NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 10, 2026

by | Jul 10, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 10, 2026

Leo Carlsson is staying with the Ducks, Red Wings center Dylan Larkin slightly expands his trade list, Sharks center Macklin Celebrini receives the top individual international hockey award, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE DUCKS MATCH THE FLYERS’ OFFER SHEET FOR LEO CARLSSON

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER/PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Anaheim Ducks matched the Philadelphia Flyers’ offer sheet to center Leo Carlsson, making him the highest-paid player in the NHL this season.

Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (NHL Images)

Carlsson, 21, was a restricted free agent lacking arbitration rights after completing his entry-level contract. His new deal is for five years, with a league-leading average annual value of $18 million, the largest in league history.

More than 40 percent of the $90 million contract will be paid out in signing bonuses.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carlsson got a $19.5 million signing bonus for this season. He’ll get $18.1 million in 2027-28, $17.050 million in 2028-29, $15.2 million in 2029-30, and $15 million in 2030-31.

Forget about the recent grumbling over no-trade/no-movement clauses. That isn’t a hill the NHL will die on in the next round of collective bargaining in 2030. Signing bonuses will be the real bone of contention. Expect those to be capped in the next CBA.

DAILY FACEOFF: Carlsson said he’s happy that the Ducks matched the Flyers’ offer.

“It was an offer that 99% of people would sign too,” Carlsson said. “It’s a pretty simple answer. I really wanted to be here, though. I really wanted them to match. I wanted to be an Anaheim Duck.”

Carlsson also said he spoke with his Ducks teammates, who were supportive of his decision.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most observers expected Anaheim to match the offer. Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek is publicly pleased to retain Carlsson, but his lack of foresight in this situation has significant salary-cap consequences for his club.

Keeping Carlsson screws up the Ducks’ salary cap for this season, leaving little space to re-sign high-scoring winger Cutter Gauthier and to bolster their young blueline. It will also affect their cap plans throughout Carlsson’s contract, potentially hampering their development as a future Stanley Cup contender.

However, not matching the offer would’ve cost them their first-line center, setting them back for a few years as they tried to find a suitable replacement.

Some observers suggested using the four compensatory first-round picks they would’ve received from the Flyers as trade bait to address that issue. That’s much easier said than done, and anyone they find might not adequately replace Carlsson.

Where do both teams go from here? Find out in my NHL Rumor Mill.

IN OTHER NEWS…

MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan reports Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin has expanded his list of trade destinations to include the Dallas Stars. However, the Red Wings would prefer that he include some other options.

Larkin’s request for a trade was reported a month ago. His original list includes the Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, and Florida Panthers.

Khan cited a league source claiming the Red Wings had trade discussions with the Stars. They asked for young center Wyatt Johnston in return, but there was no chance of that happening.

It’s believed the Stars offered up winger Jason Robertson, but he’d had to agree to sign a long-term contract with the Red Wings. There’s no reason to believe he will do that after rejecting a long-term offer from the Seattle Kraken worth $15 million annually, and it’s unlikely the Red Wings will pay him that much.

Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman wants young NHL talent in return for Larkin. He’s not interested in a return of draft picks and prospects unless he can turn that return into assets that can help the Wings right away.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Khan believes that if a deal could’ve been had to send Larkin to Minnesota, Vegas, or Florida, it would’ve happened by now. He thinks it could take a three-team deal to pull this off, or Larkin expanding his list of destinations further.

IIHF.COM: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini has been voted the IIHF’s Male Player of the Year for 2025-26. Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck finished second in the voting, with Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho finishing third.

Celebrini led the 2026 Olympics with five goals and was second in points with 11. He later played in the World Championship, finishing second in scoring and being named the tournament’s top forward. In the NHL, he finished fourth in scoring with 115 points, the third-highest by a teenager after Wayne Gretzky (137 points) and Sidney Crosby (120).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This won’t be the only individual hardware Celebrini will receive in his professional career. The kid is something special and will be a contender for the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Art Ross Trophy in the coming years.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils captain Nico Hischier is being lauded for his role in rescuing a family in distress from a river in Switzerland.

Hischier downplayed his role in the rescue, crediting others who joined him in helping the family until first responders arrived. No one was hurt in the ordeal.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER/TSN: Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon is facing criticism for having his name and that of his wife and five school-age children engraved on the Stanley Cup.

The Dundon family took up the first two lines etched into the side of the Cup to commemorate the Hurricanes winning the NHL championship in 2025-26.

SPORTSNET: The Dundons aren’t the only family members to be engraved on the Cup. In 2024 and 2025, Florida Panthers owner Vinnie Viola included his wife, Teresa, and their three sons. Penny Vinik, the then-wife of Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeffrey Vinik, had her name engraved on the Cup.

In 1984, Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington had his father’s name etched on the Cup, but it was later covered with Xs because he had nothing to do with the championship.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is an embarrassment for the NHL and the Hockey Hall of Fame. Whoever approved this should be sacked.

Tom Dundon is the only member of his family who has any official role with the team. His wife and children do not. Like Basil Pocklington with the 1984 Oilers, they had nothing to do with the Hurricanes’ championship.

Dundon’s name should be on the Stanley Cup as the club’s owner. The rest of his family doesn’t belong there.

As for the other families, they are there because the spouses and adult children held official roles with those teams.

Viola’s wife is the co-owner of the Panthers, as was Vinik’s then-wife in 2021. Viola’s sons also have roles within the Panthers’ organization.

The Illich family have their names engraved on the Cup commemorating the Red Wings’ 2007-08 championship. Like the Violas, they also had official roles within the franchise.

The league and the HHoF can easily fix this by making a rule that only the primary owner of the team will have their name engraved on the Cup. But of course, they won’t do that because it would upset the team owners.

TSN: Haley Wickenheiser announced she is no longer working for the Toronto Maple Leafs. She’d served as their assistant general manager in charge of player development since 2018.

SPORTSNET: The Maple Leafs named Steve Sullivan as the new head coach of their AHL franchise, the Toronto Marlies. He replaced John Gruden, who was promoted to assistant coach with the Leafs.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators avoided salary arbitration with forward Xavier Bourgault, signing him to a one-year, two-way contract worth $850,000 at the NHL level.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 9, 2026

by | Jul 9, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 9, 2026

Blackhawks center Connor Bedard is sidelined again, the Mammoth match Barrett Hayton’s contract offer from the Devils, the Canadiens make a change to their coaching staff, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Connor Bedard had surgery on his left shoulder on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old Blackhawks center suffered the injury during on-ice training last week in Vancouver. He is expected to be sidelined for four months.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (NHL Images)

Bedard injured his right shoulder during a game last December, but didn’t require surgery. He missed about a month of action and was at less than 100 percent for another month or so following his return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a significant setback for Bedard and for the Blackhawks. As their franchise player, he was to play the key role in management’s plan to push the club into playoff contention this season.

The report suggests Frank Nazar and rookie Anton Frondell will likely start the season centering the Blackhawks’ top two lines until Bedard’s return in mid-November.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Utah Mammoth matched the one-year, $4.775 million offer sheet that center Barrett Hayton signed with the New Jersey Devils on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hayton, 26, is expected to center the Mammoth’s third line. He is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July, but the Mammoth can sign him to an extension starting on Jan. 1. Because they matched the offer sheet, they cannot trade him for one year.

The Devils attempted to acquire Hayton through a trade, but those talks broke down. They were hoping that the decline in his production and playing time last season, combined with his UFA eligibility next summer, would make the Mammoth less inclined to match their offer.

Mammoth general manager Bill Armstrong said there were no hard feelings between him and Devils GM Sunny Mehta over Hayton’s offer sheet.

“It’s just business. Players want to get paid; they want to make as much money as they can in their lifetime. We get it,” Armstrong said. He also said there were no hard feelings toward Hayton for accepting the Devils’ offer.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens hired Derek Lalonde to replace Trevor Letowski on their coaching staff.

Lalonde was head coach of the Detroit Red Wings from 2022 to 2024. He won two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning as an assistant coach. Lalonde spent last season as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Letowski has been with the Canadiens’ coaching staff since 2021-22. He’s stepping away to spend more time with his family, but the Canadiens hope to keep him in the organization.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau believes the Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, and Dallas Stars have done little to improve their rosters thus far in this offseason.

The three clubs dominated the Central Division last season and were considered Stanley Cup contenders.

The Avalanche’s forward groups have taken a step backward, with their fourth line especially weak. The Stars made no significant additions, traded away Mavrik Bourque, and are trying to re-sign Jason Robertson with just $9.8 million in salary-cap space. The Wild have made some depth moves to replace departed veterans Mats Zuccarello, Marcus Johansson, and Vladimir Tarasenko, but they still lack a true first-line center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Of those three teams, the Avalanche will likely suffer the biggest decline. I’ll go as far as to say that their Stanley Cup window is closing. They got older this summer, not better.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The New York Islanders are making NHL history by allowing their fans to play a role in designing the club’s third jersey.

Fans have until July 24 to submit their designs before the organization lets the fans vote on their five favorites. The winner of the competition will get a ticket to the game in which the team wears their designed jersey for the first time.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 8, 2026

by | Jul 8, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 8, 2026

A list of the notable players still available in the UFA market, Daniel Alfredsson joins the Maple Leafs coaching staff, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Several notable players remain unsigned a week into the unrestricted free-agent market.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

Patrick Kane, Anthony Mantha, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Patrik Laine are among the noteworthy forwards. Defensemen include John Klingberg and Logan Stanley, while Cam Talbot is the most notable goaltender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All of these players are now past their prime as stars, but some of them could be affordable depth additions.

Mantha is hoping to leverage a career-best performance (33 goals, 64 points) into a lucrative long-term contract, but his inconsistency and injury history could explain why he’s still unsigned.

Massimo De Luca-Taronno of The Winnipeg Sun recently reported the Jets could consider adding some secondary scoring depth, mentioning Mantha and Laine (a former Jet) as possible options.

MLive.com’s Ansar Khan reports the Detroit Red Wings would like to bring back Kane for another season. They reportedly still have an offer on the table, but it appears he’s looking at other options, including his hometown club, the Buffalo Sabres.

OTTAWA SUN: Former Senators captain and Hall of Famer Daniel Alfredsson has joined the Toronto Maple Leafs as an associate coach. Alfredsson was an assistant coach for the Senators from 2023-24 to 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Alfredsson’s signing surprised fans of both clubs, who remember his role as captain of the Senators in “The Battle of Ontario” between the two teams in postseason competition from the late 1990s to the early 2000s.

It’s believed that former Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin, the Leafs’ new Senior Executive Advisor of Hockey Operations, played a role in bringing Alfredsson to Toronto. While the two had their on-ice battles, they are good friends off the ice.

Speaking of the Senators, they officially announced Claude Giroux’s new one-year contract on Tuesday. The deal has a $2 million base salary, with an additional $3 million in performance bonuses.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators hired Vukie Mpofu as assistant general manager.

Mpofu spent the past three seasons as director of hockey operations for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Before that, he was the manager of hockey operations for the Los Angeles Kings (2021-2023) and the Vegas Golden Knights (2020).

THE PROVINCE/CALGARY SUN: Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver and Sportsnet 960 in Calgary were shut down on Tuesday by Rogers Sports and Media, along with four other stations across Canada.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: AM talk radio has been dying in recent years as listeners turn to podcasts and other sources for sports news and information. Nevertheless, it’s a devastating blow to the respective staff of both stations. My thoughts are with those folks who lost their jobs yesterday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 7, 2026

by | Jul 7, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 7, 2026

The Flames re-sign Simon Nemec, plus the latest on the Senators and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed Simon Nemec to a five-year contract with an average annual value of $7.25 million. They acquired the 22-year-old defenseman from the New Jersey Devils on June 23.

Calgary Flames defenseman Simon Nemec (NHL Images).

Nemec had completed his entry-level contract and lacked arbitration rights. His deal is comparable to the five-year contract ($7.2 million AAV) signed by Anaheim Ducks blueliner Pavel Mintyukov and the five-year deal ($7.4 million AAV) inked by Brandt Clarke with the Los Angeles Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nemec was the subject of frequent trade speculation last season because of his contract status amid rumors his camp would seek a deal similar to the seven-year deal ($9 million AAV) signed by Devils rearguard Luke Hughes last October.

Nemec’s new contract is less than Hughes’ deal, but he reportedly didn’t need much convincing to accept the Flames’ offer.

The Flames have over $14 million in cap space for this season. They have plenty of room to make more additions. However, Nemec will likely be this rebuilding club’s most significant addition this summer.

OTTAWA SUN: Claude Giroux is reportedly returning to the Senators for another season. Reports on Monday night indicated the 38-year-old forward was closing in on a one-year deal with the Senators.

On Friday, it was reported that Giroux was on the verge of returning to the Philadelphia Flyers. However, his representatives stomped the brakes on that news, saying their client hadn’t made a decision yet and a return to the Senators remained possible.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Giroux may have been close to signing with the Flyers. However, their stunning signing of Ducks center Leo Carlsson on Friday may have put those plans on hold, forcing him to reconsider his options.

Having traded away Brady Tkachuk, Giroux’s return ensures that they will have some leadership continuity this season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of Brady Tkachuk, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said his podcast with his brother (Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk) became a contentious issue in the Senators’ dressing room during Tkachuk’s final weeks in Ottawa.

“It was time to end the noise around the whole situation,” Friedman said. “Post-Olympics, it was time. A lot was going on, and the players were tired of it.” He said one of the Senators’ players reached out to him, saying the podcast (“Wingmen”) caused some problems.”

The main issue was when Keith Tkachuk joined his sons on their Apr. 1 episode. He made disparaging remarks about some of Brady’s teammates, particularly goaltender Linus Ullmark.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stories about Tkachuk’s relationship with his Senators’ teammates have spilled out following the trade, though none of those players have publicly criticized him since his departure.

Nevertheless, some observers noted that the Senators played better last season when Tkachuk was sidelined for 20 games with an injured thumb. That’s sparked some predictions that they’ll improve without him, though that will once again largely depend on their goaltending.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Alexander Ovechkin is returning with the Washington Capitals for another season, but he’s not saying if it will be his final one.

Ovechkin acknowledged his age, pointing out that he’ll be 41 when the regular season begins in October. Ultimately, he said it will be up to his family if he plays beyond this season.

SPORTSNET: Frederik Andersen rejects the notion that his injury history will hamper his performance with the Edmonton Oilers this season. The former Carolina Hurricanes goaltender inked a one-year deal with the Oilers last week.

Andersen said he tweaked his knee during Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. However, he said the injury is of little concern, and he’ll be ready when training camp begins in September.

SPORTSNET: Rogers Communications Inc. has signed a deal to purchase the remaining 25 percent stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) from Kilmer Sports Inc. for $4.35 billion.

MLSE owns the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, MSL’s Toronto FC, and the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 6, 2026

by | Jul 6, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 6, 2026

In today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines: Stars winger Jason Robertson is among the 15 players who filed for salary arbitration, the Ducks re-sign defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, and the Penguins re-up four players.

NHLPA.COM: 15 players elected salary arbitration before Sunday’s 5 pm ET deadline.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson is the most notable player to do so. Others include Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale and winger Trevor Zegras, Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves, Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Perfetti, and New York Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images).

The other nine players include Xavier Bourgault of the Ottawa Senators, Kirby Dach of the Montreal Canadiens, Alex Jeffries of the New York Islanders, Peyton Krebs of the Buffalo Sabres, Connor McMichael of the St. Louis Blues, Nick Robertson of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Akira Schmid of the Florida Panthers, Ronan Seeley of the Carolina Hurricanes, and Cole Sillinger of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The deadline for club-elected salary arbitration notification is July 6 at 5 pm ET. Arbitration hearings will be held from July 20 to August 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Filing for arbitration is usually done by the player or team to set a deadline to reach an agreement on a new contract, rather than having negotiations drag out throughout the summer or into training camp. It’s rare that they actually end up before an arbiter.

Robertson’s case will be closely watched. He’s the biggest name on his list, leading the Stars in scoring with 96 points last season.

It’s believed the two sides are $2 million apart, with the Stars proposing an average annual value of $12 million while the Robertson camp reportedly seeks $14 million. He’s also eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, meaning an arbiter’s decision will be for one year, extending his UFA eligibility unless he and the Stars agree to an extension before then.

If Robertson is awarded a new contract through arbitration, he and the Stars can’t open contract extension talks until Jan. 1.

Because these players filed for arbitration, they are ineligible to receive an offer sheet. If a club files for arbitration today, that player is still eligible to sign an offer sheet.

Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News reports that Jeffries’ filing means a second contract buyout window opens for the Islanders exactly three days after Jeffries’ salary arbitration is settled or awarded, and that it applies to players carrying contracts with average annual values of $4 million or more. The same rule applied to the other teams on this list.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks signed defenseman Pavel Mintyukov to a five-year contract with an AAV of $7.2 million.

Mintyukov, 22, was a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract and lacked arbitration rights. The signing averts the possibility of him receiving an expensive offer sheet from a rival club.

NHL insider Frank Seravalli claimed an incoming offer sheet for Mintyukov accelerated the negotiations between the Ducks and Mintyukov, who wanted to remain in Anaheim.

Meanwhile, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek must decide if he’ll match the five-year offer sheet signed by center Leo Carlsson with the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday, or let him join the Flyers and receive four first-round draft picks as compensation. He has until this Friday to reach a decision.

Mintyukov’s new contract leaves the Ducks with $10 million in salary cap space, with RFA forward Cutter Gauthier to be signed. Gauthier is ineligible to receive an offer sheet, but the cost of re-signing him has risen due to the $18 million AAV Carlsson will receive on his new contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The threat of an offer sheet for Mintyukov left Verbeek little choice but to get the young defenseman under contract quickly and probably for more than anticipated. Blindsided by the Carlsson offer sheet, the Ducks GM couldn’t risk another one.

Gauthier’s ineligibility to sign an offer sheet still leaves him as an RFA lacking arbitration rights coming off his entry-level contract. That gives Verbeek the leverage in those negotiations, but it will be difficult to justify a low-ball bridge deal if he matches Carlsson’s offer sheet.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins signed winger Egor Chinahkov to a three-year contract with an AAV of $6.25 million. Goaltender Arturs Silovs inked a one-year, $2.8 million contract.

Goalie Joel Blomqvist got a two-year contract, with the first year being a two-way deal. It’s worth an AAV of $875,000 at the NHL level. Center David Gustafsson received a one-year, two-way contract worth $850,000 at the NHL level.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 5, 2026

by | Jul 5, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 5, 2026

Mason McTavish looks forward to a fresh start with the Blues; the Capitals are becoming a prime destination for notable talent; and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Lou Korac reports Mason McTavish is looking forward to a fresh start with the St. Louis Blues.

After spending the first five seasons of his NHL career with the Anaheim Ducks, the 23-year-old center was traded to the Blues on June 26.

St. Louis Blues center Mason McTavish (NHL Images)

McTavish struggled last season after his contract negotiations kept him out of last fall’s training camp and the preseason. After signing a seven-year deal, his production dropped to 41 points in 75 games, and he was a healthy scratch in two regular-season games and two postseason contests.

Anxious to put that season behind him, McTavish said he’s motivated and excited about the coming season with his new team. He said he enjoyed his time with the Ducks, but believes this is the right time to move on and experience something different.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McTavish is part of the Blues’ retooling process that began last season under former general manager Doug Armstrong, who handed over the reins to Alexander Steen. He’ll slot in as their second-line center between wingers Pavel Buchnevich and Jake Neighbours.

A bounce-back performance by McTavish could help the Blues reach the playoffs next season. He could also provide a boost to Buchnevich’s sagging production.

McTavish joins winger Connor McMichael and defenseman Brandon Carlo as the Blues’ new additions for this season. McMichael was acquired from the Washington Capitals in the Jordan Kyrou deal, while Carlo was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber reports the Washington Capitals are becoming a desired destination for some of the league’s notable talent.

The Capitals have been busy bolstering their roster this summer. They acquired winger Alex Tuch from the Buffalo Sabres and winger Jordan Kyrou from the St. Louis Blues, and signed free agent forward Boone Jenner and defenseman Vincent Desharnais.

Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery is pleased that players want to come to Washington. Tuch said he wanted to play for a club that would be competitive for a long time while he’s in the prime of his career. Jenner is excited to join a team that wants to win at this stage in his career, while Desharnais said he heard good things about the organization and how they treat their players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For all the talk of players wanting to go to Sun Belt teams in no-tax states, the comments by Tuch, Jenner, and Desharnais about the Capitals indicate that playing for a competitive club with a strong team culture that treats its players well and wants to win remains the biggest motivating factor in where most of them want to go.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators signed forward Mavrik Bourque to a six-year, $33 million contract with an average annual value of $5.5 million.

Bourque, 24, was a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. The Predators acquired him and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin from the Dallas Stars on July 1 in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 third-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bourque is getting a significant pay raise after earning $950,000 on a one-year contract last season. A versatile forward who can play center or right wing, he had a career-best performance in 2025-26, scoring 20 goals and 21 assists for 41 points in 82 games. He’s expected to center the Predators’ second line.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs signed defenseman Emil Andrae to a two-year contract worth an AAV of $1.55 million.

Andrae, 24, was a restricted free agent. He was acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers on June 16.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers signed defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin to a two-year contract worth an AAV of $1.75 million.

Mukhamadullin, 24, was a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. The Oilers acquired him from the San Jose Sharks as part of the Darnell Nurse trade.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets center Isac Lundestrom is expected to be sidelined until December with a ruptured right Achilles tendon. He suffered the injury during a training session.