The Flyers re-sign Jamie Drysdale, Wild coach thinks Quinn Hughes will stay in Minnesota, the top remaining UFAs, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I will be taking time off on Sunday, July 19. The next update to this site will be Monday, July 20. And now, on to this morning’s notable NHL headlines.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers avoided salary arbitration with Jamie Drysdale, signing the 24-year-old defenseman to a four-year contract worth an average annual value of $6.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Drysdale is coming off a three-year contract that he signed with the Anaheim Ducks worth an AAV of $2.3 million. AFP Analytics projected he’d receive a six-year contract with an AAV of $7.29 million.

Drysdale had a career-best performance last season, with eight goals and 24 assists for 32 points. He’s getting a substantial raise as a result of shaking off a period of uncertainty earlier in his career due to injuries that hampered his development.

THE MINNESOTA STAR TRIBUNE: Wild head coach John Hynes remains “very optimistic” that Quinn Hughes will sign a contract extension.

The Wild acquired the 26-year-old superstar defenseman in a blockbuster trade last December.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

“I think he really enjoys Minnesota,” Hynes said. “He enjoys the team. He’s got a good relationship with (general manager Bill Guerin), myself, the coaches, and I think he feels like he’s got good teammates. He had very good success. Obviously, he’s a very good player. But since he’s been with us, he’s been very successful from an individual standpoint, which has certainly helped our team.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes helped the Wild have one of their best seasons in franchise history. They had their fourth-best regular-season performance with 104 points and won their first playoff series in 11 years.

Hughes has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $7.875 million. As a recent winner of the James Norris Memorial Trophy and one of the league’s elite stars, he will pursue a significant raise.

With Leo Carlsson’s new contract setting the benchmark for the league’s highest-paid players in terms of AAV ($18 million), Hughes can justify seeking more than that.

Last month, Wild owner Craig Leipold publicly declared that his club will sign Hughes to a contract extension. That was before Carlsson’s contract blew up the market. With superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov earning $17 million annually on his new contract, the Wild are looking at investing heavily in two superstars.

Assuming Hughes agrees to $18 million annually to stay in Minnesota, they’re looking at $35 million invested in two players. Even with the salary cap rising considerably for the foreseeable future, Kaprizov and Hughes would still be eating up a big chunk of the Wild’s cap payroll.

DAILY FACEOFF: Forwards Patrick Kane, Patrik Laine, and defenseman Logan Stanley top the list of the best players still available in this summer’s UFA market.

Wingers Vladimir Tarasenko, Michael Bunting, and Eeli Tolvanen, goaltender Cam Talbot, defensemen John Klingberg and Nick Blankenburg, and winger James van Riemsdyk round out the top 10.

Others include goaltender Connor Ingram, wingers David Perron and Jonathan Drouin, center Adam Henrique, defenseman Carson Soucy, and goalie James Riemer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane is reportedly set to choose between returning to the Chicago Blackhawks and joining his hometown club, the Buffalo Sabres.

There’s been little news about possible destinations for the remaining players on that list. Some will likely end up with new NHL teams this season on cheap one-year contracts. Others will try to keep their NHL careers alive by signing professional tryout offers in September.

Feel free to make your best guesses as to where these players might end up in the comment section below.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers head equipment manager Teddy Richards has been suspended by the club after his arrest on Friday on one count of domestic violence and one count of unauthorized use of 911 services.

In a statement, the Panthers indicated that Richards is suspended from “all team activities and facilities pending investigation.”

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The NHL revealed its official logo for the 2027 All-Star Weekend at UBS Arena on Long Island. The New York Islanders will be hosting the event on Feb. 5 and 6.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks hired Ryan Papaioannou as head coach of the AHL affiliate in Abbotsford. He replaces Manny Malhotra, who was promoted to Canucks head coach last month.

Papaioannou spent last season as head coach of the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers, who were affiliated with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He guided the Nailers to an ECHL Northern Division title and reached the Eastern Conference Final.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Nailers, they are no longer affiliated with the Penguins. Their new ownership has opted to be affiliated with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades, ending a 29-year relationship with the Nailers and the city of Wheeling, WV.

SJ HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks hired Jeff Kealty as their new assistant general manager. Kealty spent over two decades with the Nashville Predators as a scout, assistant GM, and head of professional scouting.

COL HOCKEY NOW: The Colorado Avalanche named Jussi Ahokas as the new head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles.

Ahokas spent the last three seasons as head coach of the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers. He was named OHL Coach of the Year in 2024-25. This season, he guided the club to the OHL and Memorial Cup Championships.