Notable NHL Free Agent Signings and Trades – July 1, 2026

by | Jul 1, 2026

Notable NHL Free Agent Signings and Trades – July 1, 2026

The Edmonton Oilers sign goaltender Frederik Andersen to a one-year contract with a $1 million base salary and $1.8 million performance bonus.

The Winnipeg Jets signed defenseman Mario Ferraro to a three-year contract worth an average annual value of $4 million

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the New Jersey Devils have signed Utah Mammoth restricted free agent forward Barrett Hayton to a one-year offer sheet worth $4.775 million. The Mammoth will receive the Devils’ 2027 second-round pick as compensation if they don’t match the offer within seven days.

The Utah Mammoth signs winger Anders Lee to a three-year contract worth an average annual value of $5.4 million.

The Edmonton Oilers sign defenseman Ryan Shea to a five-year contract worth an average annual value of $4 million.

The New York Rangers trade defenseman Will Borgen to the Boston Bruins in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick and a conditional third-rounder in 2028.

The New York Rangers acquire defenseman Marcus Pettersson from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2030 first-round pick (top-10 protected).

The Edmonton Oilers trade defenseman Darnell Nurse to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin and prospect blueliner Zack Sharp. The Oilers did not retain salary in this deal.

The New York Rangers trade center Vincent Trocheck to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for defenseman Sean Durzi, prospect center Cole Beaudoin, and a 2027 third-round draft pick.

The Washington Capitals sign Boone Jenner to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $5.75 million.

The Toronto Maple Leafs trade goaltender Dennis Hildeby, a 2027 fourth-round pick, and a 2028 third-round pick to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for forward Nick Paul.

The Boston Bruins trade goaltender Joonas Korpisalo to the New York Rangers for a fourth-round pick in 2028.

The Pittsburgh Penguins signed winger Andrei Kuzmenko to a one-year, $5 million contract.

The New York Rangers signed forward Oliver Bjorkstrand to a one-year, $4.5 million contract.

The Toronto Maple Leafs sign center Colton Sissons to a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $4.25 million.

The Toronto Maple Leafs sign goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky to a three-year deal worth an average annual value of $7 million.

The San Jose Sharks sign defenseman Jacob Trouba to a four-year contract worth an average annual value of $8.25 million.

Toronto Maple Leafs sign goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

The Winnipeg Jets sign goaltender Stuart Skinner to a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $3.75 million.

The Toronto Maple Leafs sign forward Jack Roslovic to a two-year contract with an AAV of $4 million.

The Colorado Avalanche sign forward Jaden Schwartz to a three-year contract worth an AAV of $3.25 million

The Florida Panthers re-sign forward Eetu Luostarinen to an eight-year contract worth an AAV of $5 million.

The Vegas Golden Knights re-sign defenseman Rasmus Andersson to a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $8.5 million.

The San Jose Sharks signed winger Mason Marchment to a five-year contract worth an average annual value of $7 million.

The Detroit Red Wings sign winger Viktor Arvidsson to a two-year contract worth an AAV of $5 million.

The Los Angeles Kings sign winger Mats Zuccarello to a one-year contract worth $1 million in base salary, along with a $5.5 million performance bonus. 

The Montreal Canadiens sign winger Ivan Demidov to an eight-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $9.125 million.

The Chicago Blackhawks sign defenseman Bowen Byram to a six-year, $75 million contract extension with an average annual value of $12.5 million.

The New Jersey Devils sign center Nico Hischier to a five-year, $58.5 million contract extension with an average annual value of $11.7 million.

The Dallas Stars trade forward Mavrik Bourque and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin to the Nashville Predators in exchange for a second-round pick in 2027 and a third-round pick in 2028.

The Florida Panthers sign Radko Gudas to a six-year contract with an AAV of $1.5 million.

The Toronto Maple Leafs trade winger Nick Robertson to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a fourth-round draft pick (year TBD).

Buffalo Sabres re-sign defenseman Olen Zellweger to a three-year, $9 million contract with an AAV of $3 million.

The Los Angeles Kings sign forward Erik Haula to a two-year contract with an AAV of $3.6 million.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 1, 2026

by | Jul 1, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 1, 2026

Reaction to the Devils’ trading Jacob Markstrom to the Panthers, the latest notable free-agent signings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW/FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The New Jersey Devils traded goaltender Jacob Markstrom and winger Angus Crookshank to the Florida Panthers for winger Evan Rodrigues, center Jesper Boqvist, and prospect Ben Steeves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Markstrom and Rodrigues are the main pieces of this trade.

New Jersey Devils trade goaltender Jacob Markstrom to the Florida Panthers (NHL Images).

The Panthers’ acquisition of Markstrom spells the end of Sergei Bobrovsky’s seven-year tenure as their starting goaltender. The 37-year-old netminder is departing as an unrestricted free agent after he and the Panthers failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension.

Some have suggested Bobrovsky might still return if he doesn’t find any suitable offers via free agency. That’s unlikely to happen, considering the Panthers also acquired backup goalie Akira Schmid earlier this week from the Vegas Golden Knights.

The 36-year-old Markstrom is in the first season of a two-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million. He is returning to the club where he began his NHL career in 2010-11, spending four seasons with the Panthers before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks.

Markstrom has had his ups and downs in recent years and is four years removed from being a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2022. Nevertheless, the Panthers appear confident that he’ll regain his form with their solid defensive system in front of him.

The Devils were seeking more depth to their forward lines. The 33-year-old Rodrigues should be a good addition to their middle-six lines. He has a year left on his deal with a cap hit of $3.075 million. Rodrigues steps up in postseason play, tallying 15 points in each of the Panthers’ Stanley Cup runs in 2024 and 2025.

Speaking of the Devils, they re-signed winger Arseny Gritsyuk to a three-year, $9.75 million contract. The average annual value is $3.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gritsyuk, 25, had a promising NHL debut last season with 31 points in 66 games.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL/PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Vegas Golden Knights traded defenseman Kaedan Korczak to the Pittsburgh Penguins for blueliner Parker Wotherspoon. The Penguins are retaining 50 percent of the 28-year-old Wotherspoon’s $1 million cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move is primarily a salary-cap dump by the Golden Knights, shedding Korczak’s $3.25 million AAV through 2029-30. The Penguins were willing to part with Wotherspoon for the 25-year-old Korczak because the latter is younger and plays a more physical style of defense.

Meanwhile, the Golden Knights re-signed defenseman Jeremy Lauzon to a six-year extension worth an AAV of $4 million. They also hired former Colorado Eagles head coach Mark Letestu as an assistant coach.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks signed forward A.J. Greer to a four-year, $17 million contract. The AAV is $4.25 million. Greer, 29, was acquired from the Florida Panthers in exchange for defenseman Radko Gudas on Monday.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Claude Giroux has informed the Senators that he will test the free-agent market today after their contract talks fell through.

Giroux, 38, has spent the past four seasons with the Senators. He’s left the door open to returning to Ottawa. Meanwhile, the Panthers and Montreal Canadiens could show some interest in him.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Senators re-signed forward Nick Cousins to a two-year, $3.175 million contract extension.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Alexander Steen has officially taken over from Doug Armstrong as the general manager of the St. Louis Blues. Armstrong remains with the Blues as president of hockey operations.

Meanwhile, the Blues bought out the final season of winger Jonathan Drouin’s contract, making him UFA-eligible on July 1.

TSN: The Utah Mammoth signed goaltender Sebastian Cossa to a two-year contract worth an AAV of $2 million. Cossa, 23, was acquired from the Detroit Red Wings on June 26.

The Minnesota Wild re-signed winger Bobby Brink to a one-year, $2.75 million contract.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: The Sabres hired former NHL winger Milan Lucic as a pro scout.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The immediate reaction to this on social media was, “What does former Sabres goalie Ryan Miller think about this?” Lucic ran over Miller during a game between the Sabres and Boston Bruins in November 2011.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 30, 2026

by | Jun 30, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 30, 2026

The Canucks acquire Brendan Gallagher and trade Nils Hoglander, Radko Gudas returns to the Panthers, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE/THE PROVINCE: The Montreal Canadiens traded Brendan Gallagher to the Vancouver Canucks for future considerations. The Canadiens also retained 50 percent of the 34-year-old winger’s $6.5 million cap hit for 2026-27.

Montreal Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After 14 seasons, Gallagher no longer fit into the Canadiens’ system. The club did right by him by trading him to a team he wanted to join. He’ll bring grit, experience, and leadership to the rebuilding Canucks. Gallagher also has a connection with Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra, as the two were teammates with the Canadiens during the latter’s final season as a player in 2014-15.

THE PROVINCE/THE TENNESSEAN: Speaking of the Canucks, they traded winger Nils Hoglander to the Nashville Predators for a third-round pick in 2029.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hoglander, 25, tallied a career-high 24 goals in 2023-24, but he struggled to regain that form in 2024-25 and missed most of last season with a lower-body injury. The winger has two years left on his contract with an average annual value of $3 million.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW/THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Florida Panthers acquired Radko Gudas from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for the contract rights of pending free-agent forward A.J. Greer.

Gudas played three seasons with the Panthers from 2020-21 to 2022-23 before departing for the Ducks as a free agent in 2023. Over the past two seasons, he served as the Ducks’ captain.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers appear to be adding more grit and snarl to a lineup that already has plenty of it. However, the 36-year-old Gudas’ performance isn’t at the same level it was during his previous tenure in Florida. His knee-on-knee hit on Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews ended the latter’s season, earning him a five-game suspension and condemnation from NHL fans.

Greer could replace some of Gudas’ physicality if the Ducks can sign him before the free-agent market opens on Wednesday. He’s completing a two-year contract with an AAV of $850,000.

TSN/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Panthers also acquired goaltender Akira Schmid from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for a 2028 third-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Pierre LeBrun believes the Panthers are bringing in Schmid to replace pending UFA backup goalie Daniil Tarasov. They are still believed to be in contract talks with starter Sergei Bobrovsky.

Schmid was third on the Golden Knights’ depth chart, behind Carter Hart and Adin Hill. Some pundits had suggested that Hill might become a trade candidate, but his struggles last season, his 10-team trade list, and his $6.25 million AAV through 2030-31 make him difficult to move.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Tampa Bay Lightning aren’t expected to sign forwards Corey Perry and Oliver Bjorkstrand to new contracts, making them eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

TORONTO SUN/TSN: The Maple Leafs opted not to qualify the rights of winger Matias Maccelli, making him UFA-eligible on July 1. They signed defenseman Troy Stecher to a two-year, $2.7 million contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs acquired Maccelli last summer to fill the gap at right wing following the departure of Mitch Marner. He had a disappointing performance this season, with 14 goals and 25 assists for 39 points in 71 games. Qualifying the 25-year-old’s rights would’ve cost $4.11 million.

THE HOCKEY NEWS/DAILY FACEOFF/PUCKPEDIA: The Utah Mammoth signed winger Kailer Yamamoto to a two-year, $1.75 million contract extension and inked defenseman Nick DeSimone to a two-year, $2 million deal. 

Meanwhile, Barrett Hayton becomes the first player this summer to file for salary arbitration. By doing so, the 25-year-old center is ineligible to receive an offer sheet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: PuckPedia has corrected this. It’s the Mammoth taking Hayton to arbitration, not the other way around. Because it’s a club-elected arbitration, he’s still eligible to receive an offer sheet. 

THE WINNIPEG SUN/PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Winnipeg Jets traded forward David Gustafsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Jack St. Ivany.

THE ATHLETIC: The Minnesota Wild did not qualify the rights of Bobby Brink. However, they’re working to re-sign the 24-year-old winger before his UFA eligibility on July 1. He’s coming off a two-year contract with an AAV of $1.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild acquired Brink from the Philadelphia Flyers at the March trade deadline. He had arbitration rights, which the Wild want to avoid.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators have not qualified the rights of winger Arthur Kaliyev, making him UFA-eligible on July 1.

DAILY FACEOFF: Other notable players whose rights weren’t qualified include Samuel Ersson of the Ottawa Senators, Joe Veleno of the Montreal Canadiens, Paul Cotter of the New Jersey Devils, Jordan Harris of the Boston Bruins, Philip Tomasino of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Philipp Kurashev of the San Jose Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators are believed to be negotiating a new contract with Ersson.

MAYOR’S MANOR: The Los Angeles Kings added Phil Housley, Chris Hajt, and Ray Whitney to their coaching staff.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 29, 2026

by | Jun 29, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 29, 2026

The latest contract signings and news in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Philadelphia Flyers were closing in on a new contract for goaltender Dan Vladar.

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar (NHL Images).

Vladar, 28, has completed the first season of a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.35 million. He is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

According to LeBrun, Vladar’s new contract will be a five-year, $27.5 million extension worth an average annual value of $5.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vladar spent five seasons as a backup with the Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames before signing with the Flyers last summer. He thrived as their starting goalie, posting a 29-14-7 record in 52 games with a 2.42 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage as he backstopped the Flyers into their first postseason since 2020. Vladar also had a solid playoff performance, finishing with a 2.18 GAA, a .922 SP, and two shutouts.

LeBrun also reported that pending unrestricted free agent Vladimir Tarasenko is heading to market on July 1. The 34-year-old winger played for the Minnesota Wild last season, finishing with 23 goals and 24 assists for 47 points in 75 games. He also had five points in 11 postseason contests.

Tarasenko recently changed agents and is now represented by Dan Milstein. LeBrun stated that Milstein had permission to speak directly to teams before the free-agent market opens on Wednesday.

However, Michael Russo of The Athletic reported that the Wild had not permitted Milstein to speak with other clubs. Russo also said the league recently warned all teams that they cannot give blanket permission for UFAs to do this. The sole exception is when the player’s contract rights have been traded to another team, which would allow the acquiring team to speak with the player.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators signed center Jack Drury to a five-year, $22.5 million contract, with an AAV of $4.5 million.

Drury, 26, was acquired last week from the Colorado Avalanche. He was coming off a three-year contract with an AAV of $1.75 million and was due to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Drury is expected to center the Predators’ third line next season. His new AAV will likely set the standard for comparable players around the league.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks signed defenseman Michael Kesselring to a three-year contract with an AAV of $4.5 million.

Kesselring, 26, was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres on June 17. He’s completed a two-year contract with a $1.4 million AAV and was due to become an RFA with arbitration rights on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kesselring is coming off an injury-shortened season in which his playing time was reduced. He’ll get an opportunity to earn second-pairing minutes with the rebuilding Sharks.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Buffalo Sabres are reportedly finalizing a new contract for Beck Malenstyn. The 28-year-old winger will sign a six-year deal worth an AAV of $3 million.

Malenstyn is completing a two-year contract with an AAV of $1.35 million. A physical, swift-skating checking-line forward, he is slated to become a UFA on July 1.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 28, 2026

by | Jun 28, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 28, 2026

The highlights from the second and final day of the 2026 Draft are in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins selecting Markus Ruck with the 39th overall pick was the notable highlight from the second day of the 2026 NHL Draft. Ruck’s twin brother, Liam, was chosen at No. 22 in the first round on Friday.

Liam and Markus Ruck (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whether the Ruck twins would end up on the same team was among the big questions heading into this draft. It seemed that hope was dashed when Liam was taken by the Penguins in the first round, leaving them facing the possibility that they would be split up for the first time in their young hockey careers before the Penguins chose Markus.

The Ruck twins being on the same NHL franchise have drawn comparisons to Hall of Famers Daniel and Henrik Sedin, who were selected by the Vancouver Canucks in 1999. Time will tell if they go on to have great careers like the Sedins.

Several prospects in this year’s draft have NHL bloodlines.

Vancouver Canucks first-round pick (third overall) Caleb Malhotra is the son of former NHL player and current Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra. Wyatt Cullen, chosen 10th overall by the Nashville Predators, is the son of former forward Matt Cullen.

St. Louis Blues prospect center Maddox Dagenais (16th overall) is the son of former forward Pierre Dagenais. Anaheim Ducks first-rounder (28th overall) Marcus Nordmark is the son of former defenseman Robert Nordmark. Detroit Red Wings prospect Victor Plante (chosen 47th overall) is the son of former center Derek Plante.

Calgary Flames winger Joe Iginla (65th overall) is the son of Hall of Fame winger Jarome Iginla. Montreal Canadiens prospect winger Parker Trottier (189th overall) is the grandson of Hall of Fame center Bryan Trottier.

A record-setting four players were from Latvia: Alberts Smits (No. 5 by the New York Rangers), Rudolfs Berzkains (No. 58 by the Edmonton Oilers), Patriks Plumins (No. 114 by the Toronto Maple Leafs), and Oliver Murnieks (No. 124 by the Buffalo Sabres).

San Jose Sharks prospect defenseman Alexander Karmanov (201st overall) is the tallest player ever selected in an NHL draft. The 18-year-old is 7’1” and weighs 280 pounds.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow this link for the complete list of picks from every round of the 2026 NHL Draft.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: The Carolina Hurricanes acquired the contract rights of defenseman John Carlson from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a sixth-rounder in this year’s draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carlson is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He’d already informed the Ducks that he intended to sign with an Eastern club. The Hurricanes have his exclusive negotiating rights until noon ET on Wednesday.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy said Jonathan Huberdeau has returned to skating and is trending toward being ready for training camp in September. The 33-year-old winger underwent season-ending hip resurfacing in March.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars GM Jim Nill said forward Radek Faksa underwent surgery to repair a foot injury he suffered during this season. He also said that forward Tyler Seguin is continuing his rehab from a season-ending ACL tear suffered in December.

Both players are expected to be ready for training camp in September.

TORONTO SUN/THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Maple Leafs traded defenseman Brandon Carlo to the St. Louis Blues for two third-round picks in this year’s draft.

The Leafs moved Carlo because he didn’t have the impact the club desired when they acquired him from the Boston Bruins at the March 2025 trade deadline. He’ll get a fresh start in St. Louis, where he’ll be insurance in case promising blueliner Adam Jiricek isn’t ready to make the jump to the NHL next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The move also freed up salary cap space for the Maple Leafs, giving them over $22 million to put toward other moves via the trade and free-agent markets.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW/COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins traded forward Fabian Lysell to the Colorado Avalanche for forward Ivan Ivan.

NEW YORK POST/THE TENNESSEAN: The Rangers trade forward Adam Edstrom to the Predators in exchange for the No. 148 pick in this year’s draft and prospect Massimo Rizzo.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 27, 2026

by | Jun 27, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 27, 2026

Check out the latest from the opening day of the Draft, including the latest on Zach Werenski, Connor Hellebuyck, Drew Doughty, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

MCKENNA CHOSEN FIRST OVERALL IN 2026 NHL DRAFT

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs selected Penn State University winger Gavin McKenna with the first-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft on Friday evening in Buffalo.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise here, as it was widely anticipated that the Maple Leafs would take McKenna with this pick. The 18-year-old winger is projected to become an elite scoring forward and could be a future franchise player for the Leafs.

The San Jose Sharks chose forward Ivar Stenberg of SHL club Frolunda with the second-overall pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks general manager Mike Grier said he received an “interesting offer” for that pick, but it evidently wasn’t a strong enough pitch to pry this pick away. Stenberg could go on to become a key piece of the rebuilding Sharks, who are building what could be one of the best teams in the league by 2030.

The Sharks had two other picks in this round, selecting defensemen Keaton Verhoeff at No. 9 and Ryan Lin at No. 21.

The Vancouver Canucks chose center Caleb Malhotra with the third overall pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Malhotra is the son of Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra, but that’s not the main reason why they chose him. He’s projected to become a first-line center because of his skills and hockey sense.

The Canucks had a second pick in this round, choosing winger Adam Novotny at No. 24.

The Sharks and Canucks weren’t the only teams with multiple picks in this round.

The St. Louis Blues chose centers Tynan Lawrence at No. 11 and Maddox Dagenais at No. 16.

The Buffalo Sabres selected defenseman Daxon Rudolph at No. 4 and center Ilya Morozov at No. 20.

The Calgary Flames picked defenseman Carson Carels at No. 6 and center Jack Hextall at No. 30.

The Nashville Predators chose forward Wyatt Cullen (No. 10) and defenseman Tommy Bleyl (No. 31).

The Anaheim Ducks selected forwards Nikita Klepov (No. 15) and Marcus Nordmark (No. 28).

The Ottawa Senators picked forwards Jonas Lagerberg Hoen (No. 25) and Jaxon Cover (No. 32).

Follow the link above for the entire list of the first round and analysis of each selection.

DAILY FACEOFF: Steven Ellis has Vancouver Giants winger Mathis Preston, Medicine Hat Tigers center Markus Ruck, and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada defenseman Xavier Villeneuve among his top-30 prospects available heading into the second day of the NHL Draft.

The second day of the draft begins Saturday at 11 AM ET.

THE LATEST ON ZACH WERENSKI, CONNOR HELLEBUYCK, DREW DOUGHTY, AND JORDAN BINNINGTON

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reported Friday evening that the Columbus Blue Jackets have started fielding calls from other clubs interested in defenseman Zach Werenski. The 28-year-old Norris Trophy winner is not expected to extend his contract, which expires in 2028.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: During the draft, ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko is not going to sign a contract extension.

These reports about Werenski and Marchenko are a double whammy for the Blue Jackets at a time when they were hoping to build on two promising seasons in which they narrowly missed the playoffs. I’ll have more about these two players in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TSN: Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said his club is listening to calls about goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. However, he wouldn’t confirm if the three-time Vezina Trophy winner has requested a trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck has been a fixture in the rumor mill over the past two weeks. I’ll have more in today’s Rumor Mill.

MAYOR’S MANOR: Los Angeles Kings GM Ken Holland said his club will not be signing long-time defenseman Drew Doughty to a contract extension this summer. The 36-year-old Doughty has a year remaining on his contract.

Holland said Doughty loves it in Los Angeles and wants to remain with the Kings. They have agreed to wait and see how this season plays out. He also said he told the veteran blueliner not to bother submitting a no-trade list, adding that nothing was going to happen unless he and Doughty decide that it’s something that needs to happen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Doughty has spent his entire 18-season NHL career with the Kings, helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014. He won the Norris Trophy in 2016.

Holland is leaving the door open for Doughty to remain with the Kings beyond next season. Based on his comments, he’s not shopping Doughty, nor has the blueliner requested a trade.

THE ATHLETIC’s Jeremy Rutherford believes Jordan Binnington will start next season with the St. Louis Blues. The 32-year-old goaltender has a year left on his contract and is unlikely to get an extension with the Blues.

Nevertheless, Binnington is motivated for a bounce-back performance, which will help the Blues next season. Rutherford also believes that he wouldn’t yield a return that would make it worth breaking up the Blues’ goalie tandem.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Binnington’s been mentioned a lot this season as a trade candidate. The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers were among the clubs he’s been linked to in the rumor mill, but it sounds like any team that’s interested in him would have to overpay to get him.

OTHER NOTABLE HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Bill Guerin of the Minnesota Wild is the 2026 winner of the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award.

DAILY FACEOFF: Carolina Hurricanes forwards Seth Jarvis and Eric Robinson underwent successful surgeries. Both will be sidelined for significant periods. Jarvis will require four to six months to recover from shoulder surgery, while Robinson will need six to eight weeks to recover from knee surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robinson should be ready for training camp in September, but Jarvis is going to miss at least the first month of the regular season.

LOS ANGELES TIMES: The Kings signed defenseman Brandt Clarke to a five-year contract worth an average annual value of $7.4 million starting in 2026-27. Clarke, 23, is completing his entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Clarke had a career-best performance this season, finishing with 32 points in 81 games to sit fourth among the Kings’ leading scorers. He was third in the league with 185 blocked shots.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche signed Brent Burns to a one-year, bonus-laden contract with a base salary of $850,000 and $3 million in bonuses. They also re-signed blueliner Brett Kulak to a five-year deal worth an AAV of $4.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Burns’ signing was a sensible one for a 41-year-old defenseman. Kulak’s, on the other hand, is a risky move for a 32-year-old depth blueliner. That deal probably won’t age well.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators signed defenseman Jordan Spence to a four-year contract worth an AVV of $5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a good move by the Senators. Spence, 25, is coming off a career-best 31-point performance and will provide them with invaluable depth and skill on the right side of their blueline. He’s coming into his own as a top-four defenseman.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The New York Islanders signed defenseman Tony DeAngelo to a two-year extension worth an AAV of $4.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeAngelo had 35 points last season with the Isles. He’ll remain on the second-pairing right-side role with Adam Pelech.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens Hall of Famer Yvan Cournoyer has been appointed to the Order of Canada. It is the country’s highest civilian honor.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Roadrunner!