NHL Trade Rumors: One Team “Pushing Heavily” For Nikolaj Ehlers – NHL Trade Rumors

NHL Trade Rumors: One Team “Pushing Heavily” For Nikolaj Ehlers – NHL Trade Rumors

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The Carolina Hurricanes are reportedly pushing heavily to acquire Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers, according to Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News. This pursuit follows the Hurricanes’ recent trade of pending free agent Jake Guentzel to the Tampa Bay Lightning, making the addition of Ehlers crucial for bolstering their lineup. Ehlers, 28, has a year remaining on his contract with a $6 million annual cap hit and is rumored to be unwilling to sign an extension with the Jets.There are reports that CAR is pushing heavily for Ehlers. Can confirm those reports.Make sense with them losing Guentzel.#Isles had interest leading up to #NHLDraft.Could still have interest even after acquiring Duclair but not sure.— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) July 5, 2024 With the offseason departures of key players like Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, Stefan Noesen, and Teuvo Teravainen, the Hurricanes are eager to fill the gaps and remain competitive in the Eastern Conference. The potential departure of restricted free agent Martin Necas, who has filed for arbitration, adds to their urgency. Offering Necas in a trade for Ehlers would be a significant move, and given Necas’s higher value, the Jets might need to include additional assets to balance the deal. Nikolaj Ehlers will be a UFA next year, unless he signs a new deal. And I’m really curious about his future. Ehlers has been an elite offensive winger at 5-on-5 since ~2019. I think Winnipeg can’t afford to lose him for nothing next year. pic.twitter.com/iv4V0OYn8O— Rono (@RonoAnalyst) July 7, 2024 Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has praised Ehlers as an important part of their lineup, indicating he won’t trade the winger lightly. From the Jets’ perspective, addressing their thin center depth and questionable defense is crucial, especially after losing players like Brenden Dillon, Laurent Brossoit, Tyler Toffoli, and Sean Monahan during free agency.Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports


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Sidney Crosby nearing new contract with Pittsburgh Penguins: Sources

Sidney Crosby nearing new contract with Pittsburgh Penguins: Sources

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The Pittsburgh Penguins and captain Sidney Crosby are closing in on a new contract, multiple team and league sources briefed on negotiations told The Athletic. The team and player are confident a deal will be agreed upon and formalized soon, the sources said.Crosby and his longtime agent, Pat Brisson, have kept a mostly tight lid on contract talks with Penguins general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas. During those discussions, the sources said, Crosby reaffirmed to Dubas what he has repeatedly stated publicly — that he wants to finish his career with the Penguins, who selected him No. 1 in 2005. The potential deal is being viewed by both sides as “a commitment to Pittsburgh,” a team and league source said.Crosby, who turns 37 next month, is intent on being a Penguin for life, despite missing the playoffs in back-to-back years and amid an underwhelming offseason in which Dubas has added little to the roster.As previously reported, a deal within a range of three years and potentially an average annual value of $10 million was possible. Full details of Crosby’s contract were not shared with The Athletic.Crosby’s age requires a “35-plus contract” designation, similar to the four-season deal teammate Evgeni Malkin signed in July 2022. As part of the collective bargaining agreement between NHL owners and players, a “35-plus contract” prohibits a team from reducing a player’s salary-cap hit on any deal two seasons or longer by frontloading the deal or delaying a signing bonus to/after a second season.While far from a complication in talks with the Penguins, Crosby’s age, at least as it relates to his next contract, is a wrinkle previous Pittsburgh GMs have not had to iron out.Crosby’s three NHL contracts were signed before rules prohibiting contracts from extending beyond eight seasons for players re-signing with a team. Crosby’s current contract had a heavily frontloaded base salary, paying him $67.8 million over the first six seasons and only $3 million each of the final three seasons.Crosby has counted $8.7 million against the cap on his last two contracts. He wears the No. 87 because he was born on August 7, 1987 — so that $8.7 million cap hit has always sat well with one of the NHL’s most superstitious players.Crosby has afforded the Penguins opportunities to build contending rosters around him by taking less than perceived market value in the past. However, the team has missed the past two postseasons after qualifying for 16 consecutive Stanley Cup playoffs, and the Penguins have won just one playoff series since back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017.While Dubas has not committed to a full rebuild, the Penguins have only $3.5 million in cap space, as tracked by PuckPedia, and they’re short at least one proven top-six winger. Crosby’s longtime winger, Jake Guentzel, was moved at the most recent trade deadline for a package that included Michael Bunting and three prospects.Dubas said at the NHL Draft in Las Vegas that he would expect Crosby, who he described as “ultra-competitive,” to want the current roster to be a contender for the postseason, if not the Stanley Cup. Speaking last Monday after the opening hour of free agency, Dubas detailed the on-ice direction of a roster whose most prominent if not best players are all in their mid-to-late 30s.“The on-ice direction is simply we’re not looking to simply squeak into the playoffs,” Dubas said. “It’s to return the team to become a contender as soon as possible.“Can we do that this season? Can we do that next season? It’s hard to put a time frame on it. But this is obviously not a strip-it-down-to-the-studs situation here; the people in the room are too good for that.”

The Penguins’ most prominent players are in their mid-to-late 30s, including Malkin (38 this month) and Crosby (37 next month). (Mitchell Leff / Getty Images)The Penguins’ core consists of Crosby; Malkin, who will turn 38 on July 31; Letang, 37; and Erik Karlsson, 34. Crosby, Malkin and Karlsson have full no-movement clauses. Malkin’s contract, with two seasons remaining, has an expiration that coincides with Letang’s full no-movement clause becoming limited to a list of 10 teams to which he can approve a trade.A new contract of three years in length would extend into Crosby’s 40s, through Malkin’s presumed retirement after the 2025-26 season, and through the final two seasons of Letang’s current deal.Crosby, Malkin and Letang have played more seasons together than any trio of professional athletes in North American team sports. Crosby is close friends with each player and pushed for the Penguins to keep Letang and Malkin during tumultuous contract negotiations with previous Pittsburgh management two years ago.Fenway Sports Group (FSG), which purchased the Penguins midway through the 2021-22 season, was not interested in parting with two of the most popular players in franchise history when it came time to make a call on Malkin and Letang. Even then, FSG viewed Crosby as the only indispensable asset in the organization.Crosby is coming off a campaign in which he topped 40 goals for only the third time and 90 points for the second consecutive season and eighth time overall. Crosby, who averaged a point per game for the 19th consecutive season, can break a record he shares with Wayne Gretzky this season.With eight goals, Crosby will become only the ninth player to amass 600 goals and 1,600 points in the NHL. If his next contract is for at least three seasons, he likely will set the Penguins records for goals, assists and points — all marks held by Mario Lemieux.In addition to being their best player on the ice, Crosby is the only Penguins player — and one of few in the NHL — with crossover appeal to a non-hockey audience. He remains one of the league’s most endorsed players, drawing around $4 million annually from partnerships with Gatorade, Tim Hortons, Bell and CCM.FSG targets national partnerships for the Penguins as part of bundles with its other sports properties, including MLB’s Boston Red Sox — and Crosby’s remaining in Pittsburgh is viewed by ownership as a crucial selling point to prominent potential sponsors.FSG has viewed locking up Crosby until he retires as its top priority with the Penguins. Its long-term hope is that Crosby will join the Penguins in a front-office capacity after he retires.That is at least a little while off.As for any perceived delay in finalizing his next deal with the Penguins, Crosby wanted to allow Dubas to address other offseason matters — specifically, potential trades and free-agent signings — before negotiations with Brisson ramped up, the sources said.Though Crosby extending his fruitful partnership with the Penguins is expected by both sides, he and the team are aware every day that passes without his next contract being announced only serves to build on public speculation that he could test free agency next summer or even be traded.Those scenarios were never discussed, the sources said.Crosby is entering the final season of a 12-year, $104.4 million contract signed in June 2012.(Top photo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)

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Grading Every NHL Team’s 2024 Offseason So Far

Grading Every NHL Team’s 2024 Offseason So Far

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It remains to be seen how all of the roster changes around the NHL this offseason will play out on the ice, but it is still not too soon to offer some grades based on how they look right now.
The NHL Draft is complete, the top free agents have signed and several big trades have already been made as the 32 general managers look to re-shape their rosters.
Some teams have done a better job than others in addressing their needs.
So let’s talk about the moves and hand out some early grades for where the offseason stands in early July.
There is still plenty of time between now and the start of the 2024-25 season for things to change, and there are still some big potential trades that could still be lurking, but we can still grade what we have seen so far.

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The Ducks have taken a very slow and patient approach to the offseason, choosing to stay out of the major free-agent spending and not making many franchise-altering trades.
That is not necessarily a bad thing because it means they also haven’t made any mistakes. They have not traded Trevor Zegras at his lowest value, and they have not overpaid for anybody on the open market.
They made a couple of under-the-radar trades in getting veteran defenseman Brian Dumoulin from Seattle and Robby Fabbri from St. Louis. Neither move does much to change the short-term or long-term outlook, but they help them get to the salary cap floor and might be potential rental trade deadline options that can bring back an asset or two.
The Ducks’ season and rebuild will be determined by how their young players develop. Nothing this offseason has changed that.

Grade: B

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This is a tricky one because you have to give the Bruins some credit for correctly identifying some of their biggest needs, specifically, as it relates to center depth (adding Elias Lindholm) and defense (signing Nikita Zadorov). The problem is they may not have addressed those needs in the best ways, and they may have overpaid in the process.
Lindholm is a fine player, but he is not much different from their current top centers (Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha) and they are still lacking a true game-breaking player at the position.
Zadorov is a big, physical presence and had a strong playoff run for Vancouver, but his six-year, $30 million contract seems like one that is not going to age well.
Perhaps even more damaging was being forced to trade goalie Linus Ullmark. The duo of Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman has been a key part of the Bruins’ success the past two years, and they are getting a significant downgrade going from Ullmark to Joonas Korpisalo as part of the trade. They did get a first-round pick in that deal, but that is not likely to produce anything in the short-term.
They addressed the right positions, but probably not enough to get them over the top.

Grade: C

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One of the NHL’s most disappointing teams during the 2023-24 season has followed that up with a disappointing offseason. After taking a significant step backward this season and missing the playoffs for a 13th consecutive year, the Sabres’ offseason has consisted of buying out Jeff Skinner (one of their top goal-scorers), losing Victor Olofsson and Zemgus Girgensons in free agency, and only adding some depth players like Jason Zucker and Nicolas Aube-Kubel. That won’t close the gap in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference.
What makes it even worse is they have some salary-cap flexibility to work with this offseason.
There is still a very good core of talent here, especially on defense, and if everybody pans out as expected they might be onto something. But things rarely work out that perfectly in the NHL with young players.
They needed to do a lot more here. They still have time to do that. But so far this is not impressive.

Grade: D

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The rebuild marches on with the trade of starting goalie Jacob Markstrom and forward Andrew Mangiapane, following the deadline moves involving Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin.
While the return for Markstrom might have been a little underwhelming, the goalie trade market is always difficult to get good value in, especially with a mid-30s goalie who still has a pretty significant contract. It also opens up a spot for Dustin Wolf to take over as the starter, and he might be ready for it.
The big move here was getting Yegor Sharangovich signed to a five-year contract extension, and if he can repeat his 31-goal breakout season that could be a really strong long-term deal.
The one-year contract ($3.5 million) for veteran forward Anthony Mantha is also a solid gamble and potential trade chip at the deadline.
Not a flashy offseason, but some necessary moves (Markstrom trade) and solid gambles (Sharangovich and Mantha).

Grade: B

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The Hurricanes have lost a lot of talent this offseason after being unable to re-sign Jake Guentzel, and then losing Teuvo Teravainen and Brett Pesce in free agency. The long-term future of Martin Necas and Seth Jarvis (restricted free agents) is also still up in the air until they get new contracts signed with them.
Jarvis seems like a given, but Necas has been mentioned in trade rumors for most of the offseason.
They did bring in some help on defense with veterans Sean Walker and Shayne Gostisbehere, but that seems like a downgrade from the usually reliable Pesce. Walker is solid and Gostisbehere can cause havoc on the power play, but whether or not they replace Pesce remains to be seen.
One piece of really positive news: Jaccob Slavin — their best defenseman — signing a long-term contract extension at what should be a bargain rate ($6.3 million against the salary cap). Scoring depth might still be an issue.

Grade: C+

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They have their franchise player in Connor Bedard. Now comes the hard part of building around him and making sure they do not waste this hockey gift they have been given.
They are still a long way from being a playoff team, but they should be at least a little more competitive this season.
Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen are solid middle-six forwards with 25-30 goal ability who signed long-term deals to help give them some viable NHL scoring. While neither contract is cheap (Bertuzzi will count $5.4 million against the cap and Teravainen will cost $5.4 million) they seem to be relatively low-risk given their current levels of production and their ages.
Ilya Mikheyev (trade with Vancouver) and Alec Martinez (free agent signing on defense) aren’t quite as exciting, and they might one day regret not taking another potential superstar forward in Ivan Demidov with the No. 2 overall pick.

Grade: B

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It’s been a relatively quiet offseason in Colorado, but they did make two really strong under-the-radar moves.
The first was re-signing Jonathan Drouin (one of the best bargain free agent signings in last year’s class) to a new one-year, $2.5 million contract, and then adding defenseman Erik Brannstrom on a one-year, $900,000 contract.
Keeping Drouin was a must given the uncertainty around Gabriel Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin, and Brannstrom seems like a great reclamation project that might be able to reach his potential in Colorado.
Scoring depth and goaltending depth might still be a concern.

Grade: B

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The Blue Jackets are in the market for a new head coach — again — and have a new general manager in Don Waddell trying to clean up the mess left behind by Jarmo Kekalainen.
As long as they do not repeat last year’s coaching mistake and avoid hiring a toxic head coach, the offseason will already be an improvement.
Their big addition so far was adding Sean Monahan on a long-term deal to reunite him with Johny Gaudreau. Maybe that can get Gaudreau going again offensively. It certainly can not hurt to try, because after two years that is looking like one of the worst contracts in the league.
Monahan had a nice bounce-back year in 2023-24, but signing him to a five-year, $25 million contract based on that is a pretty sizable risk.
Beyond that, this is largely the same roster that finished with one of the league’s worst records (again). It is not a hopeless situation because the young talent in the prospect pool here is deep, but they are still a couple of years away from making a big jump in the standings.

Grade: C

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The Stars are now officially the second team paying defenseman Ryan Suter on a buyout, and it was probably a necessary move.
They replaced him on the blue line by signing veterans Ilya Lyubushkin and Matt Dumba to multi-year deals. Paying Lyubushkin over $3.7 million per year for the next three years seems like a needless overpay and an unforced error by a team that is usually pretty shrewd in its moves.
They did get Matt Duchene to re-up on another bargain contract ($3 million) but are losing Joe Pavelski to retirement. Even without Pavelski, this should still be one of the deepest offensive teams in the league, especially with their wave of forwards entering the NHL.
Overall, a pretty low-profile offseason for a Stanley Cup contender.

Grade: C+

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There might not be a general manager in the league facing more pressure this offseason than Steve Yzerman. He needs to produce a playoff team, and so far his offseason makes you wonder if he paid attention to the way his team played in 2023-24.
Instead of fixing one of the league’s worst defenses that helped sabotage their season, he has doubled down on offense by re-signing Patrick Kane and signing Vladimir Tarasenko.
Kane will crush it on the power play, but his 5-on-5 and defensive play are a shell of what they once were.
Tarasenko is still really good, and as good as the Red Wings’ offense was a year ago there is a very real chance it was set up for a regression this season given how high their team shooting percentage was (over 11 percent in all situations, which is not a sustainable number year-to-year).
But that defense … it’s bad, and only managed to get worse after they gave away one of the few reliable players they had by trading Jake Walman in a salary dump to San Jose (and they had to give up a second-round pick to make it happen). That is going to put even more on the shoulders of Moritz Seider to carry the load.
The Red Wings still have over $20 million in salary cap space, and while Seider and Lucas Raymond need to be re-signed as restricted free agents they should not take up all of that. Some of that, at some point, has to be used on defense or the Yzerplan could be setting itself up for another disappointing year.

Grade: D+

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Even with their run to the Stanley Cup Final, roster depth was still a big concern for the Oilers.
While they have not yet done anything to address the latter, they made two of the best short-term signings of the summer so far by getting Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson for a grand total of $7 million against the cap.
Those could be steals and balance out their ability to score.
You have to say these are really smart moves.

Grade: B+

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The Panthers did lose quite a bit from their championship roster with Vladimir Tarasenko, Brandon Montour and Ryan Lomberg leaving in free agency, but they kept their most important free agent by re-signing Sam Reinhart. They also managed to keep his salary-cap hit under $9 million per season.
As long as he keeps scoring at least 30 goals and playing Selke-caliber defense, that is going to be a steal.
Their other big move was signing Anton Lundell to a long-term deal. He is still mostly potential at this point, but he has a chance to be a really solid second or third-line center for a long time.
Even with some of the departures, this is still a fantastic team, and they kept their most important free agent.

Grade: B+

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The Kings admitted a big mistake from last offseason by dumping Pierre-Luc Dubois’ contract as soon as they had the chance, sending him to the Washington Capitals for goalie Darcy Kuemper.
Kuemper is an important addition because they desperately needed a goalie, and there is a good chance that he could rebound in Los Angeles. It is also significantly better for their salary cap situation in both the short-term and the long-term.
Losing Matt Roy off of the defense in free agency will hurt (and Joel Edmundson is not an upgrade), and they still have not addressed their offense that let them down in the second half. Tanner Jeannot and Warren Foegele are not going to fix that.

Grade: C+

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It is really hard to evaluate the Wild right now because it is nearly impossible for the Wild to do anything due to the salary cap restraints forced on them by the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts.
The good news: This is the last year they have to deal with the worst years of them.
The bad news: They still have to get through this season.
The Wild signed Yakov Trenin to a four-year contract and made a couple of small trades, but nothing here is really meaningful.
The Wild’s success this season will depend on whether their goaltending bounces back (specifically Jonas Gustavsson) and if some of their young players take big leaps forward.

Grade: C

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In terms of making moves to improve the immediate short-term outlook, the Canadiens offseason has been almost non-existent.
But they did make two big moves that could significantly impact the long-term outlook.
First, they jumped at the opportunity to select Ivan Demidov with the No. 5 overall pick, perhaps learning from last year’s mistake where they passed on Matvei Michkov.
Then they signed one of their top young players, former No. 1 overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky, to a long-term contract worth $60.8 million over eight years ($7.6 million salary cap number per year).
Is that a big investment for a player who has yet to score 30 goals in his NHL career? Maybe. But it is also one of those contracts that could be a steal if he reaches his potential. Based on what he showed in his second year in the league, he might be on his way to doing that.

Grade: C+

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No team in the league made more impactful moves than the Nashville Predators, signing Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei in free agency.
They might have overpaid Skjei a little, but Stamkos and Marchessault are coming off 40-goal seasons and add some serious goal-scoring talent and star power to a team that was already a playoff team.
Along with those outside additions, they also managed to keep starting goalie Juuse Saros on a long-term contract.
They spent the better part of the past two years shedding salary, and they put that newfound salary cap space to good use this offseason.
Is it enough to make them a Stanley Cup team? Maybe not. But the excitement level here should be through the roof and it has a chance to be a fantastic team.

Grade: A

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The Devils needed to do one thing this offseason, and that was find some sort of viable NHL starting goalie.
They did exactly that by adding Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames, and didn’t have to give up anything of major value to do it. Then they created some salary cap space by trading John Marino and signing one of the top players on the market in Brett Pesce away from a division rival.
As long as Markstrom still has something left in the tank, and they get some better injury luck this season for their top players (specifically Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Dougie Hamilton) the Devils should again be one of the top teams in the NHL and a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

Grade: A

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The Islanders are still kind of stuck in the mediocre middle of the NHL and really do not seem to have a direction on where they want to go or how they want to go about getting there.
They are good enough to be competitive, but not good enough to compete for the Stanley Cup.
Too good to rebuild, but not so good to go all in with moves.
The one big move they did make was signing Anthony Duclair to a four-year contract. As far as long-term contracts go this offseason, it might be one of the better gambles as he only counts $3.5 million against the cap.
He might not be a complete player away from the puck, but he will give the Islanders 25-goal talent on a team that needs as much talent as it can get.

Grade: B

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This has not been an especially great offseason for the Rangers.
The best move was getting Barclay Goodrow’s contract taken off of their hands, and getting some scoring depth with Reilly Smith for a couple of mid-round draft picks.
But they still have not really done anything to revamp their defense (something they need to do) and now have a bit of a mess on their hands with the Jacob Trouba situation. They clearly want to trade him to create salary cap space and help make their defense more mobile, but he does not want to leave and might complicate things with his no-trade protections.
It has not been a terrible offseason, but it also has not been a great offseason because they really haven’t done anything. As good as they were a year ago, and as good as they still are, they still need to make some big upgrades and not be as goaltending and power play dependent if they are going to win a Stanley Cup.

Grade: C

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The most important addition here is, without question, getting Linus Ullmark to be their new starting goalie while also dumping Joonas Korpisalo.
That move alone could have significant ramifications for their chances and give them a potentially top-tier starting goalie — even if it is for potentially just one year.
They also finally traded Jakob Chychrun after months of speculation, but for an underwhelming return (Nick Jensen and a third-round pick) given what they gave up to acquire him just a little more than a season ago.
Some of their smaller free-agent signings might provide some good value (Michael Amadio), but Ullmark is the player who will move the needle the most.

Grade: B-

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Even though the 2023-24 season ended with disappointment, there should have been a lot of reasons for optimism here.
They took a big step forward and stayed in the playoff race longer than anybody expected at the start of the year, and some of their defensive and 5-on-5 metrics indicated it might not have been a total fluke.
They simply needed more from their offense and some sort of reliable goaltending.
But instead of trying to build on that the Flyers seem resigned to the fact they are going to take a step backwards this season and have not really done much to add to the roster. If anything, they subtracted from it by buying out the remainder of Cam Atkinson’s contract (probably not a huge loss if we are speaking objectively).
The best news of the offseason is that 2023 first-round pick Matvei Michkov is making the jump from the KHL over to North America and the NHL, and that adds a potential superstar to the rebuild. Beyond that, however, this offseason has been a dud so far.

Grade: D+

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Nobody in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization wants to come out and admit that they are starting a rebuild, but that is exactly what this offseason looks like.
Short-term stop-gap free agent signings.
Paying essentially $7 million to take on the remainder of Kevin Hayes’ contract to get a second-round pick.
Trading Reilly Smith for a 2027 second-round pick.
Not making any sort of major upgrade or change to the roster to improve things in the short term.
The problem isn’t that they are necessarily looking to the future, or that any of their moves have been bad. It is that they do not seem fully committed in any one direction. Either try to compete or commit to a rebuild. Trying to approach both at the same time rarely goes well and usually only extends the mediocrity.

Grade: C-

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It would be nearly impossible for the 2024-25 San Jose Sharks to be worse than the 2023-24 San Jose Sharks. Given the offseason moves, they should not be. So that is a plus.
The obvious win of the offseason was getting the top pick in the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery and using it to select a potential superstar in Macklin Celebrini.
They also made some solid veteran additions.
While claiming Barclay Goodrow’s contract on waivers was a bizarre move, the signings of Tyler Toffoli and Alexander Wennberg bring in a couple of strong forwards that can provide some offense over the next couple of years. Toffoli is a legitimate top-line scorer.
They also upgraded their defense by not only getting Jake Walman from Detroit, but also getting a second-round pick to take on the remainder of his (shockingly reasonable) contract.
Playoff team? Not even close. Better team? Definitely, and there are some solid moves here to help make sure of it.

Grade: B+

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There might not be a weirder offseason in the NHL than the one belonging to the Seattle Kraken.
While Brandon Montour has a chance to be a solid upgrade to their defense, they may have dramatically overpaid him for what his production is likely to look like. But that potential overpay is nothing compared to what they gave Chandler Stephenson, signing him to a seven-year, $43.7 million contract that just simply goes against all sound logic and reason.
They needed to upgrade their offense after dropping down to 29th in the league in goals, but this is not likely to be the path.

Grade: F

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The Blues pulled a bit of a shocker and re-signed forward Pavel Buchnevich to a long-term contract extension instead of trading him.
It’s a fine move and contract for a top-line scorer, but it does sort of cloud the current direction of the Blues.
They have not made the playoffs in a couple of years, and have still done nothing to fix a defense that is not only highly paid, but also one of the worst units in the league. There is not much to suggest this roster is good enough to get back to the playoffs, especially if their goaltending (a surprising strength in 2023-24) takes a step backward and regresses.
Nothing wrong with re-signing Buchnevich. But that can not be it.

Grade: C-

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Jake Guentzel should be a great fit, and as difficult as it might be to lose Steven Stamkos to sign him, the reality is that Guentzel is several years younger and a better 5-on-5 player at this point.
The real question comes down to whether or not Ryan McDonagh has enough left in the tank to be an upgrade over Mikhail Sergachev, who was traded to Utah in a salary cap-clearing trade.
While they lost one franchise icon in Stamkos, they did manage to keep another by re-signing defenseman Victor Hedman to a long-term contract extension that will start next season.
It still looks like a very top-heavy roster, but Cam Atkinson and Zemgus Girgensons could provide some solid bottom-six depth.

Grade: B-

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If these were the “everything is on the table” changes the Toronto Maple Leafs front office hinted at after their latest playoff meltdown, that is underwhelming.
Chris Tanev should be a really nice upgrade to their defense in the short-term, but that contract is going to age like milk under a radiator in a few years.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson is a solid veteran, but the Maple Leafs can not overuse him expect too much from him.
Keeping Max Domi is fine, but the Maple Leafs’ scoring depth is a big problem that keeps hurting them in the playoffs and they have not yet done anything to address it. If anything it only managed to get worse with the free agent departure of Tyler Bertuzzi.
Then there is the matter of still not really doing anything to alter a core that has not accomplished anything of significance in eight years.
That does not even get into the question of whether or not Anthony Stolarz, Joseph Woll and Matt Murray are the answers in goal.
Is this it? Is this everything on the table?

Grade: D+

Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images
New city. New owner. New approach.
Utah entered the offseason loaded with salary cap space and draft pick capital and put it all to good use by completely overhauling the defense.
After trading for Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino, they also added Ian Cole in free agency and re-signed Sean Durzi to a long-term contract extension.
That is all of a sudden a very formidable group, and when combined with some of their emerging forwards this could become a very competitive team very quickly. Marino brings a steady defensive presence, Sergachev brings some big-time offensive potential and if Logan Cooley can break out at forward this could be a really interesting team in the Pacific Division.

Grade: B+

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The Canucks were one of the biggest surprises in the NHL in 2023-24 and are bringing back a really solid core led by Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser and Thatcher Demko.
They added to that forward group this offseason by bringing in a couple of former Boston Bruins, signing Jake DeBrusk to a seven-year deal and Danton Heinen to a two-year deal.
The seven-year term for DeBrusk is a little excessive, but the salary cap hit is not too damaging if he can score 25 or 30 goals.
As long as their top stars stay healthy — and especially Demko — they are going to have a chance to be a fun and competitive team.

Grade: B

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In a weird twist the Vegas Golden Knights have not really done anything this offseason except mostly subtract.
They did not bring back Jonathan Marchessault, they traded Logan Thompson, and have so far only added Victor Olofsson, Akira Schmid and Alexander Holtz.
It is quiet.
Almost a little too quiet, and it is enough to make you wonder what they might have looming later in the offseason.
They did make some big long-term additions at the trade deadline with trades for Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin, but it still seems there might be something else ahead this offseason.

Grade: C-

John McCreary/NHLI via Getty Images
The Washington Capitals snuck into the playoffs with one of the worst goal-differentials of the modern era in 2023-24, and rather than being content with that and hoping their luck would repeat itself the Capitals decided to make some major additions.
They traded Darcy Kuemper for Pierre-Luc Dubois, picked up Jakob Chychrun for very little in a trade with Ottawa, signed Matt Roy in free agency, added another middle-six forward in Andrew Mangiapane and landed a strong goalie in Logan Thompson.
That is some solid work that not only allows the Capitals to remain competitive for another year of Alex Ovechin’s career, but also did not cost them anything of significance long-term.
Dubois is the most controversial move here given his contract, but he has been a good player in the NHL a lot longer than he has been a bad player. There is a real chance he rebounds here and produces. If he does, this is a rock-solid offseason that has seen them add two top-six forwards, two top-four defensemen and a potential starting goalie.
They might not be a Stanley Cup team, but they can make the playoffs again and maybe put up a better fight if they get there.

Grade: A

Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images
The concern for the Winnipeg Jets this offseason was always going to be if they let their 2023-24 success in the regular season fool them into thinking they did not need to do much this offseason. The early returns on the offseason indicate that they have.
Mostly because they have not done anything. That remains a calling card of the Kevin Cheveldayoff front office, where he seemingly refuses to make major changes unless he is forced into making them.
The reality for Winnipeg is that for as much talent as it has at the top of the lineup, its success this past season was almost entirely the result of starting goalie Connor Hellebuyck putting the team on his back and carrying it.
He might get them to the playoffs. There is only so much he can do on his own. Winnipeg’s front office has not yet figured that out. This is largely the same roster and team as a year ago and that is simply not going to produce a better result.
Hellebuyck needs more help in front of him defensively and in the form of a more balanced forward group. They have provided him with none of that yet.

Grade: D

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2024-25 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Anaheim Ducks’ Top 10

2024-25 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Anaheim Ducks’ Top 10

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Welcome back.

It’s time to kick off Daily Faceoff’s second annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses and so much more.

The criteria for being labeled a “prospect” are simple: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games or spent more time outside of the NHL than in it last year. Players over 23 years old are not included.

Today, we’re looking at the Anaheim Ducks.

From a future standpoint, the 2023-24 season was a big one in Orange County. The Ducks still finished 30th in the NHL, but Leo Carlsson, Pavel Mintyukov, Jackson LaCombe, Olen Zellweger and Lukas Dostal all saw their first serious NHL duty, making up a big portion of the team’s core.

And yet, the Ducks still have a bucketload of quality talent on the way, aided by their third overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft when they took Beckett Sennecke. But what really helped this team push forward and build one of the best pipelines in the NHL was adding Cutter Gauthier in a trade after the 2024 World Juniors. Jamie Drysdale was an expensive piece to give up, but Gauthier was viewed as one of the best players outside the NHL before eventually making his debut before the end of the season.

The Ducks have at least one notable prospect at every position, which is really exciting. When you combine their young core already, plus some good value on the draft floor in recent years, it can make up for the fact that many of the team’s other previous young stars – Sam Steel, Maxime Comtois, Max Jones, Josh Mahura and Antoine Morand – never really panned out for them.

It’s seriously an exciting time for a franchise that hopes to challenge for a playoff spot sooner rather than later. And it’s only just getting started.

Biggest Strength

There might not be another team with as much notable depth in their pipeline as Anaheim. They’ve got good support centers in Lucas Pettersson and Nathan Gaucher to go along with some of their existing talent; Gauthier and Sennecke are both going to be top-six wingers. Zellweger, Stian Solberg, Tristan Luneau and Rodwin Dionicio are all stout blueliners with their own sets of skills; and Damian Clara looks like a future NHL goaltender. That’s what happens when you’re near the bottom of the standings year after year, but also when you find good value outside of the first round, too.

Biggest Weakness

The Ducks have a lot of good centers, but they’re missing more natural wingers. I expect Gauthier to move to the wing, but outside of maybe just Sennecke, there aren’t many others in the system that have a shot of being an impact NHLer. They have some decent options now, but if Trevor Zegras gets moved, snagging a skilled winger in return wouldn’t hurt.

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

Olen Zellweger (Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports)

Acquired: Traded by Philadelphia for Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick in 2024

It’s hard to call Gauthier a gift, given they had to trade one of their best young defensemen to make it happen. But the Ducks might now have the best prospect in hockey, someone who put everyone on notice last year. The 20-year-old was named top forward at the World Junior Championship after leading the United States to a gold medal with a tournament-leading 10 assists. He then led the NCAA with 38 goals en route to a Hockey East championship and a finalist spot for the Hobey Baker Award. With Gauthier’s mix of confidence and skill, I have every reason to believe he’ll be a star sooner rather than later. And, maybe, he’ll be one of the biggest reasons why Anaheim is challenging for Stanley Cups before the turn of the decade. The biggest question, to me, is whether Gauthier slots down the middle or on the wing. He has significant experience at both, and has the physical traits you’d look for out of a center, but I’d love to see him as a finisher on a line with Zegras or Carlsson. Regardless, it’s an excellent position to be in, and I have no doubt Gauthier will be challenging for the Calder Trophy in 2024-25.

Acquired: Drafted No. 34, second round in 2021

Zellweger got his first taste of the NHL last year, playing in 26 games in the second half – just enough to not make him eligible for the Calder Trophy. He’s set to challenge for a full-time roster spot in 2024-25, where he’ll look to be a notable offensive contributor in the way the Ducks wanted Drysdale to be. Zellweger could easily register 30-plus points next year, especially if he gets the power-play time he’s capable of exploiting. Few young defenders cause as much damage as Zellweger does, and it’s thoroughly entertaining to watch.

Acquired: Drafted No. 3, first round in 2024

Beckett Sennecke (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)

Sennecke looked shocked that he was taken third overall in the draft last month after watching his draft stock skyrocket as the season wore on. Was it a risky play for the Ducks? Maybe, but they’re banking on him truly developing into this overwhelming forward who can score, hit and outthink opponents with ease. He stands tall at 6-foot-2, plays a menacing game built on power, and continues to hone in his own abilities. And that’s huge, given his game was built on highlight-reel, ankle-breaking plays for so long. Add in the muscle and the way he drives the net and it makes him extremely difficult to contain.

4. Stian Solberg, LHD, 18 (Farjestad BK, SHL)

Acquired: Drafted No. 23, first round in 2024

The Ducks already have a couple of young, puck-moving blueliners in their system, so adding Solberg – one of the most violent players from the 2024 draft – into the system was a nice win. He’s 6-foot-2, 205 pounds and loves to punish anyone who gets near him. Solberg projects himself as a defensive defender who can handle penalty-kill assignments, but he’s also more than capable of playing heavy shutdown minutes against just about anyone. The fact that nothing seems to bother Solberg is exciting, especially given how much he improved this year. The move to Sweden will be big for Solberg’s development.

5. Lucas Pettersson, C, 18 (MoDo, SHL)

Drafted: No. 35, second round in 2024

As a centerman, Pettersson plays a stout two-way game and has really shown more confidence as the season has worn on. The U-18 World Championship was an excellent opportunity for Pettersson to step up for Sweden, helping them win bronze after putting in some great performances in the playoff round. Pettersson can fly around the ice and has gotten better at using that to steal pucks in tight. He’s also a solid penalty killer, too. The good thing about Pettersson is he can do a bit of everything out there, which makes him a versatile option for the Ducks.

6. Nathan Gaucher, C, 20 (San Diego, AHL)

Drafted: No. 22, first round in 2022

Nathan Gaucher (Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)

Gaucher isn’t going to be a big-time producer in the NHL and that’s OK. They have guys like that already. Instead, the rugged center brings a nice 6-foot-3 frame, good footwork and an unrelenting forecheck that makes him so tough to defend against. As a bottom-six forward, Gaucher is detailed-oriented enough to play a variety of roles in the NHL, and he has a good enough shot to make himself useful, too. I could see Gaucher playing in the NHL sooner rather than later.

7. Tristan Luneau, RHD, 20 (San Diego, AHL)

Drafted: No. 53, second round in 2022

Last year was a bit of a mixed bag for Luneau, who saw himself limited to just 13 games played between Anaheim and San Diego. Injuries meant the push to the pro game was hampered heavily, which was a shame, given he played well enough to start the year with the Ducks. So he’ll go back to playing some catch-up next year, but his Draft+1 year with Gatineau was so good that he earned top defenseman honors in the QMJHL.

8. Rodwin Dionicio, LHD, 20 (EHC Biel-Bienne, NL)

Drafted: No. 129, fifth round in 2023

Dionicio had a massive year in the OHL, registering 25 goals and 73 points to go along with 108 penalty minutes between Windsor and Saginaw. He won the Memorial Cup after registering a point per game between the playoffs and the tournament itself. Dionicio was also one of the top defensemen at the World Juniors, although Switzerland was eliminated in the quarterfinal. An overage draft pick last year, Dionicio has come a long way already, and he’s set to begin his pro career in Switzerland next year. Maybe we’ll see him make the move to San Diego the following year before potentially challenging for an NHL roster spot at 22 years old. Either way, I like him.

9. Damian Clara, G, 19 (Farjestad BK, SHL)

Drafted: No. 60, second round in 2023

Clara became the first drafted, and now signed goaltender to ever come out of Italy, so there’s a lot of people excited to see what he can do. He had a fantastic season with Brynas in the Allsvenskan and he’s set to share the net with former NHL goaltender Maxime Lagace in Farjestad this coming season. At 6-foot-2 and with incredible athleticism, Clara is viewed as one of the best goaltending prospects in the game today. By the time John Gibson eventually leaves, Clara might be ready to make a serious push in the NHL.

10. Maxim Massé, RW, 18 (Chicoutimi, QMJHL)

Acquired: Drafted No. 66, third round in 2024

Maxim Masse (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)

Massé led Chicoutimi with 36 goals and 75 points, using his 6-foot-2 frame to his advantage out there. He was a shot generation machine, registering five or more quite often this year. Masse is a good two-way player with good energy. His skating is lacking compared to others this high in the draft, but there’s been an improvement over the past 12 months. I do wonder if he’s rounded enough to find a spot in the Ducks’ lineup if he isn’t in a scoring role, though.

Other Notables: Sasha Pastujov LW (20), Nico Myatovic, LW (19), Noah Warren, RHD (19), Coulson Pitre, RW (19), Carey Terrance, C (19), Yegor Sidorov, RW (20), Austin Burnevik, RW (19), Ian Moore, RHD (22), Vojtech Port, RHD (18), Darels Uljanskis, LHD (17), Tarin Smith, LHD (18), Alexandre Blais, C (18), Ethan Procyszyn, RW (17)

Recently by Steven Ellis

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Each NHL team’s biggest unaddressed need a week into free agency

Each NHL team’s biggest unaddressed need a week into free agency

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After the first week of NHL free agency, where does your team stand?If there’s still a gaping hole, there are only a few options left to fill it. Let the Daniel Sprong sweepstakes begin.​​What’s each team’s biggest unaddressed need? The Athletic asked its NHL staff. Here’s what they said.A right-shot top-four defensemanAnother top-six wing could be in this space, as well, given that neither need has been addressed. It’s why Steven Stamkos would have been ideal, and Jonathan Marchessault was a strong secondary target. But a right-handed defenseman was also on general manager Pat Verbeek’s shopping list, and Brian Dumoulin doesn’t fill that hole, even though he should help the defense overall. As of now, it’s likely that the Ducks will have to move one of their lefties over to the right side. Cam Fowler and Jackson LaCombe can do it, but both are stronger on their natural side. While Tristan Luneau has a lot of promise, Radko Gudas is their only proven right-shot defender. — Eric StephensA scoring wingThe Bruins do not have consistent scoring presence aside from David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand. They are worse off for letting Jake DeBrusk go. It’s hard to say whether Fabian Lysell, their 2021 first-rounder, can make an NHL breakthrough in camp as the No. 2 right wing. The Bruins do not have enough space to sign an impact wing. They will have to produce offense elsewhere. — Fluto ShinzawaA top-six forwardUnless Jason Zucker is going to play on the top two lines, the Sabres didn’t add to the top six. They also bought out Jeff Skinner, so a team that regressed offensively last season lost one of its best five-on-five point producers. The Sabres are betting on improvement from players like Tage Thompson, Dylan Cozens, Alex Tuch and Jack Quinn to get their scoring back to 2022-23 levels. Trading for Ryan McLeod solved Buffalo’s need for a third-line center. But there’s still room to add to the top six, and the Sabres have the cap space to make a deal if one is available. — Matthew FairburnGO DEEPERSabres depth chart reset: Where Buffalo improved and what needs are leftA centerThe Flames’ center depth could still use some work, but they’ll likely look to address that issue internally. Nazem Kadri, Mikael Backlund, Yegor Sharangovich, Martin Pospisil, Connor Zary and Kevin Rooney are all possible/likely centers. Sharangovich, Pospisl and Zary, however, could easily be wingers out of necessity. The Flames aren’t above acquiring a young center who could be part of their future for years to come. The deal just has to make sense. — Julian McKenzieGO DEEPERTrevor Zegras? Kaapo Kakko? Here are 11 potential Flames offseason targetsA top-six forward (or two)After losing Jake Guentzel and Teuvo Teravainen, the Hurricanes could use at least one more winger to round out their top six. Questions also continue to swirl around Martin Necas, who is a restricted free agent and has expressed that he would like to move on. Carolina continues to shop him, but losing Necas would create another hole up front. Perhaps the Hurricanes can swing a trade that nets them multiple NHL forwards — maybe even a second-line center? — to fill out a group that looks a little thin. — Cory LavaletteElite wingersThe Blackhawks definitely improved their offensive upside with Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Tervainen, but neither is quite in the “elite” category. The same would go for Taylor Hall and Andreas Athanasiou, among others. The Blackhawks are hoping as a group that they can score more and can also help elevate Connor Bedard to new heights. General manager Kyle Davidson isn’t expected to add anyone else this summer. — Scott PowersSecondary scoring (maybe?)This is a really tough question to answer without knowing what the future holds for captain Gabriel Landeskog and forward Valeri Nichushkin. If neither of them are available in 2024-25, the Avalanche have a significant hole in their secondary scoring. If one or both play (and perform to their expectations) then that suddenly isn’t much of a concern. At that point, the weakest point of the team is likely the goaltending, where general manager Chris MacFarland is standing pat with Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen so far. — Jesse GrangerA new home for Patrik LaineThe Blue Jackets and Patrik Laine have decided to end their relationship, but that isn’t likely to happen until Laine is cleared from the NHL/NHLPA’s players’ assistance program. Other NHL teams want to speak with Laine before trade talks can advance, Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said. But with the NHL Draft having passed and free agency well underway, the music is about to slow to a crawl for the offseason, making it more difficult for Laine to be traded. Waddell is expected to name a new coach any day, but the need to trade Laine looms over the offseason. They may have to tolerate each other into next season if a deal can’t be found. — Aaron PortzlineA top-four defensemanThe Stars are set up nicely on depth defensemen, with plenty of players who profile as solid third-pairing options. Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley are bona-fide top-four players, and Esa Lindell can play there as well. But unless Matt Dumba or Ilya Lyubushkin experience a resurgence — or Lian Bichsel is NHL-ready very soon — Chris Tanev’s departure leaves a void in the top four. — Saad Yousuf

Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen could use help on defense. (Codie McLachlan / Getty Images)A right-shot top-four defensemanDetroit added power-play quarterback Erik Gustafsson to replace Shayne Gostisbehere and indicated it will try him on the right side, but he’s more of an offensively tilted player who’s best cast on the third pair. That likely means the Red Wings will once again turn to Jeff Petry in the top four behind Moritz Seider. There was some hope Detroit could find someone to help take a little pressure off Seider, who played the toughest minutes in the NHL last season, but with limited cap space (once accounting for Seider and Lucas Raymond extensions), it looks like this is the group the Red Wings will take into the season. — Max BultmanHelp on the right side of the defenseBringing in Josh Brown to replace Vincent Desharnais, who left for Vancouver in free agency, arguably makes the Oilers even weaker at their weakest position. At least lefty Philip Broberg, now an RFA, stepped up in that regard for the last two rounds of the playoffs and is seen as an option there. This promises to be something that’s addressed before the 2025 trade deadline. — Daniel Nugent-BowmanGO DEEPERWhat the Oilers accomplished on Day 1 of free agency and where they must still improveA fourth lineWith guys like Ryan Lomberg, Nick Cousins and Kevin Stenlund headed elsewhere, the Panthers will have a decidedly different mix on the fourth line, whether they make another low-cost addition or not. General manager Bill Zito has shown a knack for finding cost-effective options at the bottom of his lineup, though. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see them bring in an interesting PTO candidate or two as camp gets closer. — Sean GentilleTop-nine scoring up frontEarly in 2023-24, the Kings got scoring from throughout their lineup and were among the league leaders in goals. As the season went, the goals became harder to come by and the absence of an often-injured Viktor Arvidsson, along with the struggles of Pierre-Luc Dubois, became much more noticeable. They’ve moved on from both, but their summer acquisitions have yet to provide a boost for an offense that finished 17th in 2023-24. There isn’t much left on the market. Tyler Johnson, Daniel Sprong and James van Riemsdyk are available, but are any of them better fits than what they have as down-in-the-lineup contributors? — Eric StephensA second-line wingerThe Wild only had $4 million or so to spend in free agency and didn’t want to go long-term on a top-six winger, so it was always going to be difficult. But they opted to allocate their funds to another third-liner in Yakov Trenin. The Wild finished 21st in the NHL with 3.02 goals allowed per game last season, so somebody new to take scoring pressure off Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek would have been welcomed. Maybe they can figure out a way to trade some money and make a trade later in the offseason, but that’ll be difficult. So for now, they’ll be looking for internal improvement from Ryan Hartman, Marcus Johansson and Freddy Gaudreau. — Michael RussoGO DEEPERWild sign free agent Yakov Trenin to 4-year, $14 million contractTo trade a defensemanThe Canadiens have a surplus of young, cheap and NHL-ready defensemen and waiver eligibility will make it a complicated group to manage very soon. Along with the boatload of draft capital they have next year, they would like to turn one or two of those defensemen plus one or two of those picks into some help at forward, preferably someone young who fits into the core group they are currently forming. — Arpon BasuGO DEEPERCanadiens draft notebook: The value of live viewings, Hutson’s view of the rebuild and moreCenter depthThe Preds still aren’t where they want to be down the middle, though Steven Stamkos certainly could end up centering a line — how about Filip Forsberg and Jonathan Marchessault with him while Ryan O’Reilly works with Gus Nyquist and rising forward Luke Evangelista? The possibilities are exciting, and Tommy Novak could figure into a top-two center role. Still, you’d like to see another answer at center, and that won’t arrive before the season does. — Joe Rexrode

Will Steven Stamkos see significant time at center in 2024-25? (Lawrence Scott / Getty Images)A Tyler Toffoli replacementThe Devils could’ve used a goal scorer like Toffoli, whom they traded away last trade deadline. The Tomas Tatar signing should help fill that void to some extent if he can rebound to his form from 2022-23, when he was with the Devils. He had 20 goals and 48 points that year, then had a difficult season with Colorado and Seattle. The Devils probably won’t have cap space to work with after signing Dawson Mercer’s restricted-free-agent deal, but they can try to upgrade during the season if needed. — Peter BaughMore top-nine impactThis can only happen if there’s a salary-cap dump in the works. J-G Pageau makes the most sense to move out, but only Lou Lamoriello knows if that’s what this team is going to do. If Pageau is moved, then there’s a chance to add, but trades are obviously the only way to bring in skill this late into free agency. — Arthur StapleA guarantee at top-line right wingThe Rangers’ biggest need entering the summer was to find someone to play with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. Reilly Smith might be the answer, but it’s not a guarantee. New York probably won’t be able to add another big piece this summer unless it pulls off a trade involving roster players. The Rangers also could use another defenseman, though it makes sense to give Zac Jones a chance to be an everyday player, at least at the start of the season. — Peter BaughA third pairing on defenseThe Senators finally seem to have sorted out their top four by trading Jakob Chychrun for Nick Jensen. But there are now some question marks on their third pairing, with Erik Brannstrom no longer part of the equation. As it stands, the third pairing may consist of a couple of young defensemen in Tyler Kleven and Jacob Bernard-Docker. Veteran Travis Hamonic is part of the mix, too. If general manager Steve Staios is going to make any more moves this summer, something to add a bit of veteran help or experience on his third pairing might be the play. — Ian MendesElite skillThe Flyers’ biggest challenge from now until 2026-27 — probably the earliest they expect to truly compete again — will be finding elite-level players to lead the way. Perhaps Matvei Michkov will be one of them now that he’s here, but a true No. 1 center remains their biggest need. That could come in the form of a hockey trade, particularly as the Flyers have three first-round and three second-round picks in the 2025 draft. For now, though, the front office has remained dormant, still waiting for what it views as the correct deal for the future. — Kevin KurzA winger for Sidney CrosbyGeneral manager Kyle Dubas needs to tie up a couple of loose ends. Both are big and involve captain Sidney Crosby. And while it’s presumed one of those loose ends — inking Crosby to a contract extension — will happen, every day that it doesn’t makes the issue hover like a storm cloud. Still, it’ll probably get done. When it does, or before, Dubas also needs to find a replacement for Jake Guentzel as Crosby’s primary scoring option on the wing. Right now, the usually-top-heavy-at-forwards Penguins are a proven winger short of a viable top six — and the hole is on Crosby’s top line. — Rob RossiGO DEEPERPenguins’ pursuit of Vladimir Tarasenko, Steve Mears leaves for Columbus and schedule releaseA power-play quarterbackThe Sharks picked up Jake Walman as a blueliner with a big shot who can slide to the left side of their defense, but they still don’t have a true puck-mover to run their first power-play unit. At times, they use five forwards for the man advantage because they had no one to fill Erik Karlsson’s old role and the now-departed Calen Addison didn’t exactly distinguish himself. Tyson Barrie could be a candidate here, as he’d check off a couple of boxes in being a proven power-play quarterback and a right shot to boot. Barrie could also be flipped at the trade deadline if he gets minutes and produces. — Eric StephensSeattle KrakenElite talentThe Kraken’s biggest unaddressed need remains a big-picture one as opposed to a specific team-construction one: elite talent. From the outset, the Kraken have been built well, with serious depth and speed and structural know-how. Despite Vince Dunn’s emergence as a top-pair driver and Matty Beniers’ continued promise (despite his sophomore struggles), the Kraken’s core of elite talent is still very much under construction. That’s likely to make life difficult over the long haul. A high-end core can cover any manner of roster-construction sins, but the Kraken appear to be locked into being too good to have first dibs on the best players in the draft and not good enough to contend meaningfully. Selecting Berkly Catton — a pure upside pick at No. 8 — shows that the Kraken understand the task at hand, but their structural position still puts them at a disadvantage in trying to level up organizationally. — Thomas DranceTo trade a defensemanThe best way for Blues general manager Doug Armstrong to alter his roster this summer is to make changes on defense. The right side is set with Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk and Matthew Kessel, so the left side is likely where change would come. But in order to make any moves, they would need Torey Krug to waive his full no-trade clause. Until that happens, it’s difficult to even enter the market for a replacement. Former Blues defenseman Joel Edmundson would’ve made some sense, but not at the cost L.A. paid him with a four-year, $15.4 million deal ($3.85 million average annual value). — Jeremy Rutherford

Torey Krug went minus-31 in 2023-24. (Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images)DepthTechnically, the Lightning have 12 signed forwards at the NHL level. Once restricted free agent J.J. Moser extends, they will have six defensemen, too. If Emil Lilleberg is expected to be an NHL regular next season, then there’s a mix of seven to rotate. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to bring in a little more help. A good focus would be on a secondary scorer so the Lightning’s approach isn’t too top heavy. Cam Atkinson could be a fine addition in that regard, but one more third-line caliber forward should be on management’s radar. — Shayna GoldmanA top-nine centerThe Leafs got nothing out of their third- and fourth-line centers — Pontus Holmberg and David Kämpf — in the playoffs and haven’t upgraded the position at all this summer. Max Domi was re-signed in part because of his ability to play center and could slide back into the middle next season. He played his best last season on Auston Matthews’ right wing, though, and wasn’t their first, second or third option to play center before that. The Leafs also figure to have John Tavares remaining at center at age 34 and entering his 16th NHL season. There’s nothing left in free agency, so barring a trade, this is what the Leafs have for now. — Jonas SiegelGO DEEPERThe case for the Leafs to move William Nylander (back) to centreAn elite forwardMost of general manager Bill Armstrong’s work before and through the early weeks of free agency focused on strengthening the defense corps — and he did that by adding Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino in trades and Ian Cole in free agency. Utah stood pat in goal and so for now will deploy a rotation again, featuring Connor Ingram and Karel Vejmelka. But if they want to compete with the elite teams in the Central, they likely need to add another impact scoring forward. After Clayton Keller’s 33 goals, the next highest total was the 23 that they got from Lawson Crouse. They have the cap room (about $15 million) to accommodate one more big salary if someone like a Mitch Marner is available. — Eric DuhatschekAnother No. 3 defensemanThe Canucks made do on the back end last season with an elite top pair and two pairings that probably graded out as “very good third pairs.” With Ian Cole and Nikita Zadorov heading elsewhere in free agency and the club plugging in Vincent Desharnais and Derek Forbort to replace them, the third pair now grades out as a more conventional, average third pair. Ideally, if the club was able to identify and acquire a credible No. 2 or No. 3 defender, it could bump either Carson Soucy or Tyler Myers down to the third pair to strengthen that group and have a stronger blue line on paper. — Thomas DranceA top-six wingerThe Golden Knights lost 94 goals to free agency or trade this offseason, or 35.7 percent of their total from 2023-24. The additions (Alexander Holtz and Victor Olofsson) have offensive upside, but they’re also coming off a season in which they combined for only 23 goals. Considering Mark Stone’s injury history and the fact that Ivan Barbashev isn’t a pure scorer, Vegas will be relying heavily on its centers for offense this season. — Jesse GrangerAnother wingerAndrew Mangiapane alone doesn’t address all of the Caps’ issues outside, especially if T.J. Oshie lands on long-term injured reserve. They just don’t have enough contender-quality contributors, though Connor McMichael and Alexei Protas still have room to grow, and they don’t have the cap space necessary to make any more meaningful additions without major salary heading back out. — Sean GentilleA contingency planI expect Kevin Cheveldayoff and company have contingency plans ready: They missed on Sean Monahan, for example, so they went after Adam Henrique. I think they traded for Monahan in the first place because they missed on Elias Lindholm. They’re good at moving from Plan A to B to C as necessary. At a certain point, however, it becomes time to look at roster holes at second-line center and top-four defense and explore the idea that the answers could be inside the organization. There are unique cap advantages available if Cole Perfetti and Dylan Samberg can take big steps forward, with tremendous long-term payoffs if they hit and cap space to use at the deadline if they don’t. — Murat AtesGO DEEPERAtes: Why the Jets should extend Cole Perfetti long-term this offseason(Top photo of Jake Guentzel, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin: Patrick Smith / Getty Images)

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Why the Rangers’ top prospect won’t receive an NHL roster spot this season

Why the Rangers’ top prospect won’t receive an NHL roster spot this season

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The New York Rangers are still in need of an elite winger for their first line. There are multiple options available through free agency or the trade market, but there is the possibility that the Blueshirts could look within their own system for support. Brennan Othmann, the Rangers’ current No. 1 prospect, earned his first NHL stint last season. Though his first time with the Blueshirts was brief, fans now wonder if he could become a full-time roster player this year. Despite many calling for Othmann to join the NHL roster, circumstances make it unlikely for at least another season or two. Brennan Othmann isn’t ready for the NHL just yet due to defensive issues At just 21 years old, Othmann may need a bit more time before becoming an NHL regular with the Rangers. He’s developed his offensive game perfectly, having tallied 49 points in 67 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack last season. However, his defensive abilities need an abundance of work. Credit: Frank Becerra Jr. / The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK In his 67 games in Hartford last year, Othmann earned a -24 rating on the ice. He didn’t get any better in the postseason either, as he earned a -6 through 10 playoff games. Othmann has received criticism for his defensive game since the day the Rangers drafted him, and it appears that there has been little improvement over the last few years. Having another defensively weak forward is the last thing the Rangers need right now. Poor defensive performances from top offensive players have ended their seasons numerous times, and Othmann would only add more fuel to that fire. Until he’s able to create a more well-rounded skillset, Othmann may have to get used to calling Hartford home. The Rangers have no room on their roster for Othmann Even if Othmann were ready for the NHL defensively, the Blueshirts have no place to fit him on their roster. He may be their top prospect, but it would be too massive of a jump from the AHL all the way to an NHL first-line. It’s possible that recently acquired Reilly Smith could move up to the top unit to make room for Othmann on the third, but he too doesn’t seem skilled enough to join Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. Credit: Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports The only possibility that makes sense is if Will Cuylle slides down to the fourth line, having Othmann join Filip Chytil and Smith on the third. But that would in turn force Jimmy Vesey, Jonny Brodzinski, or Matt Rempe out of the lineup. It’s exciting to see Othmann eager to play in the big leagues, but current roster implications may keep him down in Hartford for a bit longer. This post was published on 2024-07-07 11:17

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NHL Defenseman Details Life-Threatening Injury

NHL Defenseman Details Life-Threatening Injury

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Sheldon Souray enjoyed a quality NHL career. He was known for his booming slapshot from the point and established a reputation for being an offensive threat from the blue line. He played in 758 career NHL games, registering 109 goals and 300 points. He had four seasons with double-digit goals, including two 20+ goal seasons. He holds the record for the most power-play goals in a season by a defenseman. But the success on the ice wasn’t always reflected off the ice. Recently, Souray appeared on the UnHammered podcast hosted by Brantt Myhres and discussed his career. The two discussed some serious topics like addiction, sobriety, and career-threatening injuries. During their conversation, they dove into an injury that nearly cost Souray his career. Souray joined the Edmonton Oilers in 2007 as a high-ticket free agent. In his third year with the organization, the relationship broke down. After breaking his wrist, he wanted to return to California for surgery, but the organization wanted him to stay in Edmonton. 10 days after receiving routine surgery, Souray developed a blood and bone infection. It forced him into the ICU for three days as he fought for his life. The doctors even considered amputating his hand. “It (amputation) was on the table as an option,” he said. Luckily Souray recovered from the infection and kept all of his limbs. Unfortunately for him, this incident only strained the relationship between him and the Oilers. According to Souray, the Oilers and he weren’t seeing eye-to-eye before his hospital stay, but this was the final straw. When his agent came to visit him in the ICU, he shared news that only made the situation worse. The Oilers hadn’t sent any well regards, they sent their doubts. “Management thinks you’re faking this injury because you don’t want to play for the Oilers,” Souray’s agent told him. Souray responded with some unkind words of his own. From his hospital bed, he called the team’s general manager, president of hockey operations, and team owner to let them know what he thought of their comments. “I told them all they could go f–k themselves,” he said. A few months later, The Oilers assigned him to the AHL and Souray was soon with a different organization entirely. Souray played just two more seasons in the NHL after the Oilers moved on, but retired after the 2012-2013 season. Following his retirement, that’s when Souray’s personal struggles took off. Thankfully for Sheldon Souray, he’s sober now. He and host Brantt Myhres discussed their journeys to sobriety and the bond that journey formed for them. Souray is glad to be in a better space, and thankfully his life-threatening injuries and endeavors are behind him. Make sure you bookmark Breakaway OnSI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more! 

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Canada projected roster for 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off

Canada projected roster for 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off

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The 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off will be held from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston, with teams of NHL players from Finland, Sweden, Canada and the United States competing in a round-robin tournament. This will be the first best-on-best tournament since the World Cup of Hockey 2016 in Toronto.
Though the international tournament is more than seven months away, NHL.com wanted to take an updated look at what the rosters for each country could look like, using a panel of three staff writers and editors to compile a list of 23 players (20 skaters, three goalies) for each team.
NHL.com Editor-in-Chief Bill Price, staff writer Derek Van Diest and LNH.com staff writer Nicolas Ducharme unveiled their original Canada roster in February, and Van Diest and Price take another shot at it now with the season over, with some changes. Also, six players (marked by an asterisk) were named to the roster last month.
Here is the Canada projected roster (listed alphabetically by position):
Forwards (13)
Mathew Barzal, New York IslandersConnor Bedard, Chicago BlackhawksSidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins*Zach Hyman, Edmonton OilersAlexis Lafrenière, New York RangersNathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche*Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins*Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple LeafsConnor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers*Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning*Sam Reinhart, Florida PanthersSteven Stamkos, Nashville PredatorsRobert Thomas, St. Louis Blues
Canada has a plethora of forward options, led by McDavid, Crosby and MacKinnon, three of the best centers in the NHL with four Stanley Cup championships between them. Coach Jon Cooper and his staff must be salivating at the possible line combinations available to them in the tournament. There is only one change to our forward group from our projections in February, with Lafrenière of the Rangers replacing Mark Stone of the Vegas Golden Knights. Lafrenière, the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, is developing into the offensive standout New York expected him to become. He played well in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, getting 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 16 games and helping the Rangers reach the Eastern Conference Final, where they lost in six games to the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers. Another change is the NHL team Stamkos will be representing, with the forward now a member of the Nashville Predators. After 16 seasons and two Stanley Cup championships with the Lightning, Stamkos left Tampa Bay as an unrestricted free agent and signed a four-year, $32 million contract with Nashville on July 1. Stamkos had 81 points (40 goals, 41 assists) in 79 games with the Lightning last season, and is only three seasons removed from having 106 points, so he has plenty of offense left in him. Canada’s projected roster has three 50-plus goal-scorers from last season, including Reinhart (57), Hyman (54) and MacKinnon (51), who had 140 points (89 assists) and was named the Hart Trophy winner for being the League’s most valuable player. McDavid had 132 points (32 goals, 100 assists) in 76 games last season, so Canada should expect to fill the net throughout the tournament. — Van Diest
Defensemen (7)
Evan Bouchard, Edmonton OilersNoah Dobson, New York IslandersDrew Doughty, Los Angeles KingsCale Makar, Colorado Avalanche*Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg JetsOwen Power, Buffalo SabresDevon Toews, Colorado Avalanche
Imagine having access to seven top-pair defensemen on your roster, two of which, Cale Makar and Drew Doughty, are former Norris Trophy winners. Canada has always produced high-end defensemen, and this is the latest example. Makar, Bouchard, Dobson and Doughty are all elite right-shot defensemen, while Morrissey, Power and Toews play on the left side. We’ve added Power to the list based on his strong second season with the Sabres. He replaces Vince Dunn of the Seattle Kraken from our original list in February. All seven of these defensemen are strong at both ends of the ice and viable options to quarterback the power play. Bouchard’s booming shot gives Canada an added weapon from the blue line with the man-advantage. Bouchard had 18 goals in 81 games last season and six more in 25 postseason games, most by way of the “Bouch Bomb,” as nicknamed by Oilers fans. — Van Diest
Goalies (3)
Jordan Binnington, St. Louis BluesAdin Hill, Vegas Golden KnightsStuart Skinner, Edmonton Oilers
The good news is that two of these goalies are Stanley Cup champions and the other — Skinner — just took his team to Game 7 of the Cup Final. The not so good news is that there is not a clear No. 1 of this group at this point, and there is not really a dominant goalie in this group either. We had Connor Ingram, who is now with the Utah Hockey Club, in this group in February, but Binnington, a Stanley Cup champion in 2019, made the cut this time. It will be interesting to see if Ingram, or maybe Cam Talbot, now with the Detroit Red Wings, plays well enough in the first few months of the season to get a spot on the roster, but for now, it’s Hill, Skinner and Binnington. — Price

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The Wild Would Send A Message By Making Eriksson Ek Captain – Minnesota Wild

The Wild Would Send A Message By Making Eriksson Ek Captain – Minnesota Wild

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Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin wants the Wild to maintain its identity as a gritty team. Guerin wants to model his team after the Florida Panthers, who just won the Stanley Cup. However, the Wild lack the personnel and size to play like the Panthers.

The Wild would create a new buzz by making Joel Eriksson Ek captain. They would be messaging to the rest of the world that they are made to last under pressure because of Eriksson Ek’s relentless work ethic and determination. Minnesota will thrive playing a two-way style that allows them to carry out an aggressive forecheck to disrupt breakouts and transition up the middle for shots with created screens. 

Due to their lack of overall size, the Wild won’t thrive as a cycling team. However, they can transition the puck and set up for screens and deflections. The forechecking will revolve around Eriksson Ek, Ryan Hartman, Marcus Foligno, and hopefully Matt Boldy, who can develop more toughness. 

Eriksson Ek can take a break from playing center and assist Marco Rossi and Kirill Kaprizov as a wing to help Rossi take the next step as a player. Eriksson Ek gives Rossi a true power forward to develop his game further due to Eriksson Ek playing the style Guerin wants. Eriksson Ek is the kind of player Florida targets. The Wild should turn Eriksson Ek into their centerpiece for this season by making him captain. 

He had his first 30-goal season, and they shouldn’t take him off the top line just because he isn’t flashy with the puck like Boldy. At 23, Boldy has room to grow his game modeling after Eriksson Ek. Still, Boldy isn’t the right mentor to help Rossi bring more intensity when the Wild go up against bigger teams like the Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights, and Nashville Predators. Eriksson Ek’s playing style will create more consistency for Rossi than Boldy’s finesse style. Rossi might not become a consistent 30-goal scorer like Eriksson Ek’s turning out to be but count on assists just from getting pucks on net from the perimeter off Rossi’s stick. 

Eriksson Ek becoming captain would spell the end of Jared Spurgeon’s tenure as captain for the Wild. Spurgeon’s teammates respect him, but he isn’t the kind of captain Eriksson Ek can be. Eriksson Ek can lead the Wild, much like Aleksander Barkov did for Florida. However, the Panthers still needed to bring in Tkachuk for more toughness. Eriksson Ek brings more toughness to the game than Barkov since he takes more beatings in front of the net that get uncalled by the referees. 

Did trading for Jakub Lauko show that the Wild are building around Eriksson Ek? The Wild got a restricted free agent (RFA) in exchange for Vinni Lettieri, who’s expected to play bottom-six minutes. Can he help the Wild bring a consistent spark every night with their energy? Can he bring a little more depth than Connor Dewar and Brandon Duhaime? Lauko can learn how to play a gritty game from Eriksson Ek. 

As a center, Lauko allows Eriksson Ek to play wing on the top line. The Wild can make more center depth by letting Lauko be a bottom-six center. But that’s only one element of creating a contender from scratch. Eriksson Ek will bring his new role to the power play to increase his scoring numbers. Will he be able to score 40 goals? That may be a tall order, but no one saw Eriksson Ek scoring 30 goals until he did last year. 

The Wild signed Yakov Trenin to a four-year contract so that Eriksson Ek remains on the top line while Trenin takes on a shutdown role involving penalty-killing minutes. Trenin plays a similar style to Eriksson Ek, especially as an experienced center. 

Eriksson Ek’s captaincy should be a sign of change. Guerin would invest in building a winning culture by making Eriksson Ek captain. He would officially succeed Mikko Koivu as his replacement, and Eriksson Ek was drafted to be just that. Will he get his jersey retired? That has yet to be determined. If Eriksson Ek leads the Wild to a Cup, they should consider retiring his No. 14 alongside Kaprizov’s No. 97. 

Eriksson Ek needs to be captain and play wing. The Wild can improve by making internal changes to their system. They need to be more creative by making the Wild more versatile than before. Eriksson Ek playing permanently with Kaprizov makes Kaprizov’s game better. Still, the Wild must invest in Rossi’s future by playing with Eriksson Ek. They must continue establishing a core, and Eriksson Ek gets to lead that core to victory.

 

 

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