draft, but the Flyers questioned his lack of size at 5-foot-7 and 170 pounds. He has proven his stature didn’t matter. 

The right winger, drafted 15th overall, has been a big-time scorer for the Montreal Canadiens ever since he became a full-time player in 2021-22. In the past four seasons, he has scored 23, 26, 28 and 37 goals for the Canadiens.

Instead of drafting Caufield, Fletcher made two deals and got two players early in the 2019 draft: York and Brink. The latter is a smallish player regarded as Caufield lite. York is still developing but has been mediocre, while Brink had 12 goals and 41 points last season, both career bests.

Would you rather have York and Brink over Caufield? Probably not. 

Flahr gets a C-minus in this draft.

2020

Flahr took right winger Foerster at 23rd overall. Defenseman Emil Andrae was taken 54th and has a chance to be a regular. 

You can quibble that the Flyers should have taken right winger JJ Peterka instead of Foerster, but the latter has been very solid. Peterka, a German, was taken 34th overall by the Buffalo Sabres and has scored 28 and 27 goals over the past two seasons, respectively. Foerster scored 20 goals as a rookie and 25 goals last season.

Give Flahr a B-plus for his first-round pick in this draft.

2021

The Flyers didn’t have a first-rounder in this draft but selected Samu Tuomaala in the second round and goalie Aleksei Kolosov in the third. 

Among the players who were available when Tuomaala was chosen 46th overall: Matthew Knies (29 goals this past season with the Toronto Maple Leafs), Logan Stankoven (14 goals) and productive defenseman J.J. Moser. Tuomaala has been up and down with the AHL Lehigh Valley.

Flahr gets a C in this draft.

The Calgary Flames And The League Among The Winners And Losers From The 2025 NHL DraftIt almost feels impossible to designate winners and losers on the day that the NHL draft goes down. The whole point of the NHL draft is to build for the future, and with the inexact science that is the NHL draft, no one really knows who won and lost the day the picks are made. 

2022

For the Flyers, this draft included Gauthier (fifth overall) and Alex Bump (fifth round, 133rd overall).

In fairness, Gauthier didn’t tell the Flyers he didn’t want to play for them until a few months after the NHL draft, so Flahr and the rest of the draft board should be absolved. If they had known, the Flyers might have chosen center Marco Kasper, who went eighth to the Detroit Red Wings. That would have changed the dynamics of where the center-needy Flyers are today. 

In his first full season, Kasper had 19 goals last year and blossomed into the Red Wings’ No. 2 center.

Give Flahr a B-plus for this draft.

2023

This is Flahr’s best draft. By far. 

Besides taking star-in-the-making Michkov with the seventh overall pick, the Flyers added to their future nucleus by drafting Oliver Bonk (first round, 22nd overall), Carson Bjarnason (second round), Denver Barkey (third round) and goalie Egor Zavragin (third round).

Bravo, Mr. Flahr. He gets an A-plus for this draft.

2024

Speedy center Jett Luchanko (13th overall) was the Flyers’ top pick, and the jury is still out on him after a strong OHL season in 2024-25. He doesn’t turn 19 until Aug. 21. Flahr’s grade for this draft is incomplete.

2025

The Flyers chose right winger Martone sixth overall, and the power forward has drawn comparisons to the hard-nosed Tkachuk brothers, Matthew and Brady, so it’s hard to argue with the pick. 

That said, Philly desperately needed a future No.1 center, and bypassing James Hagens raised some eyebrows. Philadelphia fans will watch closely the development of Martone and Hagens. 

Flahr’s biggest gamble was trading two late first-round picks to the Pittsburgh Penguins to move up to No. 12, where the Flyers selected 6-foot-5 center Nesbitt. Most draft experts rated in the mid-20s to high 30s – Ryan Kennedy had him ranked 20th, while Tony Ferrari had him 51st. He is regarded as a future third-line center.

Flahr’s grade for this draft won’t be known for a few years. He did add size – lots of size – and talent later in the draft, so the hope is that not getting a future No. 1 center won’t haunt him.

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The start of free agency is just about here, so it is going to be a very busy time in the NHL. The St. Louis Blues will certainly be a team to watch once free agency opens, as they should be looking to add to their roster after their successful 2024-25 season. 

One of the Blues' clear top needs is another skilled center. Due to this, they should have a clear top target once July 1 is here - Dallas Stars forward Mikael Granlund.

Given the Stars' current salary cap situation, the expectation is that Granlund will become an unrestricted free agent (UFA). When noting that Sam Bennett, John Tavares, and Ryan Donato have all re-signed with their current clubs, Granlund is now arguably the best pending UFA center left. Thus, the Blues should seriously consider pursuing him if he officially hits the market.

When looking at Granlund's numbers from this past season, he would be a realistic option for the Blues' second-line center spot and power play if signed. In 83 games split between the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars, he posted 22 goals, 44 assists, and 66 points. Yet, he is also known for his smart two-way play, so he would also give the Blues another player to work on their penalty kill if brought in. 

On a short-term deal, Granlund would be a very good player for the Blues to sign as they look to take another step forward in 2025-26. It will be intriguing to see if they make a push for Granlund this summer from here.

 

NHL Rumors: Insider Names New Potential Suitor For Jordan Kyrou All eyes will be on St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou during the final days of June. This is because his full no-trade clause until the end of the 2029-30 season starts on July 1. Thus, if the Blues want to move him, now would be the time to. 

Photo Credit:  © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

If Brad Marchand hits the open market on Tuesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs will reportedly be among several teams interested in the forward's services. And likely one of the frontrunners to land him.

The Athletic and TSN insider Pierre LeBrun reported on Sunday morning that while Marchand could return to Florida, the Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins, his former club, hope to speak with the forward if he's a free agent on July 1.

Further to that report, TSN's Darren Dreger appeared on TSN 1050's First Up with Aaron Korolnek and Carlo Colaiacovo on Monday morning, adding to LeBrun's report, which came a day earlier.

"This is very much a personal decision. The family influence is strong for Brad Marchand, his wife, and his children. I mean, most still believe he's going to stay in Florida, that Bill Zito's going to find a way to get it done," Dreger said.

"As Pierre LeBrun alluded to, I believe yesterday on X, there's a world where you could see Marchand going back to Boston. And if that happens, I suspect that the term would be longer, not that it would play out, but primarily, that decision, if it went that way, would be because of what I just said. Just the pull of family, right?

"But Toronto is in the conversation, no doubt about it. As long as Toronto can be in the conversation. If all of a sudden, on the open market tomorrow, Brad Marchand says I need $8.5-9 million from the Maple Leafs, I'm not so sure they can make that happen."

Golden Knights Trade Nic Hague To Predators: What It Means For Maple Leafs And Mitch Marner Trade TalksAs speculation intensifies around a potential trade of Mitch Marner's negotiating rights from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Vegas Golden Knights, one potential trade piece is now off the table. Early Monday morning, multiple reports surfaced that Golden Knights defenseman Nic Hague was being dealt to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Jeremy Lauzon and forward Colton Sissons. Hague is also expected to sign a four-year extension worth $5.5 million per season.

Dreger also reported on X that the Utah Mammoth could be a team that targets the veteran forward if he becomes a free agent.

Everyone remembers Marchand's Stanley Cup playoff with the Florida Panthers: 10 goals (two of which were overtime winners), 10 assists for 20 points in 23 games, and the moment he lifted the cup over his head again.

Matthew Knies Avoids Restricted Free Agency, Inks Long-Term Deal With Maple Leafs: 6 Years, $7.75M AAVMatthew Knies will be a Toronto Maple Leaf for six more years.

Though at 37 years old, you have to wonder how much longer Marchand can play to that standard. However, teams like the Maple Leafs, who are in win-now mode, aren't really looking at the age factor too much. They want a Stanley Cup, and it appears they believe Marchand can help get them there.

"As far as I can gather, the Leafs’ biggest bet on July 1 is apparently going to be an attempt to sign Brad Marchand," The Athletic's James Mirtle wrote. "That would obviously eat up a huge percentage of their remaining cap space — likely in the $8 million range — with the understanding the 37-year-old would be a big part of their top-six for the next few years."

We'll see what transpires over the next 24 hours regarding Marchand's future, Mitch Marner's negotiation rights, which could be traded to the Vegas Golden Knights, and Matthew Knies' extension, that's not been made official yet.

If Mitch Marner Leaves in Free Agency, Could the Maple Leafs Pursue Tampering Charges?Just when you thought Mitch Marner’s seemingly inevitable exit from Toronto couldn’t get more nasty, a new report has emerged. The Toronto Maple Leafs may be preparing to take action.

It's going to be a wild pre and start to free agency, which begins at 12 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

(Top photo: John E. Sokolowski / Imagn Images)

After two long months, the Pittsburgh Penguins' quest to bring on a new coaching staff for the 2025-26 season is finally complete.

On Monday, the Penguins announced that they added Mike Stothers as an assistant coach to Dan Muse, Pittsburgh's new bench boss. Stothers joins previously named assistants Todd Nelson, Nick Bonino, and Rich Clune on Muse's staff.

This group of new coaches will join forces with what's left of the Mike Sullivan-era staff in goaltending coach Andy Chiodo and video coach Madison Nikkel, along with another recent hire in assistant video coach Troy Paquette.

Stothers figures to be the man in charge of the defense and penalty kill, as general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas said Friday that the Penguins were looking to add one more coach behind the bench to oversee those units. 

Muse is excited to get to work with Stothers, who has more than 30 years of coaching experience and has served as an assistant coach at the NHL level with the Anaheim Ducks, the now-defunct Atlanta Thrashers, and the Philadelphia Flyers.

“As a champion at both the AHL and international levels, Mike has a tremendous track record of helping develop players and [taking] their game to the next level, as seen throughout the multiple leagues he has coached in over the last 30 years,” said Muse. “We’re thrilled to welcome Mike to the city of Pittsburgh as he rounds out our coaching staff for the 2025-26 season.”

In addition to his NHL experience, Stothers has experience at multiple levels of development - which seemed to be the focus for the Penguins in rounding out their coaching staff. He was at the helm of the Ontario Reign of the AHL from 2015-20, and he was also head coach of the Manchester Monarchs (2014-15) and Grand Rapids Griffins (2007-08). He was also an assistant with the Philadelphia Phantoms and Hershey Bears in the 1990s.

At the junior level, Stothers coached the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL from 2011-14 and the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL from 2002-07, and - as an assistant - coached Team Canada to a gold medal at the World Under-18 Championship in 2021-22.

Stothers was drafted 21st overall by the Flyers in 1980 and played a total of 30 NHL games between Philadelphia and the Toronto Maple Leafs, registering two career assists.

Penguins Name Full Coaching Staff For 2025-26 SeasonBack on Jun. 4, the Pittsburgh Penguins hired Dan Muse as the 23rd coach in franchise history.

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The hockey world has been abuzz since Saturday following reports claiming the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights were discussing a “sign-and-trade” scenario involving Mitch Marner.

The 28-year-old right winger is expected to become a UFA on July 1. 

TSN's Darren Dreger reported talks were expected to continue throughout the weekend, indicating there was work to do regarding the return for the Maple Leafs. A Postmedia report claimed the Golden Knights would send defenseman Nicolas Hague and forward Nicolas Roy to Toronto. 

So far, there is no sign of a deal. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights reportedly sent Hague to the Nashville Predators, where he signed a four-year, $22-million contract. There's also speculation that the Leafs could pursue tampering charges against the Golden Knights if Marner signs with them, but Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the Maple Leafs are trying to salvage something from the situation.

The Buffalo Sabres shipping JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth last Thursday sparked rumors that Bowen Byram could be their next trade candidate. The 24-year-old left-shot defenseman is an RFA with arbitration rights after completing a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.85 million. 

Byram's been a fixture in the rumor mill since the end of the regular season. He's become the top defenseman in this summer's trade market. 

TSN's Darren Dreger reported Thursday that the Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks, Golden Knights, St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche were among the teams interested in Byram. However, he subsequently claimed the Sabres weren't feeling pressured to move him.

Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News believes Byram may be the best trade chip the Sabres have to land a top-six winger to replace Peterka. He wondered if the blueliner might fetch someone like Quinton Byfield of the Kings, Jordan Kyrou of the Blues or Bryan Rust of the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Turning to Montreal, it's believed the Canadiens aren't done making moves following Friday's acquisition of Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders. TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported they'd like to add a top-six forward. 

Sportsnet's Eric Engels believes the addition of Dobson could make Mike Matheson available. The 31-year-old defenseman has a year remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $4.875 million and an eight-team no-trade list.

Meanwhile, K'Andre Miller is another defenseman who remains the subject of trade conjecture. Like Byram, the 25-year-old New York Rangers rearguard is an RFA with arbitration rights. 

Mollie Walker of the New York Post believes the Rangers' off-season plans hinge on what happens with Miller. She explained that the Blueshirts have been linked to Kings defender Vladislav Gavrikov, who is expected to become a UFA on July 1. It would be challenging to have both blueliners on their payroll without freeing up additional cap room.

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According to PuckPedia, former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen is signing a one-year, $1.3 million contract to stay with the Edmonton Oilers. 

Kapanen was claimed off waivers by the Oilers from the St. Louis Blues back in November of this past season. In 57 regular-season games with the Oilers after this, he posted five goals, 13 points, 73 hits, and a minus-16 rating. He also recorded three goals, six points, and a plus-4 rating in 12 playoff games for the Oilers this spring. 

The #Letsgooilers are re-signing UFA F Kasperi Kapanen for 1 year $1.3M.

13P in 57 GP with EDM

Rep’d by Markus Lehto @wassermanhockeyhttps://t.co/NVDOrUzbHp

— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) June 30, 2025

Kapanen played in three NHL seasons with the Penguins from 2020-21 to 2022-23, where he recorded 29 goals, 53 assists, and 82 points in 162 games. His time in Pittsburgh ended during the 2022-23 season when he was claimed off waivers by the Blues. 

Kapanen was also drafted by the Penguins with the 22nd overall pick of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, but was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the deal that brought Phil Kessel to Pittsburgh. 

Penguins Miss Out On Top Trade TargetThe Pittsburgh Penguins were one of the teams reportedly interested in defenseman Nicolas Hague, but he is officially no longer an option for them. 

Photo Credit:  © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Flyers were open to lots of things ahead of the NHL Draft, but, ultimately, a bold New York Islanders trade offer wasn't enough to pull them away from selecting Porter Martone with the sixth overall pick.

The Islanders, who already drafted stud defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the No. 1 pick, received the 16th and 17th overall picks from the Montreal Canadiens in the Noah Dobson trade, and those ultimately became winger Victor Eklund and defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson.

Those two picks were reportedly offered to the Flyers, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, but it was a non-starter with Martone on the board.

"With the 16th and 17th picks, I think [Islanders GM Mathieu Darche] definitely offered them to the Predators at five," Friedman said in his latest episode of the "32 Thoughts" podcast.

"I think Philly told them... I think [the Islanders] called and said we'll do this, but Philly's like, nope. I don't even think Philly considered it. I think once Martone was there, Philly was like, 'We're not doing this,' because they really like Martone."

Flyers Can Thank Cutter Gauthier for New Left Wing ProspectWith the 2025 NHL Draft now in the books, the Cutter Gauthier trade is now complete with the Philadelphia Flyers replacing their former top forward prospect outright.

Friedman went on to explain that the Flyers, like the Predators and Utah Mammoth before them, were right to reject the Islanders' approaches based on the value of the picks.

The Islanders, presumably, were after new Boston Bruins center James Hagens at the draft, but dropping that far in the draft would have guaranteed that the Flyers lost out on Martone.

Aitcheson actually would have been a nice add for the Flyers given the start of their prospect pool on the left side of the defense, but Eklund is another small (but very talented, to be fair) winger who would have quickly become redundant in Philadelphia.

Plus, fans have been clamoring for size and skill.

They finally got it in Martone, as the Flyers refused to give into the temptation of trade offers or the allure of a center like Hagens.

As a player, Ottawa Senators GM Steve Staios wasn’t known for his fancy moves, but he managed to pull off a few beauties this weekend. By Sunday afternoon, when all the smoke had cleared, Staios and his staff had pulled off three trades, brought seven new players into the organization, and re-signed a fan favourite.

Here's your full summary of an impressive Sens weekend.

Claude Giroux Returns

After three years with his hometown NHL club, veteran forward Claude Giroux was less than two days away from unrestricted free agency before agreeing on Sunday to a one-year, bonus-laden deal.

According to Puckpedia.com, the deal includes a base salary of $2 million, with performance bonuses that could push the total value to $4.75 million.

• Base salary of $2 million
• Performance Bonuses – possible $2.75 million total:

        - $250,000 each for 20/30/60 Games
        - $250,000 to make playoffs & 50 GP
        - $500,000 to win Round 1, $250,000 to win Round 2, $500,000 to win Round 3, and $500,000 to win the Cup (minimum 50% GP)

• No movement clause

While we’re still curious why a Round Two victory is only worth half what all the other rounds are worth (maybe a typo), that’s an outstanding deal for the Senators. If they had to go to market searching for a suitable replacement, they’re not finding one who’d be willing to come to Ottawa for the deal that Giroux signed today.

The Trades (All picks were 2025 selections unless otherwise indicated)

• Trading the 21st pick to Nashville for the 23rd pick and the 67th pick
• Trading the 96th pick and a seventh-rounder (2027) for the 93rd pick
• Trading the 67th pick and a sixth-rounder (2026) for Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jordan Spence

Jordan Spence, Right Defenseman, Acquired from Los Angeles

Spence appeared in 79 regular season games with Los Angeles in 2024–25, putting up four goals and 28 points, along with a plus-23 rating. In 180 career NHL games, Spence has collected eight goals and 61 points. He is signed for the 2025–26 NHL season with a contract that carries an AAV of $1.5 million.

“We're excited about the player,” Staios said. “Twenty-four years old, mobile, smart, competitive. And any time you get a chance to acquire a player like that, you know, you really start to look at it a little bit harder.

“Depth on defense is important to teams, especially on the right side—it's always harder to find right-shot defense, it seems like. So this was something where we can continue to add to the depth throughout the organization.”

Giving up only a third-rounder that the Sens basically got for free, along with a 2026 sixth-rounder, for an NHL player that makes your team better is fantastic value.

Why Senator Newcomer Jordan Spence Makes A Fine Insurance Policy On Ottawa's Blue LineIn the early portion of the second round of the 2025 NHL Draft, Sportnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that the Ottawa Senators had reached a trade agreement with the Los Angeles Kings, sending the 67th overall pick in this year's draft and a sixth-round selection, previously acquired from Colorado, in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Now onto the actual draft picks…

Logan Hensler, Right Defenseman, University of Wisconsin – 23rd Overall

On the heels of the 2024 selection of Carter Yakemchuk, the Sens took a right-shot defenseman for the second straight year, opting for Logan Hensler from the University of Wisconsin. Hensler is six-foot-two, 196 pounds and a member of the U.S. World Juniors squad that won gold.

Staios said he didn’t go into the draft necessarily targeting another right-shot defenseman.

“Yeah, not really,” Staios said. “You watch your draft list sort of unfold; this was a really good player that was sitting there with Hensler at our pick. I guess if it's a toss-up between maybe a winger and a right-shot defenseman, you'd probably lean towards (the right-shot D), just because of the value and how hard it is to find. So it's part of the consideration.”

The Hockey News’ Tony Ferrari describes Hensler as a player with excellent mobility and enough size to make it as a middle-of-the-lineup, two-way NHL defenseman.

Ottawa Senators 2025 First-Round Selection Says He Models His Game After Jake SandersonFor the second time in its franchise history, the Senators were involved in a draft day deal that involved a swap of first-round picks with the Nashville Predators.

Hensler enters his second year at Wisconsin this fall, where he'll welcome London Knights forward Blake Montgomery, Ottawa's 4th-round pick from last season. 2022 Sens pick Tyson Dyck, a forward, also plays at Wisconsin.

The Sens would wait 70 picks before making another selection.

Blake Vanek, Forward, Chicago Steel (USHL) – 93rd Overall

As they’ve frequently done in the past, the Sens went with a player who has excellent NHL bloodlines. They chose Blake Vanek, the son of former NHL player Thomas Vanek.

Like fellow Sens prospect Javon Moore (4th round, 2024), Blake spent most of his draft year ripping up high school hockey in Minnesota, where he put up 53 points in 29 games. Blake fits Ottawa’s trend of drafting bigger players. He’s already almost 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, and he doesn’t turn 18 until August.

“There’s a lot of hockey runway ahead with him,” Sens amateur scout Dan Boeser said. “He obviously comes from a hockey family with his dad, so there’s that piece we like. He knows the game well.”

Blake also saw limited action with the Chicago Steel in the USHL, posting 5 points in 9 games. Next season, he’s committed to a scholarship and development agreement with the Wenatchee Wild of the WHL.

“He's a powerful kid,” Boeser said. “He's going to be a big man when he's all done. He competes, can shoot the puck, he scores in the dirty areas. So there's a lot to like about him. Like the path that he's going to take next year going to Wenatchee. So yeah, we're excited.”

Lucas Beckman, Goalie, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL) – 97th Overall

Like Vanek, Beckman won’t be 18 until August, so he’s another player with lots of runway.

At six-foot-two, 182 pounds, Beckman posted a .914 save percentage and a 2.65 goals-against average this year. It also says a lot when you’re only 17 and your major junior team makes you their undisputed number one goalie. Beckman started 52 games, posting a record of 31-18-2. He also started all 11 playoff games for Baie-Comeau, putting up even better individual stats than in the regular season.

Dmitri Isayev, Forward, Avto Yekaterinburg (Russian Junior Hockey) – 149th Overall

If anyone accuses the Senators of only being interested in bigger players at the draft, they can immediately call people’s attention to their 2025 fifth-round selection of Isayev. He is 5-foot-8, 148 pounds, but he is highly skilled, fast, and has a non-stop engine. Last season with Avto Yekaterinburg in the MHL, Isayev recorded 22 goals and 23 assists for 45 points in 44 games—over a point per game.

Bruno Idzan, LW, Lincoln Stars (USHL) – 181st Overall

The 19-year-old Idzan (EE’-junn) scored a highly impressive 22 goals and 44 points in 36 games with the Lincoln Stars, the USHL team that Blake Montgomery (4th round, 2024) began the season with. Those two will be reunited at the University of Wisconsin this fall, along with fellow Sens picks Logan Hensler and Tyson Dyck.

Idzan’s path to getting drafted is as unique as it gets. He’s the first Croatian to be drafted in the NHL and started the year back home in the Alps Hockey League, a pro league with teams from Austria, Croatia, Italy, and Slovenia.

Andrei Trofimov, G, Magnitogorsk Magnitka (MHL) – 213th Overall

The 18-year-old Russian is six-foot-two, 187 pounds and had outstanding numbers in the MHL, Russia’s top junior league. Trofimov had a 2.10 GAA and a .929 save percentage in 26 games. It’s hard to figure out which is more surprising for the Senators: taking two Russians (which previous management seemed to steer clear of), or taking a second goalie in a draft where you only have six picks. Staios said that even though it was a later pick, his scouts still took it very seriously, and after much discussion the pick was decided on.

“The goalie guys won,” Staios said.

That was a great weekend for the Ottawa Senators. Let’s see what they do for an encore when free agency begins on Tuesday.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News/Ottawa

Sens First-Round Selection Says He Models His Game After Jake Sanderson
Senators Acquire Defenseman Jordan Spence From Los Angeles
Senators Select Another Right Shot Defenseman In Round One Of 2025 Draft
Sens Nation Podcast: Breaking Down the Giroux and Spence Deals and the NHL Draft
Will the Sens Go Shopping For A New Backup Goalie?
Senators UFA Claude Giroux: Still Easily A Top-Six Forward In Ottawa