As the Florida Panthers try and close out the Stanley Cup final Tuesday night and claim their second straight championship, there’s a mountainous task for GM Bill Zito after this week.

The Panthers have only $19 million in salary cap space to spend this summer, with UFA star forwards Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett in need of new contracts and with Florida needing a backup goalie behind Sergei Bobrovsky. That cap space will evaporate very quickly. 

One pending Panthers UFA veteran also needing a contract extension – star defenseman Aaron Ekblad – could be the core component who gets squeezed out has to head elsewhere in free agency.

A simple mathematical evaluation tells you it’s highly unlikely the Panthers can retain Bennett, Marchand and Ekblad. One of the three has to go, or at least two of them have to take massive discounts. And if you look at the moves Zito has made, it’s probable that Ekblad – by no fault of his own – is playing on borrowed time with Florida. 

Zito acquired right-hand D-man Seth Jones this season from the Chicago Blackhawks, which retained $2.5 million of his $9.5-million cap hit. He only carries a $7-million cap hit on the Panthers for the next five years, which makes him a better bargain than Ekblad will turn out to be next year and beyond. 

With defensemen Jones, Gustav Forsling, Niko Mikkola and Dmitry Kulikov all under contract for next season, the right-handed Ekblad is shaping up to be a luxury the Panthers can no longer afford.

It’s a shame that Ekblad is likely to be the odd man out. The 29-year-old is in his prime, and other than his suspension for violating the terms of the NHL and NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program, Ekblad has been a solid player for Florida. He’s logged 732 regular-season games in 11 NHL seasons, and he’s the longest-tenured defenseman in Panthers history. By the time he retires, he’s going to be recognized as an all-time great for Florida.

Unfortunately, all the accolades coming his way likely won’t prevent him from being moved. Ekblad’s current $ 7.5-million salary makes it obvious that he’s going to get (and deserve) a raise this summer, and a raise is too rich for the Panthers.

It’s not like Zito’s afraid of parting ways with Panthers defensemen, either. 

Whether it’s Brandon Montour or MacKenzie Weegar, Zito has demonstrated that he’s very capable of cutting ties with top blueliners for cap reasons or to acquire an upgrade in a trade. It’s that type of cold-blooded approach to salary cap management that’s turned the Panthers into a modern-day powerhouse.

Like every NHL GM, Zito has to balance the needs of the moment with the needs of the long term. The moment Zito acquired Jones to lead the blueline through the 2029-30 season, the clock was ticking on Ekblad’s time in Florida. The Panthers were able to thrive this post-season with two top-end right-handed defensemen, like they did last year with Ekblad and Montour, but that comes at a cost. 

There’s still a chance that Zito decides to sign only one of Marchand or Bennett and finds a way to hang onto Ekblad, but the market for a top defenseman like Ekblad is going to bump his asking price into a strata that’s too expensive for the Panthers to match. 

So whether the Stanley Cup final against the Edmonton Oilers ends on Tuesday or Friday, it may be Ekblad’s final game action with Florida. Time will tell if he makes the most of it.

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As the 2025 off-season continues, many players will be linked to the Vancouver Canucks. Whether through trade or free agency, Vancouver is expected to be busy over the next few weeks as the management group builds a roster that can compete for a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. One familiar face that the Canucks could bring back is forward Vitali Kravtsov, who is reportedly wants to return to the NHL for the 2025-26 season.

According to Hockey News Hub, which covers the KHL, Kravtsov wants to at least attempt an NHL comeback next season. The 25-year-old has spent the last two seasons in the KHL, playing for Traktor Chelyabinsk. While Kravtsov has not been on Vancouver's roster since 2023, the organization still holds his rights, with the Russian forward being a restricted free agent this off-season.

The Canucks acquired Kravtsov from the New York Rangers at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline for a 7th round draft pick in 2026 and William Lockwood. He played 16 games with Vancouver, recording two points while averaging 10:50 of ice time. After the season concluded, Kravtsov signed in the KHL, where he has been for the last two years.

Over the past two seasons, Kravtsov has recorded some impressive numbers for Traktor. He had 92 points in 121 games and finished this season with a league-high plus/minus of +31. Kravtsov also helped his team make the KHL Final this season, before falling to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in 5 games.

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With the Canucks searching for more offence, there is a chance that bringing back Kravtsov is a low-risk, high-reward move. He has good size at 6'2", 187 lbs, and is capable of producing offensively. Kravtsov has also been part of the organization before, meaning that members of Vancouver's management and coaching staff have some experience working with him on a day-to-day basis. 

The big question surrounding Kravtsov is if his game can translate to the NHL. He did struggle during his limited time with the Rangers and Canucks, and in Vancouver, could not find a way to gain the trust of then head coach Rick Tocchet. That being said, he does have more experience at the pro level now, which may have helped his game mature since leaving the NHL. 

In the end, bringing Kravtsov back to the NHL could be a smart move by the Canucks. Vancouver needs more offensive-minded players in their bottom-six, which is exactly what the 25-year-old could bring to the roster. While he may not be able to live up to his ninth-overall draft position, Kravtsov has the potential to provide some value to the Canucks lineup during the 2025-26 season. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

On Monday morning Team Switzerland selected its preliminary six players for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics.

The Winter Games is 234 days away. Each team announced the first six players for their roster on Monday. Today, we look at Switzerland. 

Olympic update: Switzerland's preliminary roster is taking shape with the first 6 names announced.🇨🇭🔥#IIHF#Olympics#NHL#NHLPA@SwissIceHockey@olympics@nhl@nhlpapic.twitter.com/QkAUsCGVOi

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) June 16, 2025

Former Minnesota Wild forward Kevin Fiala was one of the six players that Switzerland announced to the roster. He joins another former Wild player in Nino Niederreiter. 

Fiala, 28, spent four seasons with the Wild from 2018 to 2022 before he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings where he has been for the last three seasons. 

He was originally acquired from the Nashville Predators for Mikael Granlund in 2018. He recorded 79 goals, 107 assists, and 186 points in 215 career games with the Wild. 

The 5-foot-11 forward broke a single season Wild assist record during the 2021-22 season which was his last year with the Wild. He had 33 goals, 52 assists, and 85 points that year. 

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In the offseason of 2022 the Wild traded Fiala to Los Angeles for Brock Faber and a 1st-round pick in 2022 NHL Draft which was used to take Liam Ohgren. 

The last three seasons with the Kings, Fiala has recorded 87 goals, 118 assists, and 205 points in 232 games. 

Coming out of the NHL Scouting Combine last weekend, the Buffalo Sabres got the lowdown on a number of prospects that could be their with the ninth selection at the 2025 Draft in Los Angeles later this month, but barring a trade up they will have to rely on the player they want slipping through the cracks.  

The NY Islanders are likely to select defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the top overall pick, but there is no accurate read on how the remaining seven picks will break. That seems to be reflected in various mock drafts that have emerged since the combine. After Schaefer, names like Michael Misa, Caleb Desnoyers, and rising star Anton Frondell are likely to go in the top five, but at that point, any of a number of players could be there for the Sabres at #9.  

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Porter Martone of the OHL’s Brampton Steelheads is considered by many draft analysts as the best winger in the 2025 NHL Draft, but with the top end of the first round dominated by centers, he has been projected going as high as third to the Chicago Blackhawks or   slipping into the lower half of the top-10 and perhaps even lower than the Sabres ninth overall pick. 

According to the Hockey News Draft Preview, Martone is considered a power forward with high-end skill. He had 74 penalty minutes last season and uses his 6’3”, 208 lb. frame effectively, using his size and hands to create scoring chances in close.   The 18-year-old led the Steelheads in scoring with 98 points (37 goals, 61 assists) in 57 games last season and has a connection to the Sabres, whose father was a fourth round pick of Buffalo in 1996. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

The San Jose Sharks are expected to be aggressive this offseason, and while almost nobody expects them to be a playoff contender next season, the expectation is that they start to make some moves that prove they want to start making a push for the playoffs as soon as the 2026-27 season. 

Some big names are available this summer, including Mitchell Marner, Nikolaj Ehlers, Aaron Ekblad, and Brock Boeser, and while the Sharks have the money to make an enticing offer to any of those players, they could turn to another league to see if there is some interest in coming to North America.

The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in Russia has produced some solid hockey players over the years, and that continues to be the case. In this article, we take a look at two potential targets for the Sharks this summer, both of which would be coming over from the KHL.

Vitali Kravtsov - Traktor Chelyabinsk

The first potential target is 25-year-old forward Vitali Kravtsov, who played the last two seasons with Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL. There are rumors that he is open to returning to the NHL next season, and while he would be a solid target for the Sharks, there are some obstacles they face before they would be able to bring him in.

The Vancouver Canucks still own Kravtsov's rights, so if he was open to coming back, he would rejoin the Canucks. However, if he isn't interested in playing with them, he could easily request a trade, and the Sharks could swoop in at that point. 

Over parts of two previous seasons in the NHL, split between the Canucks and the New York Rangers, Kravtsov scored six goals and added six assists for 12 points through 64 games, which comes out to a 0.19 points-per-game average. 

He has exploded offensively over the past two seasons in the KHL. In the 2023-24 campaign, he scored 18 goals and added 16 assists for 34 points through 55 games. This past season, he scored 27 goals and added 31 assists for 58 points through 66 games. 

The Canucks will see the potential that Kravtsov has and may ask for at least a mid-round pick in return, but considering he would be playing a top-six forward role with the Sharks, that's something they should be all over.

Maxim Shabanov - Traktor Chelyabinsk

The second enticing option is another player from Traktor Chelyabinsk, Maxim Shabanov. He is a 24-year-old, left-handed forward who stands 5-foot-8, 157 pounds, and has been in rumors all summer as a potential target for several NHL teams when free agency opens.

Known for his flashy style of play, Shabanov took the KHL by storm offensively and dominated. Last season, he scored 23 goals and added 44 assists for 67 points through 65 games, maintaining just over a point-per-game average.

Over parts of four seasons in the KHL, Shabanov has scored 67 goals and added 83 assists for 150 points through 207 games, which comes out to a 0.72 points-per-game average. During his time in their development league, the MHL, he played 144 games, scoring 50 goals and adding 68 assists for 118 points, which comes out to a 0.82 points-per-game average.

His rights aren't owned by anyone in the NHL, making it free for any team to come in and make him a solid offer to bring him onto their team. There will likely be a slight bidding war for his services, and considering what he may be looking for, whether it be playing time or money, the Sharks should have enough to try and convince him to join their team.

There will be plenty of options for the Sharks this summer as they try to fill out their roster and get themselves out of the bottom of the league standings, but they should consider all options when trying to improve their team. Both Kravtsov and Shabanov have proven their worth as offensive-minded forwards who can dominate with the puck on their stick, but there is always a risk when they try to translate their game to another league on another continent. 

Andrei Kuzmenko is a perfect example of a player who came over from the KHL after dominating offensively and was able to translate his game to the NHL level. There have been plenty of players who have tried to make the jump and failed, but with how much the Sharks have struggled over the past several campaigns, they should be willing to take a risk.

Time will tell what the Sharks end up doing with their cap space, and they will have their full focus on the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft as they try to select a future superstar at second overall, but once July 1st comes around and free agency opens, they need to get a little aggressive.

Sharks Should Consider Following Ducks' Trade StrategyThe San Jose Sharks are in the middle of a rebuild, and while Mike Grier is taking a slower, more patient approach to set the team up for long-term success, there are still some smart deals he could make to insulate the young core with experienced veterans.

Sharks & Stars Could Be Trade Partners On Draft DayThe San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars have the assets to pull off a big draft day deal.

San Jose Sharks 2025 Draft Target: Bill ZonnonThe 2025 NHL Draft is just 11 days away, and things around the NHL are going to get interesting and fast. As soon as the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals are over, the floodgates will open and there will be a ton of NHL news and rumours.

Panthers rout Oilers in Game 6 to win back-to-back Stanley Cups originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Déjà vu.

The Florida Panthers beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 in Game 6 on Tuesday to win the Stanley Cup for the second straight year. Sam Bennett collected the Conn Smythe trophy with 15 goals across Florida’s run.

It’s the same exact outcome as last season, when the Panthers avoided losing a series 3-0 by winning Game 7 versus the Oilers with Sam Reinhart scoring clutch goals. But this time, he scored lots of them.

Reinhart started the scoring within the first five minutes of the opening period, stealing the puck away, splitting two defenders then rounding it home.

Matthew Tkachuk then added the second for Florida with 46 seconds remaining in the period. With Eetu Luostarinen doubled on the right wing, he laid it off for Tkachuk, who faced no defensive reinforcement and drilled it home.

Reinhart then added a second late in the second period, but it came in unusual fashion. Carter Verhaeghe flipped an unexpected shot toward the net before falling to Aleksander Barkov, who shot and saw it deflect off Reinhart and in.

Reinhart’s hat-trick came with 6:34 on the clock in the third period, as Barkov logged another assist thanks to an empty net.

It became the first playoff hat-trick by a Panthers player in franchise history. But he wasn’t done there.

Just moments later on another empty net, Reinhart got a wrist shot off while falling. Of course, no Panthers player has scored four goals in a playoff game.

Reinhart’s fourth tied the Stanley Cup record for most in a final, last done so by Montreal’s Maurice Richard in 1957.

Edmonton didn’t come away empty-handed, however. It responded shortly after through Vasily Podkolzin, who rounded the keeper off a Jake Walman assist, silencing the crowd for a brief moment.

The Panthers became the 11th franchise to repeat as Stanley Cup champions since the expansion era in 1967-68. The last team to do so was the Tampa Bay Lightning, who beat the Dallas Stars in the 2020 final before repeating the following year over the Montreal Canadiens.

This occasion is a bit different, though. While Tampa Bay beat two separate opponents, Florida handed Edmonton consecutive heartbreaks. The last team to suffer such a fate was over 50 years ago, when the Canadiens took down the Boston Bruins twice in 1977 and 1978.

Edmonton still has five Stanley Cups in its trophy cabinet, but it’s been multiple decades since a new addition. The Oilers have won it all in 1983–84, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1989–90.

The Oilers are also one of the last Canadian teams to lift the Cup, as Canada’s drought is equally as parched. Montreal is the last Canadian franchise to hoist the silverware, having done so over the Los Angeles Kings in 1993.

Florida is among the franchises capitalizing on the U.S. momentum. This win marks the team’s second ever Stanley Cup, so it’s a team relatively new to the major title scene.

Panthers head coach Paul Maurice also became the first coach in NHL/NFL/NBA/MLB history to win multiple championships after winning none over his first 25 seasons, via Opta Stats. Maurice previously coached the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets before joining Florida in 2022.

The Panthers then reached the final in 2023, but lost to the Las Vegas Golden Knights in five games. Safe to say that experience shaped Florida’s future for the better. If they can retain unrestricted free agents Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand and Bennett, among others, the Panthers may very well be on the hunt for a rare three-peat.

The Vegas Golden Knights have elected to make some moves with their front office, appointing John Penhollow as the team’s new President of Business Operations, and Kerry Bubolz will transition to a new Chief Civic Affairs and Government Relations Officer role. 

NEWS! We have hired John Penhollow as President of Business Operations to oversee our Nevada-based sports and venue properties!

Kerry Bubolz will continue to serve the team & community as Chief Civic Affairs & Government Relations Officer. #VegasBornhttps://t.co/ozPEBTYsrs

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 17, 2025

The organization announced the move on Tuesday, highlighting their excitement with the addition in a press release.

“We are thrilled to welcome John Penhollow to the organization as our new President of Business Operations for the Vegas Golden Knights and our Nevada-based sports properties and venues,” said Vegas Golden Knights Chairman and Owner Bill Foley. “John is a transformative leader whose vision and expertise will advance our business teams to new heights. His experience leading business strategy, revenue strategy and organizational development will be invaluable as we enter this exciting new chapter in our club’s history. His impressive record of success with revenue generation and growth aligns well with our core mission of ‘Always Advance, Never Retreat.’

Prior to joining the Golden Knights, Penhollow most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer of the National Football League’s Minnesota Vikings. With the Golden Knights, Penhollow will oversee all business operations and lead all business strategy for the Vegas Golden Knights and Foley Entertainment Group’s Nevada-based sports and venue properties, which includes the Henderson Silver Knights, Vegas Knight Hawks, City National Arena, America First Center and Lee’s Family Forum.

Penhollow has been a key figure in the NFL for quite some time. With the Vikings, he "oversaw all revenue-generating activities for the club including ticket sales as well as corporate partnerships and strategy. He played a critical role in the Vikings’ efforts to design and open two best-in-class facilities: U.S. Bank Stadium, which opened in 2016 and hosted Super Bowl LII in 2018, and Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center, which opened in 2018. He worked a total of 12 seasons with the Vikings, where he originally started as the team’s Director of New Stadium Partnerships in 2013 before being elevated to Vice President of Corporate and Technology Partnerships in 2015. During his tenure, Penhollow and his revenue teams led the NFL in both performance and innovation while creating a world-class fan experience and championship-caliber culture," according to the Golden Knights' press release. 

Bubolz has done a terrific job with the Golden Knights as well, helping the organization take advantage of the Las Vegas flair and turn the Golden Knights into a strong business. Working together with Penhollow, the Golden Knights are on a fast track to becoming one of the best-run organizations in the NHL if they aren't already.

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