Category: Sports News

The San Jose Sharks are solely focused on the 2025-26 campaign after a lacklustre season saw them finish at the bottom of the standings. While they can look forward to a second-overall pick in the upcoming 2025 NHL Entry Draft, they should also consider bringing in a few new faces to bolster their roster for next season.

One forward they should look into bringing in is Nicholas Robertson, who is a pending restricted free agent (RFA), and all signs are pointing to him leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs and pursuing a fresh start elsewhere. If Robertson wants more playing time and an increased role, the Sharks could be a perfect fit for him. 

It’s possible the Maple Leafs give Robertson a qualifying offer and trade him, rather than let him walk for nothing, which would be okay, and should likely still give the Sharks a solid opportunity to bring him in. He is a solid two-way forward and could flourish in a new system, but may cost the Sharks a third-round pick to bring him in.

Realistically, it should be a no-brainer, and they should be willing to move that mid-round draft pick to acquire Robertson. He provides solid offensive production and, despite having dealt with injuries in the past, doesn’t play with fear at either end of the ice. He likely re-signs on a bridge deal, so he would be a cost-efficient addition, which should be exactly what the Sharks look for this summer. 

Sharks Agree To Release Andrew Poturalski As He Seeks Another OpportunityThe San Jose Barracuda revealed in a recent statement that they had honoured the request of forward Andrew Poturalski and were releasing him as he pursues an opportunity outside of North America.  Sharks Extend Bona Fide Offers to Multiple ProspectsThe San Jose Sharks have announced that they’ve extended contract offers to a handful of prospects ahead of the June 1 signing rights deadline. Two Former Sharks Eliminated From 2025 Stanley Cup PlayoffsFormer San Jose Sharks Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci have been eliminated from the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. Unfortunately, their playoff run came to an end last night with the Dallas Stars as they lost to the Edmonton Oilers in five games. 

Recent reports have connected the Philadelphia Flyers to trade discussions with the Minnesota Wild regarding free agent center Marco Rossi, but there is no serious progress made by the Flyers, or any other NHL team, on that front... yet.

Wild GM Bill Guerin sat down with The Athletic to clear up said reports and add a bit more context and clarity to the situation. Is a Rossi trade a possibility? Absolutely. Is a Rossi trade guaranteed to take place? Far from it.

“Teams see this stuff written and they call," Guerin told Michael Russo of The Athletic. "Marco’s a good player and I’m not interested in making our team worse or postponing our team being better. So I’m not dying to get rid of Marco. That’s the bottom line.”

Rossi, 23, is an offer sheet-eligible restricted free agent in need of a new contract, and he's coming off a career year that saw him post 24 goals, 36 assists, and 60 points in his second full season at the NHL level.

Plus, it's worth noting that the Austrian has played in all 82 regular season games for Minnesota in back-to-back seasons.

The Flyers were said to be unwilling to part ways with winger Tyson Foerster or one of their two late first-round picks in a Rossi trade, though Guerin neither confirmed nor denied that this is or was his price for the young center.

“I’ve talked to lots of teams about lots of players," Guerin said. "And names come up all the time, but there’s never been any serious discussion with anybody yet.”

In his update on the situation, Russo also reported that Rossi and his camp rebuffed a five-year, $25 million offer in the winter, and a recent attempt at a bridge deal.

Rossi's agent, Ian Pulver, told The Athletic he feels "there clearly is a difference of opinion with respect to Marco's value," and will continue to negotiate with the Wild, but time is ticking.

The 23-year-old former No. 9 overall pick can sign offer sheets from other NHL clubs starting on July 1, and given the apparent lack of recent progress, it's an opportunity for the Flyers to swoop in and take advantage of a bad situation.

If the Flyers were to offer sheet Rossi with an AAV between $7.02 million and $9.36 million, they would owe the Wild a first, second, and third-round pick in 2026. If the Wild take Rossi to the NHL trade market before then, they can try to dictate their own trade return.

Russo mentioned towards the end of his piece that Guerin is after upgrades at the center position and wants another winger that can score.

We can safely assume that Foerster is off the table after his recent contract extension, even with his lack of trade protection.

Names like Owen Tippett, whose trade protection kicks in after this season, and Bobby Brink, heading into a contract year, might make some sense as the Flyers could look to integrate wingers like Alex Bump and Nikita Grebenkin into the NHL lineup in the near future.

And, with two late first-round picks and three second-round picks, the Flyers have the draft capital the Wild would be after to use in a trade for another center after hypothetically trading Rossi.

"What the future holds for Marco and the Wild, only time will tell," Pulver said.

The Buffalo Sabres need to be a significantly different team next season. Whether it's via free-agency or trades, the changes to Buffalo's roster have to be extensive. And Mikael Granlund -- a veteran center who revitalized his NHL career with the Dallas Stars this season -- should definitely be a free-agent target for the Sabres.

At the beginning of this season, Granlund was languishing on a bad San Jose Sharks team. The 33-year-old was banished to the Sharks after a terrible stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins, posting only one goal and five points in 21 games with the Pens in 2023. But he found his game again in a year-and-a-half with the Sharks, generating 30 assists and 45 points in 52 games with San Jose this year -- and he did it on a relatively-decent contract that paid him $5-million per season.

But once the Stars acquired him Feb. 1 in a deal that sent a first-round draft pick to the Sharks, Granlund looked reborn, putting up 14 assists and 21 points in 31 regular-season games. And he was one of Dallas' best playoff performers, amassing five goals and 10 points in 18 games. 

And now, Granlund hits the open market. He won't break the bank, but this is a scenario in which the Sabres have to be aggressively proactive to outbid other teams for Granlund's services. Whether it's offering him one more year of contract term than he'd get somewhere else, or giving him a per-season offer that is better than any rival team's, Buffalo has a chance to bring in a veteran who can be one of the leaders in the dressing room, and a solid second-or-third-line center who will make the Sabres' youngsters better. And given that Buffalo has approximately $23.2-million in cap space, bringing in Granlund should't be an issue for the Sabres.

The Stars don't have the cap space to bring back Granlund, so the question here is which team can sell Granlund on being a key component. And Granlund wouldn't have to do all the heavy lifting in Buffalo. He could come in, be a professional and a great example for Sabres players to follow. And if he doesn't like the fit in Western New York, Granlund could be dealt at the next trade deadline for draft picks and prospects that would help Buffalo's future.

Sabres Moving On From Rising Free Agent Star Would Be A Disastrous DecisionAfter 14 years of missing the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Buffalo Sabres have to change up their lineup. However, this organization cannot afford to play fast-and-loose with most of their assets -- and that includes up-and-coming left winger J.J. Peterka.

But that's a long time from now. In the short-term, Granlund would be able to offer his veteran knowhow and his still-solid offensive talents to the Sabres. When it's unlikely a top-tier free agent will sign with Buffalo, a second-tier asset like Granlund would be just what the doctor ordered for the Sabres. And it wouldn't cost them anything other than the cap space it takes to sign him. That's important here as well.

Ultimately, Granlund could decide he wants to use his remaining NHL time on a team that's better-positioned for a long playoff run than Buffalo is at the moment. But that's the challenge for Sabres GM Kevyn Adams -- he needs to convince at least a couple veteran free agents that there's a meaningful place for them in Buffalo. And again, we're not talking massive money for Granlund. In a rising salary cap world, giving Granlund something in the same area of what he made this year wouldn't be an egregious overpayment. The sell-job here is convincing Granlund he can help guide this Sabres team into a more prosperous era. And that should be something that's doable.

Kekalainen's Hiring Another Sign Sabres GM's Time Could Be Nearing An EndWhen the Buffalo Sabres announced Friday that former Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen was joining the team as a special advisor to GM Kevyn Adams, a couple things became clear: firstly, it showed Kekalainen will be a highly-valued voice in the organization; but more importantly, it showed that Adams is more on the clock than ever -- and that Adams may have just hired the man who will succeed him if things don't go well for the team.

 The trickle-down effect Granlund would have on the Sabres' group of forwards would be considerable. He'd make Buffalo a more competitive environment, and that's precisely what Adams should be aiming for with any addition he makes. Granlund checks a lot of the boxes for the Sabres, and a quick strike in the UFA market next month could make Buffalo the winner in the Granlund sweepstakes. When other teams are fighting for Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner, the Sabres can swoop in, pitch a notable deal for Granlund, and come away with an asset who makes the team better.

Adams' challenge is clear here, because if he can't persuade a player like Granlund to come to Buffalo, Adams needs to step aside in favor of a better persuader. Granlund is there for the taking, and the Sabres need to make him an offer he can't refuse.

Each year, a few prospects have their NHL rights expire on June 1. This would happen if they are not signed to an Entry-Level Contract (ELC) by June 1. The Minnesota Wild have one prospect eligible. 

Kalem Parker was a sixth round pick by the Wild in 2023. The 6-foot defenseman posted his second consecutive 40-point season in the Western Hockey League (WHL) this year.

Parker, 20, recorded ten goals, 30 assists, and 40 points in 66 WHL games this season with the Calgary Hitman and the Moose Jaw Warriors.

He has 24 goals, 22 assists, and 146 points in 286 career WHL games across five seasons. 

Former Minnesota Wild Players In The 2025 Stanley Cup Finals.

REPORT: Possible Landing Spots For Minnesota Wild's Marco Rossi.

Minnesota Wild Free Agent Target: Brock Nelson.

There are a few players who weren't signed by the team that drafted them by the deadline that have panned out before. Emil Lilleberg, a defenseman, was a fourth round pick by the Arizona Coyotes in 2021. He did not sign and has played the last two NHL seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He had 19 points in 76 games this season.

The Wild left Servac Petrovsky unsigned last year and he decided to sign a contract in the Czechia league with HC Bílí Tygři Liberec.

We will see what happens with Parker. The Wild did not sign him before the deadline which makes him a free agent. 

Photo Credit: Apr 26, 2025; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; General view of the ice surface prior to the game between the Minnesota Wild and the Vegas Golden Knights in game four of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-Imagn Images.

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Los Angeles Kings signed defenseman Kirill Kirsanov to a two-year entry-level contract through the 2026-27 season. Kirsanov was drafted by the Kings in the third round (84th overall) in the 2021 Draft.

In an offseason where the Kings are dealing with another Russian defenseman's pending contract or lack of contract, Vladislav Gavrikov, Ken Holland's first move was signing prospect Kirsanov. Not to portray the move was a swap out for Gavrikov should he not sign, as the two are entirely different defensemen.

However, they have some of the same qualities, aka safe-event-free hockey. In 34 games for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), Russia's top professional hockey league, he recorded three goals and seven points (3-4=7) with eight penalty minutes (PIM) and a plus-5 rating (19 total points in 120 KHL games with three teams).

Congratulations to #GoKingsGo prospect Kirill Kirsanov and Torpedo Gorky, who won the VHL championship 4-2.

Kirsanov joins Slukynsky and Woolley as the only Kings prospects with a league championship this year.

Woolley can also win the Memorial Cup this week.

— The Armchair Scout (He/Him) (@Davidenkness) May 27, 2025

He's been touted for having a mature game and has spent five seasons in what is considered the second-best hockey league in the world. Once again, this shouldn't be seen as a move to act as a safety net if Gavrikov goes unsigned and hits free agency. It is, however, a good sign that the defensive pipeline is getting shored up, with prospects getting dealt left and right during Rob Blake's tenure.

Kirsanov represents a wildcard for the franchise in a pivotal season for Holland and the company.

The Russian defenseman will likely get a straight ticket to Ontario, where he should manage top minutes as the number one/two. He truly will live the 'wildcard' tag if he can play up the LA Kings 2way standard on the backend, maybe a mid-season call-up, even if the Kings desperately need a puck mover.

I'm unsure what his future looks like in LA, especially with the usage and approach towards Jordan Spence in the playoffs. Spence could be on the way out by his or team's design. Jacob Moverare hasn't been the answer as a potential top four guy in LA since his drafting almost a decade ago.

The Kings will hit free agency licking their chops, and with Holland at the helm, they should be aggressive. Kirsanov, while not a backup plan, is a good sign for a very questionable backend, which looks to be their Achilles heel heading into 2025-26.