Ethan Bear skates during a September 2025 practice for the Islanders.
The Islanders brought back organizational depth for their blue line Monday, inking defenseman Ethan Bear to a one-year, two-way extension, the team announced.
He was set to become an unrestricted free agent July 1.
Bear, 28 years old and a fifth-round pick by the Oilers in 2015, has skated in 275 NHL games across his career — most recently in March 2024 with the Capitals — but hasn’t found a route back to that level the last two seasons.
With AHL Bridgeport in 2025-26, Bear sustained an injury during training camp and appeared only in 40 games during the regular season, collecting four goals and 23 assists to lead the affiliate’s defensemen in scoring.
But earlier in his career, Bear, on occasion, secured a regular role in NHL lineups, logging 71 games for the Oilers in 2019-20, 58 for the Hurricanes in 2021-22 and another 61 for the Canucks the following season.
He was waived by Washington in October 2024, assigned to AHL Hershey for the 2024-25 campaign after clearing, earned an AHL All-Star Game nod and ended up with Bridgeport last season on a two-way deal.
Bear will be far from the only question the Islanders have to answer regarding the right side of their organization’s blue line this summer.
Ethan Bear skates during a September 2025 practice for the Islanders. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
Tony D’Angelo will be an unrestricted free agent.
They have plenty of depth on the left side, starting with Calder Trophy winner Matthew Schaefer, Adam Pelech and a recovering Alexander Romanov, but Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield are the only certainties on the right side.
Those calls and additions will likely impact Mathieu Darche’s club at the NHL level more imminently than the Bear transaction.
But for now, in the weeks before free agency begins, the Islanders began by addressing their depth.
On Monday morning, the Winnipeg Jets announced that they have extended Walker Duehr, the fifth leading scorer of their AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. Less than a year ago, the 28-year-old undrafted right winger signed as a free agent with the Jets, only skating in three NHL games last season.
According to the press release, Duehr's new deal is two years in length and worth $1.75 million, with a $850,000 salary in the NHL.
After four seasons in the NCAA with Minnesota State University, Duehr joined the Calgary Flames organization, skating five games with the Stockton Heat and making his NHL debut on Nov. 14, 2021. He'd spend parts of four seasons with Calgary before the San Jose Sharks claimed him off waivers on Jan. 22, 2025. Instead of staying on the main roster, he played only eight games with the Sharks and 16 with the Barracuda in the AHL.
Interestingly, since turning professional in 2021, Duehr actually skated the most games last season, suiting up 62 with the Moose, tallying 17 goals and 34 points, and going pointless in three contests with the Jets. The 2025-26 campaign also marked the first time in his hockey career, since AAA hockey, that he scored more than 15 goals and 30 points.
As a member of the Tri-City Storm, Duehr won the USHL Clark Cup in 2015-16, and followed that up with an NCAA (WCHA) championship in 2018-19. After six seasons in the AHL, his stat line includes 59 goals and 112 points in 205, while in the NHL, he's got 11 goals and 21 points in 95 games.
By adding Duehr's contract to the books, the Jets have roughly $21 million left in cap space with a couple of unrestricted and restricted free agents left to sign, in addition to adding a backup goalie for Connor Hellebuyck.
Another NHL season has come and gone without the Detroit Red Wings anywhere near a Stanley Cup celebration, and as the confetti falls for another organization, it presents yet another opportunity for the Red Wings to study what separates contenders from pretenders.
This past season, the lessons come courtesy of the Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights and, more importantly, the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.
The Golden Knights offer perhaps the most instructive case study in modern NHL roster construction as General manager Kelly McCrimmon has built a culture of aggressive, calculated risk-taking, consistently flipping draft assets and prospects for proven impact players at exactly the right moments.
Almost no players on the Vegas roster is homegrown, yet the Golden Knights have remained perennial contenders by making their organization appear as an irresistible destination, the kind of place where players know the front office is serious about winning at all costs. That reputation attracts talent, and that talent helps the team continue to win games.
That culture of urgency is precisely what Detroit has severely lacked in recent years as the situation has reached a boiling point when franchise captain Dylan Larkin requested a trade, citing in the past that their is a lack of organizational vision when it comes to genuinely contending for a Stanley Cup.
The Red Wings possess more than enough assets to make the kind of aggressive moves Vegas has made repeatedly. However, the difference is that general manager Steve Yzerman has not viewed those swings as the right fit for where the franchise stands.
Rather than pursuing players like Robert Thomas or Quinn Hughes, players who are home run talents and could genuinely elevate the roster, Yzerman has tended toward singles and doubles. This past season, Justin Faulk and David Perron are useful additions, and Faulk in particular looks like he could be a meaningful contributor going forward, but on a true contender he would be the third or fourth addition when making a run towards a Stanley Cup.
Vegas built its identity by going all in, with Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl, Mark Stone and most recently Mitch Marner being acquired not by playing it safe. They were acquired by selling assets aggressively and timing those moves with precision. It is worth noting that the financial model matters just as much as the boldness of the moves.
The only players to win the Stanley Cup while carrying eight-figure cap hits are Eichel with Vegas and Sergei Bobrovsky and Aleksander Barkov with Florida. Keeping individual salaries at or around the $10 million range allows organizations to build the kind of roster depth that survives a two-month playoff grind and the Hurricanes are the clearest proof of that principle.
Carolina won the Stanley Cup without a single player earning eight figures, with Sebastian Aho serving as the highest-paid player on the roster at $9.75 million. They also enter the off-season with close to $12 million in available cap space, a testament to how methodically the organization has been constructed. They didn't build their roster overnight as they developed some homegrown talent but also made aggressive moves for impact players when the moment called for it.
They went out and added Nikolaj Ehlers in free agency, traded for superstar winger Mikko Rantanen and later landed Logan Stankoven from Dallas in a follow-up deal, brought in experienced contributors like Taylor Hall at the right price, and filled their bottom six with reliable, cheap depth pieces in William Carrier, Jordan Martinook, Eric Robinson, Mark Jankowski and Jordan Staal, who has never been easy to overlook regardless of where he plays. They also added K'Andre Miller via trade and signed Sean Walker to shore up the back end.
Every one of those moves was calculated and added a different touch to a roster that would go on to slowly develop into a Stanley Cup champion.
The concern in Detroit is that Yzerman's approach, while patient and methodical, does not appear to be trending in that direction with enough urgency. Additions like John Gibson and Justin Faulk make sense as finishing pieces for a team already on the cusp of contending.
But they cannot be the headline moves for a team still trying to establish itself as a legitimate threat. Taking swings at players like Robert Thomas or Quinn Hughes, players who push a roster forward rather than merely maintaining the status quo, is what separates the organizations hoisting trophies from the ones watching them do it. Until Detroit starts making those kinds of moves, the gap between the Red Wings and the league's elite will likely remain exactly where it is.
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The Winnipeg Jets have spent years building toward something special, and yet when the Stanley Cup was handed out once again this past spring, they were watching from home just like the majority of the league.
Lessons from the teams that went furthest, the Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights and Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, are sitting right there for Kevin Cheveldayoff to absorb and act on.
The Golden Knights remain perhaps the most instructive case study in modern NHL roster construction. General manager Kelly McCrimmon has built a culture of aggressive, calculated risk-taking, consistently flipping draft assets and prospects for proven impact players at exactly the right moments.
Almost no one on the Vegas roster is homegrown, yet the Golden Knights have remained perennial contenders by positioning their organization as an irresistible destination, the kind of place where players know the front office is committed to winning at all costs.
To their credit, the Jets have shown a willingness to operate with a similar mindset, locking up world-class talents like Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck to long-term commitments speaks to an organizational vision that players have bought into.
But where Winnipeg has fallen short is in making the kind of complementary moves that push a contender over the top. Instead of swinging for the fences this past offseason, the Jets brought in Jonathan Toews and Gustav Nyquist, additions that underwhelmed and ultimately did little to move the needle behind the team's core stars. In a league where the margins between playoff teams are razor thin, those are the kinds of misses that cost you.
The consequences of those misfires have now created urgency at the highest level with Hellebuyck being vocal in the media about his desire to win a Stanley Cup, and his comments carried the unmistakable weight of a ticking clock.
Winnipeg enters this offseason with some major positives like over $21 million in available cap space and an opportunity to reshape a forward group that badly needs new blood after too many players underperformed this past season.
Carolina's blueprint is worth studying closely with no players earning eight figures, building their roster through a combination of bold acquisitions and smart, affordable signings.
They landed Nikolaj Ehlers in free agency, traded for Mikko Rantanen and later added Logan Stankoven from Dallas, brought in Taylor Hall at the right price, and filled their bottom six with reliable contributors like William Carrier, Jordan Martinook, Eric Robinson, Mark Jankowski and Jordan Staal. They also fortified the back end through a trade for K'Andre Miller and the signing of Sean Walker.
Winnipeg does not need to replicate every one of those moves, but the approach is a model worth following. The Jets have an opportunity to dip into a free agent market rich in capable middle-six and bottom-six forwards.
Names like Michael Bunting, Scott Laughton, Eeli Tolvanen, Bobby McMann, Mason Marchment, Anthony Mantha, Jason Dickinson and Oliver Bjorkstrand all represent realistic targets who could make meaningful contributions without breaking the cap bank. Adding three of these kinds of players to the mix could go a long way toward restoring the offensive depth this team has been missing.
Beyond the depth market, the Jets need to take an all-in swing on a true top-six impact forward, the kind of move that changes the complexion of the lineup the way the Ehlers acquisition changed Carolina's. Winnipeg still has draft picks and prospects to work with, and if the window is as open as Hellebuyck's comments suggest the organization believes, those assets need to be spent.
Despite a season hampered by injuries, the Jets defense is not a concern as they still have their top four anchored by Josh Morrissey, Neal Pionk, Dylan DeMelo and Dylan Samberg. The focus this offseason needs to be entirely on rebuilding the offense.
Winnipeg is ahead of many teams around they league, with elite goaltending, proven star forwards and a legitimate defensive core that is closer to contending than most teams in the league. The gap between the Jets and the Golden Knights is not talent at the top but rather the finishing touches, the kinds of moves that create meaningful separation in the standings and genuine depth for a playoff run.
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NHL broadcaster Ron MacLean has apologized for making a comment about roofies before Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.
With the game between the Hurricanes and Golden Knights taking place in Las Vegas, Sportsnet did a skit inspired by the movie “The Hangover” that showed Keeper of the Cup Phil Pritchard asleep on a couch next to the trophy.
After the skit, MacLean said, “The roofies, they’ll get you every time.”
Ron MacLean attends the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards at CBC Broadcast Centre. Getty Images
MacLean apologized for the comment later during the coverage of Game 6, acknowledging his mistake.
“I referenced a scene in the movie in which the tiger is put to sleep, Mike Tyson’s tiger. The Keepers of the Cup, of course, are asleep in the skit and I used the term, the slang term for the drug which has far more serious connotations in reality,” MacLean said.
— bnpeki Matthew Knies Enjoyer (@bnpeki) June 15, 2026
“I should have made that connection. I did not. .. I know I triggered some people, I know I offended some people with that remark, and I feel very bad for that, and I want to thank you for bringing it to my attention, to our attention. Very sorry.”
MacLean has been in the news for controversy before, staying silent during his former Coach’s Corner co-host Don Cherry’s comments that Canadian immigrants do not benefit from the sacrifices of veterans and do not wear remembrance poppies.
Ron MacLean apologizes after making a comment on roofies during Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. @bnpeki/X
The Canadian also apologized for that mistake after Cherry was forced to step down.
The Hurricanes won the game 3-0 to claim their first Stanley Cup since 2006.
The 2025-26 NHL Season has officially concluded with the Carolina Hurricanes winning their first Stanley Cup since 2006.
Now that the offseason has arrived, one of the main storylines in the coming days and weeks leading up to the 2026 Draft is the future of Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin.
Larkin, who has played only five Stanley Cup Playoff games in his NHL career, which began in 2015, requested a trade from Detroit earlier this month after the club missed the postseason for the 10th year in a row, which is now the longest active drought.
Is Detroit any closer to finding a taker for Larkin? According to top NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, who initially reported Larkin's trade request, an offer may be on the table for GM STeve Yzerman.
While speaking on Sportsnet 590 The Fan, Friedman indicated that he believes not only is there "groundwork" of a deal being built, but that the Red Wings may also have already received an offer from the Florida Panthers, who were one of three teams on Larkin's initial trade request list.
"I definitely think the action has started on Larkin," Friedman said. "I think that teams have contacted Yzerman, and I think - I believe Florida has made an offer. So, I mean, we'll see. I think there's action going on out there, there's no question. There's talk going on right now, and I don't know if anything gets done. Like, it's tough."
"Vegas and Carolina, they're two teams who like to deal, but they're like, 'Yeah, we don't need any trade rumors about us right now.' But I definitely think there's groundwork and conversations being done out there."
According to reports led by Detroit Free Press beat writer Helene St. James, the three teams on Larkin's trade list included the Panthers along with the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild, all of whom feature one or more of his teammates from the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics.
The Panthers hold the No. 9 overall selection in the upcoming NHL Draft, which could be dangled as bait for Larkin. As of now, the Red Wings do not have a first-round selection after having traded it in March to the St. Louis Blues as part of the package to acquire Justin Faulk.
Forward Anton Lundell, who has 89 combined points over the last two seasons, has also been suggested as a potential trade piece Florida could offer.
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The Chicago Blackhawks have a big decision to make with their fourth-overall pick. This year's draft class has many interesting options, and the Blackhawks will be looking to land a future star with their first-rounder.
The Athletic recently released their latest 2026 NHL Mock Draft, where multiple of their writers predicted the entire first round. When it came to the Blackhawks' fourth-overall pick, Scott Powers had Chicago select defenseman Chase Reid.
Reid showed great promise this season in the OHL with the Soo Greyhounds, as he posted 18 goals, 30 assists, and 48 points in 45 games. This is after he had seven goals and 40 points in 39 games with the Greyhounds during the 2024-25 season. With numbers like these, it is clear that he has a lot of skill.
The potential for Reid to emerge as a star defenseman in the NHL is there, so it would make sense if the Blackhawks went with him as their fourth-overall pick. This is especially so if players Ivar Stenberg, Caleb Malhorta, and projected first-overall pick Gavin McKenna get selected before the Blackhawks are on the clock.
However, the Blackhawks also have two exciting right-shot defensemen in Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov, so it would also be understandable if Chicago pursued a left-shot defenseman with their first-round pick. If they do want a left-shot defenseman, Carson Carels and Alberts Smits are the top options available this year.
Nevertheless, Reid would still be a great pickup for the Blackhawks' system is selected. He has the tools to become a high-impact two-way defenseman in the NHL, so let's see if he ends up being Chicago's selection.
The Athletic released its latest 2026 NHL Mock Draft. Several of their writers predicted the first round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
When it came to the Montreal Canadiens' first-round pick, Arpon Basu predicted that the Habs would select forward Nikita Klepov this year.
Klepov would be a very fascinating prospect for the Canadiens to add to their system. The 17-year-old winger just had a dominant season in the OHL with the Saginaw Spirit, posting 37 goals, 60 assists, and 97 points in 67 games. His 97 points were the most in the entire OHL this season, so it is clear that the young winger has a ton of offensive potential.
Klepov would have the potential to be an outstanding fit on a Canadiens club that is full of skilled players. He has the potential to emerge as an impactful NHL forward later down the road, so he could be worth taking a gamble on if he is available when the Habs are on the clock.
However, given how strong of a season Klepov just had, it would also not be surprising in the slightest if he is already selected when it is time for the Canadiens to pick. It will be interesting to see what happens on that front, but if Klepov is available, the Canadiens should strongly consider picking him.
When the Carolina Hurricanes celebrated with the Stanley Cup, did you notice that somewhere between the hugs, the champagne and the endless shots of Rod Brind'Amour hoisting the most prized trophy in sports, Carolina had something Edmonton didn't?
Besides the cup, oobviously.
Carolina had just climbed to the top of the totem pole without possessing the kind of individual talent that usually dominates social media posts, magazine covers and debates over who the best player in the world happens to be.
They didn't have Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, or anyone as close to that level of talent.
And yet there they were, the last team standing.
That fact is both encouraging and instructive for the Edmonton Oilers.
Fans in Edmonton are fortunate enough to watch two generational talents every night, but here has always been something a little unfair about the expectations that accompany them, as though McDavid and Draisaitl are supposed to drag every weakness, bad line and defensive breakdown across the finish line by themselves.
Carolina's stars are excellent players. Sebastian Aho is one of the league's most underrated centres. Seth Jarvis has blossomed into a terrific winger. Jaccob Slavin remains one of the finest defensive defencemen in hockey. Frederik Andersen gave them quality goaltending when it mattered most.
But let's be honest, nobody is confusing that group with the sheer star power Edmonton possesses.
The Hurricanes didn't win because one player put the franchise on his back.
They won because there were no passengers. Their stars had helped. Their third line mattered. Their defence contributed. Their penalty kill mattered. Their fourth line mattered.
Everybody pushed in the same direction.
Which is why some of the conversations that surface after every disappointing season in Edmonton have always felt a little strange.
Somewhere along the way, Oil Country began treating Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl less like stars and more like solutions.
Wayne Gretzky had Mark Messier and Paul Coffey. Sidney Crosby had Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. Nathan MacKinnon has Cale Makar.
Nobody wins alone. And that's the lesson Stan Bowman should take from what Carolina just accomplished.
Not that Edmonton needs fewer stars. Quite the opposite. The Oilers should wake up every morning thankful they employ McDavid and Draisaitl because players like that simply don't come around very often.
The challenge isn't finding another Connor McDavid.
The challenge is finding Edmonton's version of Seth Jarvis. Or Jordan Martinook. Or Jaccob Slavin. Or the players who quietly turn good teams into great ones without attracting much attention along the way.
Carolina's Stanley Cup run wasn't powered by superstars overwhelming other teams every night.
It was powered by depth, and structure, and everyone understanding their role and doing it exceptionally well.
That should be the most comforting part for Edmonton fans.
The Oilers don't need Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to become something more.
What they need is a roster that asks less of them. Less pressure with fewer minutes and more support. More nights where two points from McDavid and Draisaitl feel like a luxury instead of a necessity.
Because as Carolina proved last night, Stanley Cups aren't necessarily won by the team with the biggest names.
The Athletic released their latest 2026 NHL Mock Draft, where several of their writers predicted the first round. When it came to the Philadelphia Flyers' first-round pick, Kevin Kurz predicted that the Flyers would select center Maddox Dagenais.
Dagenais would be a fascinating prospect for the Flyers to add to their system. The 6-foot-4 center has the potential to become an impactful player in the NHL and would give the Flyers another promising center prospect, which is a need.
Dagenais just had a strong season in the QMJHL with the Quebec Remparts. In 62 games with the QMJHL club, the Montreal native posted 30 goals, 32 assists, and 62 points. This is after he had 12 goals and 26 points in 43 games with the Remparts during the 2024-25 season.
Overall, Dagenais has shown promise at the junior level and could be some consideration if he is available when the Flyers are on the clock. However, when noting that he is a big center with good upside, it is certainly possible that another club could take him before it is the Flyers' turn to select.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if the Flyers end up making Dagenais their first-round pick at the draft this year. The fit looks strong on paper.
For the second time in their careers, former San Jose Sharks forwards Tomas Hertl and Joel Ward were defeated in the Stanley Cup Final while members of the same organization.
The Vegas Golden Knights were defeated 3-0 on home ice by the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday night, which clinched the Hurricanes their second-ever Stanley Cup, winning the series 4-2.
Hertl gave everything he had in a bid to finally win the trophy that has eluded him throughout his entire career, but it wasn't enough. He scored two goals, including the game-winner in Game 1, and totaled four points in the six-game series against Carolina.
Meanwhile, Ward was doing the same behind the bench, serving as one of John Tortorella's assistant coaches.
Both players were members of the 2015-16 Sharks team that made it to the Stanley Cup Final, only to be defeated by Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Sharks alumnus Adin Hill was also on the Golden Knights roster, but was sitting on the sideline as Tortorella stuck with Carter Hart despite his massive struggles during the series. Unlike the other two though, Hill has already won a Stanley Cup, getting to lift the trophy following the 2022-23 season when he went on a tremendous run during the playoffs.
Both Hertl and Ward will have to wait at least another season to lift the Cup. Hertl is running out of time to do so during his playing career, but Ward is just starting out as a coach, so he has plenty of time.
On Monday, the Winnipeg Jets locked up a key piece of their organizational depth, re-signing forward Walker Duehr to a two-year, two-way contract carrying a $875,000 cap hit.
The deal keeps the 28-year-old in the Jets system through the foreseeable future and rewards a player who has quietly carved out a reliable role as one of the more productive forwards on the Manitoba Moose roster.
Duehr did get a brief look at the NHL level this past season, suiting up for three games with the Jets without registering a point. The bulk of his year was spent where he has consistently proven his value, in the AHL, where he put together a solid campaign of 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points across 62 games with the Moose.
The Sioux Falls, South Dakota native has taken a well-travelled road to get to this point. After playing college hockey at Minnesota State Mankato, Duehr broke into professional hockey with the Calgary Flames organization, going on to appear in 84 NHL games across four seasons while recording 19 points.
He was a more consistent presence with the AHL Calgary Wranglers during that stretch before being dealt to the San Jose Sharks ahead of the 2024-25 season. With San Jose, he played eight games at the NHL level while spending the majority of his time with the AHL's San Jose Barracuda before eventually finding his way to Winnipeg.
His AHL resume now stands at 59 goals and 53 assists for 112 points over 205 contests, numbers that reflect a player who has found his level and thrived within it. Duehr profiles as a flexible, dependable depth forward who brings the kind of professionalism and versatility that AHL rosters are built around. While a regular NHL role may not be in the cards, he remains a legitimate call-up option should injuries create openings on the main club.
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The San Jose Sharks are going to have to do quite a bit of work to make themselves Stanley Cup contenders in the near future, that's no secret at this point. Oddsmakers clearly agree, as BetMGM's odds for the 2027 Stanley Cup winner placed the Sharks 20th out of 32 teams, on par with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins at +6000.
Considering the Penguins made the playoffs last season, being on equal footing with them is a step in the right direction for the Sharks. With that being said, the lowest rated Western Conference playoff team from last season is the Los Angeles Kings with a +3500, meaning the odds aren't in the Sharks' favor when it comes to even making the playoffs.
The five teams with the best odds to win the Stanley Cup next season are, unsurprisingly, the Colorado Avalanche (+700), Carolina Hurricanes (+750), Vegas Golden Knights (+1000), Edmonton Oilers (+1100), and the Florida Panthers (+1100).
Once the Sharks prove that they have what it takes to make it to the playoffs, it likely won't take long to see their odds move toward the best in the NHL. With that being said, Mike Grier has a lot of work to do to reach that stage.
The 2025-26 NHL season officially ended on Sunday night when the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup.
Carolina took out the Vegas Golden Knights in six games, capped off by their 3-0 victory at T-Mobile Arena in Game 6.
Backstopping the Hurricanes to their shutout victory in the clinching game was goaltender Brandon Bussi.
With Bussi’s name going on the Stanley Cup later this summer, it will continue an interesting streak of success for someone in South Florida.
That’s because before he arrived in Carolina, Bussi was actually signed by Florida Panthers General Manager Bill Zito prior to the season.
When Florida tried to sneak Bussi to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, Carolina quickly pounced and claimed the talented netminder.
Clearly it proved to be a great move, between Bussi’s historic regular season success to his amazing performance with the Stanley Cup on the line.
But it doesn’t change the fact that Zito can now say that he’s signed a player who went on to win the Stanley Cup in the same season three years in a row.
Sure, two of those years it was his own team winning the Cup, but that’s what makes extending the streak so interesting.
Now, Zito can continue that streak if the Panthers get back to the business of winning championships next season...or if he signs a player who ends up being claimed by or traded to the eventual Stanley Cup champs.
For those wondering, here is the list of players Zito has signed who went on to win the Stanley Cup in the same season.
2023-24: Evan Rodrigues, Niko Mikkola, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Anthony Stolarz, Kevin Stenlund, Dmitry Kulikov, Jonah Gadjovich
2024-25: A.J. Greer, Nate Schmidt, Tomas Nosek, Jesper Boqvist
2025-26: Brandon Bussi
Will Zito, and seemingly the Panthers, be able to add to this list and extend the streak to a fourth straight year?
On Saturday, the Florida Panthers and Pittsburgh Penguins completed a trade, as the Panthers sent forward Oliver Okuliar to the Penguins in exchange for defenseman Emil Pieniniemi.
Okuliar is a 26-year-old Slovakian winger who spent the 2025-26 season playing in the SHL with Skelleftea AIK. Okuliar posted 15 goals and 29 points in 46 games. The year prior, Okuliar played in the AHL with the Charlotte Checkers, scoring a respectable 19 goals and 41 points in 69 games.
Okuliar was headed into the off-season as an unrestricted free agent, and it was believed the Panthers were uninterested in re-signing him. Okuliar has signed a one-year, one-way contract with the Penguins.
While the Panthers move on from the former undrafted forward, they've acquired a 21-year-old defender.
Pieniniemi was a 2023 third-round pick of the Penguins who made his North American professional debut this season. Plenty of internal controversy surrounded Pieniniemi, who, after his OHL campaign ended last season, refused to report to the Wheeling Nailers, the Penguins’ ECHL affiliate.
Eventually, the Finnish defender would join Wheeling this year, where he scored six goals and 11 points in 26 games. In the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Pieniniemi scored one goal and totaled three points in nine games.
Pieniniemi is a two-way defender with a history of offensive upside. In 2024-25, Pieniniemi scored 10 goals and 60 points in 60 games with the Kingston Frontenacs in the OHL. Additionally, he notched two goals and three points in six games en route to silver medal with Team Finland at the world juniors.
At just 21 years of age, this move is good business for GM Bill Zito and the Panthers front office. They move on from a player who didn’t have a future with the organization in favor of a younger player who could one day work his way onto the NHL roster.
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