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Canadian forward Chase Pearson, 27, has signed a one-year contract with the Nottingham Panthers, the EIHL club announced on Tuesday.

“I’m excited for the challenge and it’s going to be a new experience for me,” said Pearson. “I’m going to get an education and play hockey at a high level.”

Indeed, what drew Pearson to the club was the Panthers’ partnership with Nottingham Trent University. Pearson previously played and studied for three years at the University of Maine and presumably left without completing his bachelor’s degree. Two of his former Maine teammates, Mitch Fossier and Tim Dougherty, are already under contract with the team.

“I talked to Mitch about coming to Nottingham and he said it’s one of the craziest atmospheres he’s ever played in and the fanbase is behind the team the whole time,” said Pearson. “That’s another big reason for me coming. I want to play in a fun atmosphere in front of fanbase that is passionate about the game.”

“Chase’s pedigree speaks for itself,” said Panthers coach Danny Stewart. “He’s a big center that can play all situations. He’s a great player on both sides of the puck and very difficult to handle for opposing players.”

The son of former NHLer Scott Pearson, Chase was born in Cornwall, Ont. and was drafted in the fifth round, 140th overall, by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Between 2019 and 2023, he played primarily for the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins but 2021-22 played three NHL games for Detroit, failing to record any points or penalty minutes.

In the past two seasons, Pearson has played in Slovakia for Dukla Michalovce and in Austria for Villacher EV.

Photo © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Finnish Ex-Avalanche Goalie Signs In Scotland Finnish goaltender Sami Aittokallio, 32, has signed a one-year contract with the Glasgow Clan, the Scottish-based EIHL club announced on Thursday.

The Hockey News Big Show is here to look around the NHL playoffs and beyond with former NHL player and coach Bruce Boudreau providing some unique insight

Stanley Cup Final Preview With Bruce Boudreau by The Big Showundefined

Here’s what Michael Traikos, Katie Gaus and Bruce Boudreau discussed in this episode:

1:10: What are the Florida Panthers' greatest strengths?

5:08: What are the Edmonton Oilers' greatest strengths?

10:22: What areas of the Panthers’ game could be considered a weakness? Is there a particular area of Florida's game that Edmonton should focus on exploiting?

14:42: What matchups should Florida look at to attempt to control the Oilers' star players? 

20:09: Is there any advantage the Oilers might have gained from last year's Game 7 Stanley Cup final loss? 

26:19: Predicting the Stanley Cup final and how many games it will take

29:24: We saw what happened in Dallas with Peter DeBoer's goalie pull decision. How much coaching comes into play throughout a series?

34:41: Adam Foote is a first-time NHL coach in Vancouver. What are the challenges of going from being an assistant or associate coach to a head coach?

39:00: Where will Mitch Marner end up?

40:28: As a coach, what superstition did you have? 

43:40: Why did Bruce Boudreau volunteer to serve minor penalties with the Maple Leafs as a player?

44:39: Boudreau was a part of the “Plumber Line” on the Maple Leafs. Where does that rank among favorite line names ever?

 Watch the full Episode here 

Subscribe to The Hockey News Big Show on your preferred platform.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Chris Driedger has reportedly signed with Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL.

The Jets acquired Driedger at the trade deadline from the Florida Panthers in exchange for Kaapo Kahkonen, bringing the Winnipeg native home for the first time in his career.

The 31-year-old didn't play in NHL games with the Jets, but dressed in five games with the Manitoba Moose, recording an .872 SP and a 3.30 GAA. 

Driedger was drafted in the third round (76th overall) in the 2012 NHL Draft by the Ottawa Senators. He would go on to play 67 games in the NHL, posting a .917 SP and a 2.45 GAA. His career was split with the Senators, the Seattle Kraken, the Panthers and the Jets, but he was never able to lock down a consistent role, playing a career-high 27 games with the Kraken in 2021-22. 

Driedger will join a Traktor team which lost in the Gagarin Cup finals this season. Their roster consisted of top free agent Maxim Shabonov, former top-10 pick Vitali Kravtsov and Canadian goaltender Zach Fucale. 

Fucale is pursuing a roster spot on an NHL team, which should present the opportunity for Driedger to fight for the No.1 spot. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Jets stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

Jets Lose Forward Rasmus Kupari to SwitzerlandWinnipeg Jets forward Rasmus Kupari has opted to continue his professional career overseas.

With Steve Staios seemingly looking to build the Ottawa Senators’ roster along the lines of the Florida Panthers’ model, how does he intend to deal with his six unrestricted free agents as July 1st approaches?

With UFAs Claude Giroux, Nick Cousins, Adam Gaudette, Matthew Highmore, Travis Hamonic and Anton Forsberg all needing new deals, the main question for Staios should be:

“How do these guys fit with what we are trying to do here?”

If the Panthers are the prototype, clearly the Senators are looking to become more difficult to play against through physical play, puck possession and structure. Those are three things that the Panthers have in abundance, and their three playoff opponents to date can attest to that.

This is the Senators’ current depth chart of players who are under contract on one-way deals for next season.

Forwards

Tkachuk-Stutzle-X
Perron-Cozens-Batherson
Greig-Pinto-Amadio
X-X-MacEwen

Defence

Sanderson-Zub
Chabot-Jensen
Kleven-Matinpalo

Goalies

Ullmark
Sogaard

So let’s take a look at the Senators’ pending UFAs and each of their situations.

Claude Giroux

RFA Fabian Zetterlund will surely get a qualifying offer that he can decline so that the Senators maintain his rights and then work with him to avoid arbitration.

The acquisition of Zetterlund, a gritty player with offensive upside, at the trade deadline last season came at the expense of losing a less-developed but more raw and gritty player in Zack Ostapchuk.

Given his age (25), right shot and commitment to physical fitness, it almost feels like Staios is planning for life beyond Giroux. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t want both in the lineup, but Giroux has much more past than future remaining, and the Senators aren’t likely to take a step forward with him in the top six.

At first glance, it would seem that rather than going after higher-priced free agents, Zetterlund might be signed to a longer-term deal to fill that hole in the top six.

Given his low level of production after being acquired, it would be normal to question such a move. However, the same thing happened when Zetterlund was acquired mid-season by the Sharks from the Devils in 2022-23. He only registered three points in 22 games.

The following season and this past season, he was trending upward until he got traded. Perhaps he just takes a little longer to get acclimated.

If that's what the Sens are counting on, is there a place in the current configuration for Giroux on the kind of contract he’ll want? There is talk that the veteran winger and the team are interested in making a deal and the number being bandied about is $3 million with some bonus structure.

Would Giroux accept a bottom-six role if he still got to be on the power play, penalty kill and to play up in the lineup when injuries arise? If the Sens sign Zetterlund to a longer, higher-paying deal, it may further diminish Giroux's role here.

Will RFA Fabian Zetterlund Get Paid On His San Jose Numbers Or The Ones In Ottawa?Fabian Zetterlund has only been an Ottawa Senator for a couple of months, and he’s already asking the club for a raise. That wouldn’t fly in a normal workplace, but that’s how it goes in the NHL when you bring in a pending restricted free agent at the trade deadline.

Nick Cousins

Cousins came in on a show-me contract for one year after winning the Stanley Cup. Cousins’ 15 points in 50 games were better than the 15 in 69 he had the year before. His veteran presence has value to the team, to be sure. However, if Zetterlund and Giroux are back, how many of the same guys are going to return?

The Senators can’t just ice the same squad that lost to the Leafs in round one.

Cousins would likely be re-signed if the money made sense. But he’s almost 32, and probably looking for more than one year at more than league minimum. With $16.6 million in projected cap space, the Zetterlund and Giroux deals, if they happen, might eat up close to half of that. Also, his being healthy-scratched in game one of the Leafs’ series was conspicuous to say the least.

Adam Gaudette

Gaudette established himself as a full-time NHLer last year, and it was a great story of reinvention. He may also want more term and money than one might want to pay. Gaudette may fit with what the Senators are trying to do, but again, what is his ceiling? And does he truly fit with a team trying to become harder to play against in a playoff series?

Look for Gaudette to find a home elsewhere and get a nice video tribute in his first game back.

Matthew Highmore

Highmore may not be a full-time NHLer, but Travis Green clearly likes him, and teams do need depth. Look for Highmore to return on one of those higher-paying AHL contracts with a league-minimum cap hit when he's in the show.

Travis Hamonic

It was all class the way the Senators made sure that Travis Hamonic got his 900th game in game 82 against the Hurricanes. With all due respect, if he gets to 901, it should be with another team.

Anton Forsberg

With Forsberg having a $2.75 million cap hit last season, it’s likely that the Senators will take those savings and let Sogaard and Merilainen battle it out for the backup job.

Why Is Ottawa Senators Defenceman Nick Jensen So Guarded About His Lower-Body Injury?Ottawa Senators defenceman Nick Jensen has reportedly undergone surgery for a lingering lower-body injury. Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reported this week that, according to league sources, Jensen had the procedure done in New York on Monday and admitted the injury was something he played through for the final few months of the season. He rarely participated in practice because of it.

One big wildcard is Nick Jensen. Jensen isn’t a UFA, but the state of his health could affect the team’s spending plans. He’s projected to be ready for training camp, but the team was very cagey about his health status in the second half of the season. If the Sens have to bring in some impactful right-handed defence help, that could alter plans.

No matter what happens, it's going to be an interesting month.

Pat Maguire
The Hockey News Ottawa

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Building A Contender: What The Ottawa Senators Can Learn From The Oilers And Panthers

Even before the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers start the 2025 Stanley Cup final on Wednesday, they’ve already appeared in more post-season games than any other team in the league since the NHL went back to its regular playoff format in the 2021-22 season.

Here’s the top five:

1. Florida Panthers: 72 games
2. Edmonton Oilers: 69 games
3. Dallas Stars: 63 games
4. Carolina Hurricanes: 55 games
5. Colorado Avalanche: 45 games

Meanwhile, eight teams missed the playoffs entirely in all four of those seasons, and three more have played just a single series. That’s more than a third of the league.

The Stars and Hurricanes may still be hurting from their eliminations last week. But their spots in third and fourth place on that list serve as a good reminder of how much both those teams have achieved over the last four years.

Plenty of their peers would trade places in a heartbeat.

Multiple long playoff runs tell other players and agents that you’ve got a good thing going in your dressing room and your organization. That helps attract new talent and generates lots of valuable playoff gate revenue and merch sales, which keeps your owner happy.

So, despite the Stars’ dramatic flameout in Game 5, which opened up a potential rift between coach Peter DeBoer and franchise goaltender Jake Oettinger, Dallas owner Tom Gaglardi backed his bench boss in a big way when he spoke to Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News the very next morning. 

“He’s a top-three, top-five coach in the league,” Gaglardi said. “You think I want to be going into the coaching market right now, do you see who’s getting hired? Pete’s a seasoned coach. I’m just one voice in the discussion, but I don’t see (firing) Pete being on anyone’s agenda.”

DeBoer, 56, doesn’t have a Cup and has never been a Jack Adams finalist. But he did reach the Stanley Cup final with the New Jersey Devils back in 2012 and has made the conference final six times in the last eight years with the San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights and now the Stars.

That’s why he has never been out of work for long. And while DeBoer has become the league’s seventh-longest-tenured coach after just three seasons in Dallas and is now heading into the final year of his current contract, Gaglardi would prefer not to make a change just for the sake of change.

That being said, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported on Monday that other voices in the organization are not happy with DeBoer. Can they calm the waters, or will this tidal wave of emotion and frustration sweep the coach out to sea?

In terms of their roster, the Stars are at a bit of a natural crossroads. With less than $5 million in available cap space, per PuckPedia, and longtime captain Jamie Benn heading toward UFA status just weeks before his 36th birthday, there’s an opportunity to reframe the team’s leadership. 

That said, GM Jim Nill told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic they wanted to keep Benn last September. 

“We’ll figure something out. He’s going to be a Dallas Star for life,” Nill said.

Even at a lower price tag, bringing back Benn would mean cutting back elsewhere. Decisions will need to be made on veterans Matt Duchene, Mikael Granlund and Evgenii Dadonov, who are also pending UFAs. 

Young stars Jason Robertson and Thomas Harley are also one year away from becoming RFAs with arbitration rights. They’ll both be eligible to sign extensions starting on July 1.

With inflation expected to hit NHL salaries in a big way once the cap starts climbing this summer, history may eventually show that Nill got good value when he signed Mikko Rantanen and Wyatt Johnston to long-term extensions in March. In the meantime, those moves will leave him operating from a position of weakness as he tries to retool his group to take that elusive next step without sliding backward.

Damage Limitation In Carolina

As for the Hurricanes, they have plenty to be proud of. 

In 2023-24, they only won one playoff round, and then they lost Jake Guentzel, Brady Skjei, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Teuvo Teravainen, Stefan Noesen and Brett Pesce during the off-season. Superboss Don Waddell also moved on to Columbus, handing the GM reins to first-timer Eric Tulsky. 

In the aftermath of July 1, most observers thought the Canes’ window had closed – including coach Rod Brind’Amour. 

“When I walked into this summer, with the pieces that left this organization, I was like 'I don't think we're going to make the playoffs,' ” the coach said during his exit interview last week. 

And while the Hurricanes did drop by 12 points in the regular-season standings and endured six weeks of drama during Rantanen’s brief stay, they cruised through their early series against the Devils and Washington Capitals in impressive fashion before falling to the mighty Panthers. 

They even snapped their long conference final losing streak with a decisive Game 4 win against the Panthers.  And having three conference final appearances on their resume in the seven years since they returned to the playoff picture in 2019 is a feature, not a bug, in the Tom Dundon era.

After last year’s major roster reconstruction, this summer should be less of a storm surge and more of a gentle breeze in Cane country. 

Brind’Amour has most of the pieces in place that he needs to run it back, and Tulsky has $28 million in cap space to chase after another superstar, if a fit is available.

The NHL likes to promote its parity and how any team can win on any given night. For now, the Stars and Hurricanes have separated themselves from the rest of the chase pack when the games really matter. 

Job 1 for next season will be to avoid backsliding. Then, they can take another run at building on what they’ve learned from their battle scars.

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The 2025 NHL Entry Draft is 24 days away, and the Seattle Kraken are slated to make the eighth overall pick in the first round. 

The Kraken have selected forwards with their first-round pick in four consecutive drafts, selecting Matty Beniers (2nd overall in 2021), Shane Wright (fourth overall in 2022), Eduard Sale (20th overall in 2023) and Berkly Catton (eighth overall in 2024). The Kraken's prospect pool is filled with skilled forwards but lacks on the defensive end, and it's why many draft experts expect the Kraken to select a defenseman.

If they go this route, the top-ranked defenseman at the moment is Radim Mrtka. For most of the season, Mrtka was the second-ranked defenseman in the class, but recently, he's seen his name rise in the rankings. 

It's not hard to see why so many draft experts are high on the 17-year-old. Listed at 6'6, 216 lbs, the right-handed defenseman is known as a mobile defenseman despite his large frame. He registered three goals and 35 points in 42 games with the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL. 

Before joining the Thunderbirds, Mrtka played 20 games in Czechia, both in the top professional league and in their U-20 league. He recorded one assist in 10 games in the first division and added four assists in 10 games in the U-20 league. 

Mrtka projects to have a solid two-way game in the NHL. His size has allowed him to dominate on the defensive side of the puck, and his skating, combined with his puck skills, gives him the potential to be a threat offensively. At the moment, he doesn't have a very overpowering shot, but with his size, it wouldn't be too surprising to see him develop one as he gets older. 

There's a reason @NHL scouts are enamoured with @SeattleTbirds d-man Radim Mrtka for the 2025 #NHLDraft! 🇨🇿 #U18MensWorldspic.twitter.com/yHpUcjNwJQ

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) April 24, 2025

He has all the makings of a potential top-pairing or top-four defenseman in the NHL, and with the right development, he could get there. With right-handed defensemen Brandon Montour and Adam Larsson currently on the roster, it would provide Mrtka with great leaders to learn from. Montour would help Mrtka on the offensive side of the puck, and Larsson on the defensive. 

Mrtka would be a safe pick at pick No.8 and would instantly become the Kraken's best defensive prospect, joining a list consisting of Ty Nelson, Caden Price, Lukas Dragicevic and Ville Ottavainen. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Kraken stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

Kraken Will Have The Eighth-Overall Pick In The 2025 NHL Draft The Seattle Kraken will make the eighth selection of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft after moving down two spots in the draft lottery.