Category: Ice Hockey

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — William Karlsson left the ice, and the Vegas Golden Knights' night went south. He may not be back to help them recover.

With Karlsson knocked out of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final because of injury, the Golden Knights took four penalties that turned into two power-play goals against. Carter Hart allowed four goals for a fifth consecutive game in the series, and now his team is on the brink of elimination after losing 4-2 to Carolina on Thursday night.

“When we lose Bill, it kind of screws things up," coach John Tortorella said. “We lost momentum when we went back to back in penalties. It was about the same time that we lost Bill. We’ve got to find a way.”

Karlsson appeared to injure his left arm or shoulder after getting knocked into the boards by Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker a little over eight minutes into the second period. He got medical attention on the bench briefly, skated off and never returned and Tortorella foreshadowed that being the end of Karlsson's series.

“He’s not going to be with us, probably,” Tortorella said. "We’ve got to find a way to fill that void, not with just one guy but as a team.”

Karlsson making his playoff debut at the start of the second round changed everything for Vegas, shifting Mitch Marner to the wing and providing the kind of strong, reliable center depth needed to win this time of year. Karlsson had nine points in 14 games after missing the previous six months because of an undisclosed injury.

But the void left by Karlsson’s departure was all too clear, especially on the penalty kill. Carolina’s Andrei Svechnikov scored the first of his two power-play goals less than four minutes after Karlsson left, then added another in the third.

“He’s an important piece to us: up the middle of the ice, a penalty killer, power play guy," Tortorella said. “He’s a winner."

Fourth-liner Nick Dowd called Karlsson one of the team's best players. Defenseman Brayden McNabb, who along with Karlsson and Shea Theodore are the only players who have been around for Vegas’ entire nine-year existence, said Karlsson was a big leader in the locker room.

Karlsson is also nearly impossible to replace.

“He means so much," fellow center Jack Eichel said. "He’s a world class player. He plays in all situations. He’s extremely reliable in our own zone, and he creates a lot of offense. ... It's tough. You lose someone like Karl who’s so valuable to our team and playing so well. But it just means everyone else has to step up.”

Tortorella expects that to happen, promising there will be a Game 7 in Raleigh on Tuesday night.

“We’ll be back here. We’re just going to do it in a different order," Tortorella said. "I’m going to leave my clothes here, that’s for sure. They’ll be in the hotel.”

To do that, they'll have to win Game 6 back home in Las Vegas on Sunday. Hart is expected to be in net again despite a save percentage of .856 in the final.

Asked if he considered going to backup Adin Hill — who backstopped Vegas to the Cup in 2023 — in the third period, Tortorella scoffed and said, "That could be the stupidest question I’ve heard.”

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 to take a 3-2 lead in the Stanley Cup Final.

If the Philadelphia Flyers really do decide to trade with the Edmonton Oilers and acquire Darnell Nurse, any realistic scenario ends in a win for them, no matter what.

Social media tells a different story, but Nurse, 31, is a very serviceable and solid NHL defenseman.

Typecast as a No. 1 for the Oilers for a longtime, and given an annual $9.25 million albatross cap hit, Nurse does some things well, and other things not so well.

A fluid athlete and a nephew of Eagles legend Donovan McNabb, Nurse thrives using his legs, toughness, physicality, and skill, though his decision-making and hockey IQ have consistently held him back throughout his career.

That's a fine gamble for the Flyers, though.

In recent years, smaller defenders like Cam York and Emil Andrae have established themselves as NHL defenders, while Travis Sanheim and Rasmus Ristolainen underwent career renaissances with the Flyers after some bleak years.

Plus, Jamie Drysdale and Nick Seeler, who each looked like a lost cause at this level for different reasons, found homes with the Flyers and leveled up drastically year over year.

With the amount of talent Nurse has, and with a better supporting cast at his position, there is no reason to believe he can't do the same in Philadelphia, even at his age.

The trade cost for Nurse is obviously going to be the main sticking point, both for the Flyers and for the Oilers.

Flyers Weighing Ambitious Trade for $74 Million Oilers DefenderThe Philadelphia Flyers will consider a stunning trade for a big-money Edmonton Oilers defenseman... at the right price.

On one hand, the Oilers are hoping to rid themselves of as much as Nurse's $9.25 million cap hit as they possibly can without paying an egregious price to do it.

The Flyers, too, hope to avoid paying an egregious price, whether that's monetary with the salary, or in terms of assets when it comes to paying for salary retention.

Regardless of the outcome, though, the Flyers win.

If they decide to take on Nurse's full cap hit, it will be because they received a sweetener from the Oilers that they simply could not turn down.

Something of that magnitude would assuredly come via players like Isaac Howard, Beau Akey, and Matthew Savoie, and/or a first-round pick.

And if the Flyers can convince the Oilers to retain money on Nurse's salary, they have plenty of spare assets to make it worthwhile.

Andrae, a pending RFA, would be a cheap, solid addition to Edmonton's blue line, and the Oilers may also see this as an opportunity to add mid-round draft picks to replenish their future draft capital.

The Flyers do not have fourth- or fifth-round picks this year, but they do have two third-round picks in 2027, as well as their fourth and fifth that year.

And, maybe the Oilers consider picking up the signing rights to a goalie, such as Flyers pending RFA Sam Ersson, too?

Each side has lots to offer to the other, though it, of course, comes down to finding a palatable middle ground that benefits both sides to an acceptable degree.

On paper, for the Flyers, adding a skilled, experienced veteran like Nurse comes with few downsides. It just comes down to business, at the end of the day.

Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal scored again Thursday night in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights, extending his goals streak that has put the 37-year-old center among some of the best players in NHL history.

“It’s a good time to get hot," Staal said. "I want to contribute any way I can. The puck’s been going in for me lately, and it’s good timing and (I try) to still contribute in all the other aspects that I can do.”

A look at Staal's series:

6,202

Days between goals in the final from 2009 with Pittsburgh until Staal scored in Game 1, breaking brother Eric's record of 6,198 from ‘06 to ’23.

6

Goals by Staal in the series, one shy of tying the modern-day record for the most by a player in the final.

3

Captains to score six or more goals in a final before Staal: Wayne Gretzky for Edmonton in 1985, Frank Foyston for Seattle in 1920 and Newsy Lalonde for Montreal in 1919.

2

Players in Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers franchise history to score a goal in the final at age 37 or older before Staal: 39-year-old Ron Francis in 2002 and 38-year-old Mark Recchi in '06.

1

Player older than Staal to score in each of the first two games of the final: Larry Robinson with Montreal in 1989.

0

Players older than Staal to score in each of the first three games of the final. Brad Marchand last year with Florida was the only one to do so after turning 37.

1992

Was the last time a player scored five-plus goals in the first four games of a final before Staal: Mario Lemieux when Pittsburgh went back to back.

1982

Was the last time a player scored in each of the first four games of the final before Staal: Mike Bossy when the New York Islanders won the third of four championships in a row. Only two others did before that: Minnesota's Steve Payne in 1981 and Boston's Johnny Buczyk in 1970.

1973

Was the last time a player scored in five consecutive games in the final before Staal: Yvan Cournoyer in 1973 with Montreal.

1956

Was the last time a player scored in the first five games of the final before Staal: Jean Beliveau in 1956 with Montreal. Canadiens teammate Maurice Richard in 1951 and Cyclone Taylor of the Vancouver Millionaires in 1918 are the only other players to score in Games 1-5.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

After months, and maybe even years of speculation, the inevitable has finally come. The Edmonton Oilers will be trading Darnell Nurse after the 31-year-old asked the team for a trade, proving that he agrees a change is best for both parties.

Like all players with a no-trade clause do, Nurse gave the Oilers a short list of three to five teams that he would prefer to be dealt to.

According to NHL insider, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins are two teams that have been revealed to included on Nurse's top trade destinations.

When hockey fans hear the name Darnell Nurse, the immediate thought is his controversial $9.25 million cap hit. This number is the more than likely the sole reason for his imminent departure from Edmonton.

Let's not get it twisted, Nurse is a very solid top four caliber defenseman in the National Hockey League, but his questionable contract has given fans and media across the league a conflicting impression of the 6'4" blue-liner.

The 31-year-old veteran has been on the receiving end of some harsh but also sometimes warranted criticism. When you're being payed top dollar to play for a household franchise, the expectation is that you live up to that contract, and unfortunately for Nurse, he was never going to do that.

The former seventh overall pick has always been a reliable shutdown defender that will provide anywhere from 25-40 points in a full season, nothing more, nothing less. He should have never been given such a large contract in the first place.

With that being said, Nurse is still a good hockey player and his services on the ice would be a great help for a large number of teams across the league.

Two Bad Contracts. One Good TradeThe Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers have a shared history that runs deeper than four straight first-round exits and a trade that shook the hockey world. The two teams have recently swapped players, including Warren Foegele, Viktor Arvidsson, and Corey Perry. They also share a general manager in Ken Holland. Holland ran Edmonton for years, getting the Oilers ever so close to the promised land, but also signed the contracts that still haunt that roster.

Where Do The Kings Come In?

In 2022, the Edmonton Oilers and Darnell Nurse reached an agreement on a massive eight-year contract extension, worth $9.25 million annually.

The General Manager that handed over the contract? None other than current Kings GM Ken Holland. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to see that there is a very clear connection here.

It's clear that Holland is a big fan of Nurse's game, and could even be willing to reunite with him in Los Angeles, as it seems Nurse would be interested in making the move to California.

If the Kings decided to pursue him, Nurse would fit in quite well in the top four of the team's d-core alongside Mikey Anderson, Drew Doughty, and Brandt Clarke. While also providing as an upgrade over guys like Brian Dumoulin, Cody Ceci, and Joel Edmundson. 

The Kings See Potential in Newly Signed Martin ChromiakLOS ANGELES – The Kings have signed forward Martin Chromiak to a one-year deal. It is a two-way contract with an AAV of $850,000.

There are still so many questions to be answered. Will the Kings pursue Nurse? What does a deal even look like? Will the Oilers retain any salary? 

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It did seem as though Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider had firmly placed himself in the conversation for the Norris Trophy, given annually to the top defenseman in the NHL during regular-season play. 

However, Seider found himself snubbed for the award, which once again went to Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar; Seider ultimately finished fifth overall in voting. 

Meanwhile, it was announced on Thursday that Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov, who was selected by current Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman in the second round (58th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft, won the Hart Trophy for the second time in his career. 

Kucherov seemed like a natural choice for the award, finishing second overall in total NHL scoring with 130 points ((44 Goals, 86 Assists) behind Connor McDavid. 

Seider would finish 11th overall in voting for the Hart Trophy: 

Final voting totals for the 2025-26 Hart Trophy: pic.twitter.com/7OKcoq2qeA

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 11, 2026

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Seider, who did take home the Calder Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year in 2021-22, stands a good chance of being selected as the 38th captain in Red Wings history if his teammate Dylan Larkin ultimately gets his reported wish of being dealt to a new club. 

Seider wore the "A" on his jersey this season along with Lucas Raymond as alternate captains. 

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NEW YORK (AP) — Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP, the second such honor of his career after also winning the Hart in 2019.

The league announced the news Thursday prior to Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Kucherov led all players with 1.71 points a game on 44 goals and 86 assists. With 130 points, he ranked second to only Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, who had 138.

McDavid was a close second by 10 points in voting by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon was third and San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini fourth.

Kucherov had 42 more points than his next-closest teammate, Jake Guentzel. He was third in Hart Trophy voting a year ago and second in 2023-24.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP for the second time, adding to his team's awards haul.

Kucherov finished second in the NHL with 130 points in 76 games - a league-best 1.71 points per game - as the Lightning clinched their ninth consecutive playoff berth and finished second in the Atlantic Division. He had 42 more points than his closest teammate, the second-largest gap between a team’s top two scorers in 2025-26 after the San Jose Sharks' Macklin Celebrini.

He edged fellow finalists Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) and Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche) in a vote by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. He beat McDavid by 10 points.

Kucherov led the league in scoring the past two seasons and was a finalist both times. He won the award in 2018-19.

Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (Vezina Trophy) and coach Jon Cooper (Jack Adams Award) also received NHL honors this season.

Other NHL awards winners

Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player): Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid

Vezina Trophy (goaltender): Tampa Bay Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy

Norris Trophy (defenseman): Columbus Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski

Calder Trophy (rookie): New York Islanders' Matthew Schaefer

Jack Adams Award (coach): Lightning's Jon Cooper

Selke Trophy (defensive forward): Montreal Canadiens' Nick Suzuki

Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanship): Canadiens' Cole Caufield

Masterton Trophy (perseverance): Avalanche's Gabriel Landeskog

Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award: Landeskog

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lightning's Nikita Kucherov wins second Hart Trophy as NHL MVP

Hurricanes seize Game 5 with 4-2 win vs. Golden Knights, lead series 3-2 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Andrei Svechnikov scored twice and Sebastian Aho added a second-period goal in a breakout game for Carolina’s top-line performers, helping the Hurricanes beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 on Thursday night to move within a victory of winning the Stanley Cup.

Captain Jordan Staal added his fifth goal in the series on a night when Carolina overcame multiple hiccups from these playoffs, from a shaky power play to being outplayed in the second period of this series. And there had been the waiting game for Aho and Svechnikov — two roster mainstays in an eight-year postseason run — to find a better offensive groove.

And there had been the waiting game for Aho and Svechnikov — two roster mainstays in an eight-year postseason run — to find a better offensive groove.

It all came together in Game 5, with Svechnikov’s short putaway at the post on the power play giving Carolina a 4-1 lead midway through the third period. And unlike most multi-goal leads in what has been a wild and thrilling series, this one held up, with Brandon Bussi finishing with 22 saves in his second career postseason start.

That gave the Hurricanes a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 6 is Sunday night in Las Vegas, with the Hurricanes playing for the chance to hoist the Stanley Cup for the first time since coach Rod Brind’Amour captained them to the title in 2006.

Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice for Vegas, finding the net for the first time since Game 1 of the Western Conference Final sweep of Presidents’ Trophy winner Colorado. Carter Hart entered this one as the first goaltender in Stanley Cup Final history to give up at least four goals in each of the first four games, then did it again to continue a difficult series while finishing with 20 saves.

Vegas had twice before been in a 2-2 series in these playoffs, in the first round against Utah and the second round against Anahaim. Both times, the Golden Knights won Game 5 and then closed out the series in Game 6.

This time, they’ll have to win on home ice to force the series back to Carolina for a Game 7 on Wednesday night. And they’ll have to take two in a row against a Hurricanes team that hasn’t suffered consecutive losses since mid-January.

Vegas played much of the night without center William Karlsson, who was being checked out on the bench for an apparent upper-body injury. Karlsson skated to the tunnel midway through the second period and didn’t return.

Now with the series tied 2-2, this Stanley Cup Final series between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes can go anywhere. Will Carolina have the upper hand with momentum coming home or will Vegas continue to score goals at will?

In another game of back and forth action, Carolina lost the lead and then completed the comeback in a 5-3 Game 4 victory. Jordan Staal scored two goals including the game winner. Vegas got their team leading 14th goal from Brett Howden but it wasn’t enough as Carolina squeezed out the win in the third period.

We're all tied up heading into Game 5… Who's taking the series lead? 👀

The #StanleyCup Final between the @GoldenKnights and @Canes continues TONIGHT at 8p ET on ABC, @Sportsnet, & @TVASports! pic.twitter.com/QI1RqTZjPI

— NHL (@NHL) June 11, 2026

Vegas Golden Knights

Mitch Marner continues to lap the field in production with 29 points, nine more than his closest teammate. Are we seeing another Conn Smythe resume built regardless if the team ultimately wins or loses?

Projected Lineup

Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Pavel Dorofeyev

Brett Howden — William Karlsson — Mitch Marner

Tomas Hertl — Colton Sissons — Mark Stone

Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Keegan Kolesar

Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore

Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson 

Dylan Coghlan — Jeremy Lauzon

Carter Hart

Adin Hill

Carolina Hurricanes

The storyline for the home team is their move to Brandon Bussi in net. He started Game 4 and that is expected to continue tonight in Game 5. Another wild turn of events is that Frederik Andersen hasn’t been on the ice and isn’t dressing as a backup. The assumption is he’s nursing an injury now and Pyotr Kochetkov is next in line should anything happen to Bussi.

Projected Lineup

Andrei Svechnikov — Sebastian Aho — Seth Jarvis

Taylor Hall — Logan Stankoven — Jackson Blake

Nikolaj Ehlers — Jordan Staal — Jordan Martinook

William Carrier — Mark Jankowski — Eric Robinson

Jaccob Slavin — Jalen Chatfield

K’Andre Miller — Sean Walker

Shayne Gostisbehere — Alexander Nikishin

Brandon Bussi

Pyotr Kochetkov

Follow along in the comments below!

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While the ongoing drama between Dylan Larkin and the Detroit Red Wings regarding his future with the club continues to sort itself out, another question on the minds of Red Wings fans is regarding the status of prospect goaltender Sebastian Cossa. 

Cossa, whom the Red Wings selected in the first round (15th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft, still has only a single game of NHL experience under his belt, which came in December 2024. 

He had a tremendous regular season for the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2025-26, but found himself outplayed by Michal Postava down the stretch, and watching from the bench in the Calder Cup Playoffs as Postava started every game. 

Meanwhile, Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, whom they selected five picks after Cossa, helped lead his club to a first-round Stanley Cup Playoff upset of the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Quarterfinal. 

Additionally, Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes, whom the club selected  in the fifth round (136th overall) in 2020, has now been the club's starter two straight seasons in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the latter of which resulted in a berth in the Eastern Conference Final. 

While making an appearance on the "Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer" podcast, Cossa's agent Gerry Johannson, who works with The Sports Corporation player agency, was asked when he believes his client will finally get his breakthrough. 

"Is Sebastian Cossa chomping at the bit to see what he could do and get an opportunity like Wallsted and like Dobes did?" asked Stauffer. 

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"That's really when in our business, that's where the rubber hits the road," Johansson responded. "We know Sebastian Cossa is a very, very good goalie. He's certainly on par with Wallstedt and Dobes, and (St. Louis Blues goaltender) Joel Hofer is another one of our guys; he's developed really nicely.

"But in our business, nothing is equal," he continued. "Everybody has a different opportunity and different challenges, and the timing is different. You have to stay patient, but there's no question in our mind that Cossa is top shelf. He's as good as any of these young guys out there.

Yeah, something is going to happen, and he will get his opportunity. Not sure how exactly, but we'll worry about that later. But it's going to happen." 

Stauffer then asked Johansson if he's in regular contact with Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman regarding his client, who is a pending restricted free agent, and he answered in the affirmative. 

"Yep, talked to Steve," he said. "He's a restricted free agent too, so there's no huge rush. But we've had regular contact with Steve.....we've definitely had good chats with Steve, and we'll continue to.

But on a separate note, the kid's a good goalie, a really good player, and a great kid. He's going to get his opportunities; it's just a matter of when, and it's going to be soon." 

This season with the Griffins, Cossa went 26-8-4 with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage. 

He is no longer waiver exempt, and would almost certainly be claimed by another club if he were to be made available. 

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On Thursday, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse has requested a trade and has provided the Pacific Division club with three to five teams he is willing to waive his no-movement clause for. 

In a recent article for The Fourth Period, David Pagnotta reported that the Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings are among the clubs that Nurse is willing to accept a trade to. 

"As per sources, TFP has learned the Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings are two teams he would be willing to sign off for, and the connections seem clear as to why," Pagnotta wrote. 

Nurse reportedly being willing to accept a trade to the Penguins is definitely interesting. The 31-year-old defenseman would have the potential to provide the Penguins' left side with a boost if acquired and could work well in their top four. 

Nurse would be more than a rental for the Penguins if acquired, as he has a $9.25 million cap hit until the end of the 2029-30 season. That is both a lot of money and term for the veteran defenseman, so there would certainly be risk in the Penguins acquiring him. 

However, with the Penguins needing some help on the left side of their blueline, perhaps a Nurse deal could make sense if Edmonton is willing to retain some salary and the cost to acquire him is not high. Despite his expensive deal, he is a solid top-four defenseman and could be a nice veteran for the Penguins to have around. However, there would also be less risky defensemen for the Penguins to bring in to improve their left side. 

In 82 games this season with the Oilers, Nurse recorded seven goals, 17 assists, and 24 points. 

There were many great moments from the Buffalo Sabres' 2025-26 season. One of them was the arrival of top prospect Konsta Helenius, as the 20-year-old forward showed that he can already make an impact in the NHL when given the chance. 

Helenius appeared in his first career NHL regular-season games, where he had one goal and four points. He also played in four playoff games for the Sabres this spring, where he posted two goals and a plus-1 rating. With this, the 2024 first-round pick showed plenty of promising with the Sabres this campaign, and he is a prime breakout candidate to watch heading into the 2026-27 season. 

When looking at how well Helenius played in the AHL this season, too, it is hard not to be excited about his future with the Sabres. In 63 games this campaign with the Rochester Americans, the skilled forward posted 21 goals, 42 assists, and 63 points. This is after he had 14 goals and 35 points in 65 games during the 2024-25 season with Rochester, so he has taken a major step forward in his development. 

With Helenius being only 20 years old and already putting up numbers like this in the AHL, the Sabres could really have something special in him. The potential for him to emerge as the Sabres' next big star is there, as he has the skill and offensive talent to be a high-impact forward in the NHL.

It is going to be fascinating to see how Helenius continues to develop his game from here. 

Seven players currently under contract with the Vancouver Canucks organization are set to hit restricted free-agency pending any upcoming extensions. Only two of these seven played in NHL games for Vancouver this season, while four are eligible for arbitration come negotiation time. 

This year, NHL teams are required to extend qualifying offers to their RFAs by June 29, only a couple of days after the 2026 NHL Draft. That means if Vancouver wants to keep any of these seven players, they’ll need to provide them with a qualifying offer that cannot be signed before July 1. 

Here are the Canucks’ seven RFAs heading into the 2026 off-season. 

Three Canucks RFAs Are Older Than 25

Pierre-Olivier Joseph (26): 

Previous Contract: $775k x 1yr 

Six-year NHL veteran who has yet to play in a full 82-game season. Scored a goal and five assists in 31 games with Vancouver this season in a depth-defenceman role. Signed a one-year deal with Vancouver in 2025. Arbitration eligible. 

Nils Åman (26): 

Previous Contract: $825k x 2yrs 

Signed with Vancouver in 2022 and has consistently played in at least one game at the NHL level since. Went scoreless in two games with Vancouver this season but led the Abbotsford Canucks in scoring with six goals and 35 assists in 55 games. Arbitration eligible. 

Cole Clayton (26): 

Previous Contract: $775k x 1yr

Right-shot defenceman acquired by Vancouver via trade with the San Jose Sharks. Put together two goals and five assists in 33 games with Abbotsford and six assists in 32 games with the San Jose Barracuda. Played all throughout Abbotsford’s lineup. Arbitration eligible. 

Two Recent Trade Acquisitions Are Up For New Contracts 

Jayden Grubbe (23): 

Previous Contract: $867k x 3yrs (ELC) 

2021 third-round pick acquired in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers. Scored a goal in two games with Abbotsford as well as seven goals and 12 assists in 28 games with the Fort Wayne Komets in the ECHL. Former captain of the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels. 

Jack Thompson (24): 

Previous Contract: $800k x 1yr 

Right-shot defenceman also acquired from San Jose via trade. Averaged near a point per game in 14 games with Abbotsford (three goals, 10 assists) and put up three goals and nine assists with the Barracuda. Arbitration eligible. 

Two Highly-Anticipated RFAs Who Are Awaiting Their NHL Debuts

Chase Stillman (23): 

Previous Contract: $863k x 3yrs (ELC) 

2021 first-round pick acquired via trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Missed most of the 2025–26 season due to injury but scored three goals and six assists in 24 games played with Abbotsford. Won OHL championship with the Peterborough Petes in 2022–23. 

Danila Klimovich (23): 

Previous Contract: $833k x 3yrs (ELC) 

Five-year AHL veteran drafted in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft. Scored 18 goals and 16 assists in 63 games in 2025–26. Currently tied with Linus Karlsson for Abbotsford’s franchise lead in career goals scored with 70. 

A Look At The 2026–27 Season RFAs

Forwards: Ty Mueller, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Liam Öhgren, Aatu Räty (arbitration-eligible), Ilya Safonov, Anrī Ravinskis (arbitration-eligible)  

Defence: Zeev Buium, Elias Pettersson, Kirill Kudryavtsev 

Goaltenders: Aku Koskenvuo, Ty Young

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