NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 30, 2025
New deals for Matthew Knies, Claude Giroux and Morgan Geekie highlight Sunday’s notable signings, the Golden Knights and Predators swing a multi-player trade, the latest on Mitch Marner, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
SUNDAY’S NOTABLE CONTRACT SIGNINGS
TORONTO SUN: Matthew Knies has reportedly agreed to a six-year contract extension with the Maple Leafs. The 22-year-old power forward will receive an average annual value of $7.75 million. He was coming off his entry-level contract and was slated to become a restricted free agent (RFA) on July 1.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That roughly around what Knies was projected to receive. He had a solid sophomore season, with a career-high of 29 goals and 58 points in 78 games. The 6’3”, 227-pound winger has yet to reach his playing prime and will only get better as he skates alongside superstar center Auston Matthews.
Knies had recently rejected any notion of signing an offer sheet with a rival club. Nevertheless, this signing will be a relief for Leafs fans.
The Leafs will likely turn their focus to the start of the unrestricted free agent market on Tuesday to bolster their roster. They have $13.57 million in cap space for 2025-26 with 19 active roster players under contract.
OTTAWA SUN: Claude Giroux signed a one-year, bonus-laden “plus-35” contract with the Senators. The versatile 37-year-old forward will earn a $2 million base salary, with an additional $2.75 million in bonuses.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Giroux really wanted to stay in his hometown. The base salary is a significant pay cut from the $6.75 million average annual value (AAV) he earned on his previous deal. However, he could make $4.75 million in actual salary if he achieves all of his bonuses, one of which includes the Senators winning the Stanley Cup. Follow the link above for the full breakdown.
According to PuckPedia, the Senators now have over $8.1 million in cap space with 18 active roster players signed for 2025-26.
BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed forward Morgan Geekie to a six-year contract with an AAV of $5.5 million. They also signed forward Marat Khusnutdinov to a two-year deal ($925,000 AAV) and defenseman Michael Callahan to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 at the NHL level.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Geekie was the notable signing for the Bruins. The 26-year-old forward had a career-best performance in 2024-25, tallying 33 goals and 24 assists for 57 points. Management will be betting that the best is yet to come from Geekie as he plays a bigger role as a first-line left wing.
The Bruins have over $16.6 million remaining with 17 active roster players signed for 2025-26.
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Dante Fabbro agreed to a four-year contract with the Blue Jackets. The 27-year-old defenseman will earn an AAV of $4.125 million, leaving the Blue Jackets with over $28.5 million in cap space with 21 active roster players under contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Plucked off waivers from Nashville in November, Fabbro had a career-best performance with the Blue Jackets, netting 26 points in 62 games skating alongside Zach Werenski on their top defense pairing. It’s an affordable signing for the Jackets that could pan out well over the next four years.
LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS: The Anaheim Ducks signed goaltender Ville Husso to a two-year contract with an AAV of $2.2 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks acquired goalie Petr Mrazek during Saturday’s trade that sent netminder John Gibson to the Detroit Red Wings. They must also re-sign RFA starter Lukas Dostal, but that shouldn’t be an issue. The Ducks have $35.9 million in cap space with 18 active roster players signed for next season.
Once Dostal is re-signed, Mrazek or Husso could end up on the trade block, but they could hang onto Husso as a third goalie should injuries strike.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS, PREDATORS MAKE MULTI-PLAYER TRADE
VEGAS HOCKEY NOW/THE TENNESSEAN: The Vegas Golden Knights traded defenseman Nicolas Hague to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Jeremy Lauzon and forward Colton Sissons. Hague, 26, agreed to a four-year contract ($5.5 million AAV) with the Predators.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators added shutdown size to their defense core with the 6’6”, 240-pound Hague, who was slated to become an RFA with arbitration rights on July 1. Shipping out Lauzon and Sissons gave them the cap flexibility to sign Hague.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS COULD FACE TAMPERING ACCUSATION FROM THE LEAFS
VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman stating the Maple Leafs could go after the Golden Knights if the latter signs Mitch Marner on July 1 as a UFA.
Marner, 28, spent the past nine seasons with the Maple Leafs. Friedman said the Golden Knights’ interest in the two-way winger goes back to last summer, when the Leafs expressed an interest in Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore.
Friedman said he’s not accusing the Golden Knights of tampering, which is a sensitive issue among general managers. However, he said a couple of GMs claim the league could try to make an example of someone.
Over the weekend, it was reported that the Leafs and Golden Knights were discussing a sign-and-trade scenario involving Marner. If the deal went through, the Leafs would receive forward Nicolas Roy and defenseman Nicolas Hague as part of the return.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The accusation could be that the Golden Knights had been in contact with the Marner camp before July 1, which is forbidden under the CBA. Friedman believes the tampering accusation won’t materialize if the sign-and-trade deal is finalized.
It’ll be interesting to see what develops between now and when the free-agent market opens at noon ET on July 1. Hague was traded to Nashville on Sunday night, so he’s no longer part of any potential deal.
IN OTHER NEWS…
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars are reportedly closing in on bringing back Glen Gulutzan as their new head coach. He was their bench boss from 2011-12 to 2012-13 before being fired by Jim Nill in one of his first acts as general manager. Gulutzan recently served as an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oilers.
SPORTSNET: Seattle Kraken forward Joe Veleno and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Conor Sheary were placed on unconditional waivers on Sunday. Their contracts will be bought out today.
Veleno had a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $2.275 million. Sheary had a year left with a cap hit of $2 million.
Good resign by Sweeney. If Geekie remains even remotely close to last years point totals his contract will be a super bargain If he drops to a 20 goal man it will still age well with the rising cap
Agree I like the signing. Fall of 26 slide Hagins in between him and Pasta we might have a good first line. Some say Geekie was doing well because of playing with Pasta but Pasta was having a pretty shakey year prior to being matched with Geekie. Nothing wrong with having a player that bring out the best in you most valuable player.
I dunno. Pasta was literally bouncing them in off of Geeks arse for the last half of the season.
I’m of the opinion. Pasta brings out the “greatness” in everyone else.
Dont know Hagues game but he was 6th in ice time for D in the playoffs. good pay day for him. can he handle more duties?
I would be shocked if there was evidence of tampering with Vegas and Marner. It would be a total blunder if the owner or GM or coach had direct, documented communication with Marner or his agent.
However, I’m 100% certain that “soft tampering” frequently occurs, as it does with just about all teams and all leagues.
Acquaintances of Vegas will have off-the-record discussions with acquaintances of Marner’s camp to gauge the intent of each. Are these offers or contract negotiations? Probably not. But there would be questions around “Will Marner test free agency?”. “Is he looking for 4 years, 8 years?”. “Is he looking for $10M, $12M?”
And I’m sure it also happens where the players’ agent leaks info on their client’s behalf too. Its not just the teams that initiate off-the-record information leaks.
This is how the world of sports has worked for years around free agency.
And this isn’t just about Marner.
Leafs insiders have been saying for the last week that Marchand is their top target in free agency? Who leaked that info? Maybe Florida should file tampering against Toronto?
I’m being facetious, but you get the point. Leaked info/intentions occurs all the time, on both sides of the table.
Nothing will come of it. Bettman won’t do anything to harm his jewel in Vegas. If it were the other way around on the other hand….
I think the boat is being passed here especially when your comment includes the phase, “I don’t know, but”. I find it better to ask questions when I don’t know rather than stating that, then pulling something from nowhere.
As rumors go, I heard, and what caught many people to scratch their heads is when the sign and trade deal was “leaked” (we don’t know if there was anything at all, remember, rumors) is why on earth Vegas was going to give away two good players for the rights to sign a soon to be UFA. They only need to wait a couple of days to get him for free.
Then I heard that the Marner camp had some 4 or 5 year deal with the Knights somewhere in the $13M range. Is it that deal that as discovered by the Leafs and brought light to it? Are the Leafs trying to get something more now that they know about this tampering?
So now if Marner does sign a deal with Vegas is there a tampering case to be made here? I honest hope there is. Nothing like dumb greedy people getting caught making my day. The fines are big and justified but I hope they fine the agent who in my mind, is the driver in all of this.
Also, for you counting cap space, the Leafs have approximately just over $13M in cap space which is about the same percentage of cap that the Matthews contract was signed for. So if there was a desire for the Leafs to resign Marner, they easily can.
While that’s true Ron, with most of that reserve then gone to Marner, they’d be committed to 20 players with precious little to round out the roster to 23, including unsigned RFAs Robertson and Holmberg,
Hey George those two players along with a few others are replaceable players by which I mean they can easily sign a player at the minimum and be no loss to the team.
Or maybe they are two really good young players they should resign. I don’t know where they rank on the Leafs so I’d rather have my very best players signed first and then flush out the rest of the line up because both those players did little to move the needle and I don’t expect them to be big movers ever.
So… could just as easily be Toronto trying to drum up some value from Marner by extorting Vegas with false charges.
If there was no tampering then how would Toronto extort. You might want to think about that one again
Well Ron Toronto just picked up Macelli from Utah for a condition 3rd. So that takes another 3.5 off the cap and pretty much says Marner’s not coming back. The weird thing Macelli really doesn’t fit the Berube profile, but then he really wasn’t fitting in back in Utah
Vegas’s trade is a bit of a head scratcher in that they added a little over 2 mill to the payroll. They seem to be either moving away from Marner or another big trade is coming. As it is they can’t fit Marner in under the cap even going 10% over, unless Marner’s taking a pay cut to play there
It was mostly tongue n cheek yogi. It is interesting the rumor says that if a trade occurs then Toronto will drop the tampering charges. 🤔
Yeah I read that, but once the NHL starts it’s investigation, Toronto probably doesn’t have any say in it. It won’t help that Bettman’s been issuing warnings since last summers Chicago incident about tampering
@ Yogi, right now PuckPedia shows Vgs at $2.2M space.
Pietro going on LTIR all year (and rest of career?) makes that $11M total space.
Roy being traded back to Toronto as part of a sign and trade would take another $3M off Vgs books, giving them $14M to play with.
If Vgs does’t trade Roy, they can go over the cap during offseason, but ultimately they will need to shed more salary assuming Marner wouldn’t sign anywhere for under $12M.
That’s if there’s trade and if Vegas chooses to put Pietro on the LTIR right now, it would only give an extra 6.6, not 8.8 to Vegas0
I’m not saying Vegas has had any contact with Marner camp right now; I don’t know
That said; look at all past UFA days and players signing contracts with new teams; and announced just minutes after FA opens.
Those players (and their agents) were “forbidden” to discuss with new team up until midnight day before. So we’re to assume contracts and terms were all hammered out in the wee hours/overnight OR rushed discussions/negotiations/final signing all done in a couple of hours after breakfast???
Methinks there is some fibbin’’ goin’ on
foleyd7 like your posts today and last week. Agree surprised evidence of tampering with Golden Knights and Marner. Good pointing out topic Maple Leafs and Brad Marchand. Maple Leafs have private investigator Yogi wanting answers 😂
Friedman who’s Toronto’s top priorty in this years UFA class, Sam Bennett. Oh wait he just signed with Florida. Friedman, who’s next on the list, Brad Marchand. Ok he’s now Toronto’s top priorty to sign. Oh wait, he just signed with. Yup now that’s tampering. I didn’t make the claims of tampering, but you might notice how quiet Vegas has been about it. My fun has been about the rumours. Marner has always been a gong show at contract time and for a while this contract might be different. Nope
I think the big flag is if Marner doesnt do a sign and trade with Vegas, and then they sign him anyway as a UFA. The optics can be they agreed on such a UFA contract when they were supposed to be discussing a contract as a re-signing.
Couldn’t agree more F7. Well summarized.
Credit where credit is due
Great signings: Knies, Geekie Giroux
Knies 82 G pace of 30-30, 6’3”, 230; and just 22
He’ll be in his prime in 4 years, top line winger making under $8 M when Cap is North of $120 M. In today’s Cap; is there a 25 year old 30-30 guy; with that size earning $6.1 M??
Geekie (same height, 205) coming off 82 game pace of 35G; in prime , and a C and W combo on his resume; just 26 yrs old
Both of those guys would have been contacted re offer sheets
Giroux and great leader is signed at $2 M with the rest appropriately done as PBs
Great signings
Assuming Giroux will continue to play as a RW, I suppose the question now is, on which line?
He has been a fixture on the 1st line alongside Tkachuk and Stutzle – and has been one of the more durable players on the team, missing just 1 game in 3 seasons – and that in the waning days of this past season to give him a bit of a break before the playoffs.
But has he reached the stage (turning 38 in January) where his minutes need to be cut back a notch?
I can see the 1st line consisting of Tkachuk – Stutzle – Batherson, with line 2 featuring Greig – Cozens – Zetterlund, with Perron – Pinto – Giroux forming line 3. Not a bad mix.
Line 4 remains a work in progress. If UFA Nick Cousins is re-signed he goes back to LW there with Amadio on the right side. But who’s the C? UFA Adam Gaudette, who wants a term deal, probably isn’t coming back, so that leaves possibly Highmore, or perhaps a UFA signing or another trade.
Stay Tuned.
Nice sign by Sweeney it was reported don’t know how true Geekie was looking for 6.5 per .. 16.5 million left in bank could grow by 3 million if they can move Korpisalo
Need another goal scorer.., a 2nd pairing Dman and sign Tanner J along with adding DiPierto goalie as backup ..
Doesn’t Ottawa pick up half of Korpisalo’s salary. If so 1.5 for a quality backup is pretty good
Don’t believe Ott picked up any of Korpisalo contract it shows 3 million on puckpedia … plus he wants to play and complained about it at seasons end
Joe, if you look up Ottawa at Puckpedia you’ll see that they withheld $1,000,000 of his deal, which still has 3 seasons to run.
The only way they can get out from under that is if Korpisalo is bought out at some point.
Joe why do you say that? He was buried in Buffalo.Played in the 4 nations tourney. Was a +7 in 18 games for that awful team at the end of the year. He handles the puck and passes better than Carlo ever did.Peeke should pick up more minutes.Got him for short money.
I’m sorry, but I just can’t figure out that whole Gulutzan to Dallas thing. Was Lindy Ruff not available? They fired DeBoer for this?
Lindy Ruff coaches the Sabres.
I had forgotten, and can’t believe, that Ruff is still coaching in the NHL. But my comment was obvious sarcasm and a reference to the fact that both those guys have been fired by the Stars. Hard to believe that they couldn’t do better than recycle a failed former coach.
Has Gallant been black listed?
Strongly agree. Maybe 11 years ago the conversation was. “I like you, Conan lookalike, but you’re just a pup. Go out and get some NHL experience and come see me in 10 years”.
I think I might have taken a chance with Manny Malholtra.
This was Mslhotra’s first season as head coach at any level. Even making him AHL head coach was a bit of a gamble, though he certainly made it worthwhile. He’s still pretty inexperienced for the NHL. I figure he’ll get a shot at an NHL head coach job in the next couple of seasons.
Howard how about Laviolette and Tortorella?
Veleno will lose $1.2 M on the buyout.
Certainly overpaid for performance at a Cap hit of $2.3 M
But some team can take a zero risk signing of him at League Min and/or a 2-way
League min can be fully buried
Only 25, C, 6’1”, 208; primed to prove himself worthy
1 year at league min is zero risk
This tampering is a bit of a joke. Every UFA has an agent that has been working on stuff for months. Every team is doing this.
Hard to believe that Barry Trots was able to have contract negotiations With Stamkos, Marchessault and Skjei all having clauses and have it tweeted out at 12:09 that all 3 were signed and here are the details just last year. I guess maybe how it worked out he should have maybe took a little more time lol.
That is just 1 example there are thousands over the years.
Yeah, forgot about that one.
If there was ever a case to be made for contract negotiations formally occurring before the deadline, that Nashville trio from last year is it.
I wonder what the under/over time is this year for new free agent signing details to come out. I bet some teams/GMs delay their formal announcements a bit more this year!
Players, agents and GMs talking isn’t tampering. Tampering is when definite numbers are presented. I believe the grey area is expressing interest in a specific player while he is still under contract but since agents represent many players, I’m sure agents (from what I’ve seen) talk up all their clients whether asked or not, might drop hints or discuss his clients potential future moves, like going to UFA or committed to resigning. And in that case, that is hardly tampering. That’s an agent sowing seeds in the event things change.
It’s laughable to think the Leafs should also be considered tampering when the media proclaims the Leafs want players x or have them in their radar, just like every player on trade boards or TDL acquisition have the Leafs as a potential fit.
The difference between jumping the gun by a few hours, that yes every team seems to do and Marners case, is that the tampering may have taken place during the season. Will the details come out, ask Bissenette. I just notice that there’s been no refutes by Toronto, Vegas or the NHL. Just a we’re investigating
I love that Staios has 18 under contract with 8 million left.
I grew way too used to the stress of Dorion’s “15 signed with 10 bucks left” almost every year.
Bruins .. looks like they signed their needed Dman Jokiharju although he’s not a 2nd pairing … their once substantial cap space has dwindled and the team looks the same at the end of last year as it does today …
That’s confirmed Joe – 3 years at $3 mil AAV. They also re-upped RFA Beecher for 1 year @ $900,000, and signed DiPietro to 2 years @ $812,500 per.
https://www.nhl.com/bruins/news/bruins-agree-to-terms-with-henri-jokiharju-john-beecher-and-michael-dipietro
Perhaps Korpisalo and his $3 mil cap hit is soon to be moved.
Right now they have $12,743,333 with which to sign 4 – so they’re not in bad shape in that regard. especially if all they take back for Korpisalo is a pick or prospect. That would give Sweeney $15.7 mil to go shopping.
George .. can’t see how they keep Korpisalo move for a draft pick ..just use DiPierto as backup .. 15 million can get a couple of pieces
Can’t do anything with Marchand.. he wants 8 million per for 3 years possibly 4 at 37 years old ..
DiPietro would be a great choice to drive a tank.