Notable NHL Signings and Trades – July 1, 2025

by | Jul 1, 2025

Notable NHL Signings and Trades – July 1, 2025

 Anaheim Ducks sign unrestricted free-agent forward Mikael Granlund to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $7 million.

The New York Rangers signed winger Will Cuylle to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.9 million. Cuylle was a restricted free agent completing his entry-level contract.

Buffalo Sabres re-sign center Ryan McLeod to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $5 million. McLeod was a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

The San Jose Sharks signed John Klingberg to a one-year, $4 million contract. He was an unrestricted free agent.

 

Defenseman Ryan Lindgren signed a four-year contract with the Seattle Kraken with an average annual value of $4.5 million.

The Utah Mammoth signed defenseman Nate Schmidt inked a three-year contract ($3.5 million AAV) and forward Brandon Tanev to a three-year contract ($2.5 million AAV).

The Los Angeles Kings signed defenseman Cody Ceci to a four-year contract with an AAV of $4.5 million, blueliner Brian Dumoulin to a three-year deal with a $4 million AAV, and winger Corey Perry to a one-year, $2 million contract.

Winger Jonathan Drouin agreed to a two-year contract ($4 million AAV) with the New York Islanders.

Forward Radek Faksa inked a three-year contract ($2 million AAV) with the Dallas Stars.

 

The Vancouver Canucks brought back Brock Boeser, signing him to a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $7.25 million.

The New York Rangers sign defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-year deal with an AAV of $7 million.

The Los Angeles Kings sign forward Joel Armia to a two-year contract with a $2.5 million AAV.

The Boston Bruins signed forward Tanner Jeannot to a four-year deal with an AAV of $3.5 million.

The New Jersey Devils sign forward Connor Brown to a four-year contract with an AAV of $3 million.

The Philadelphia Flyers sign goaltender Dan Vladar to a two-year contract with a $3.35 million AAV.

The San Jose Sharks sign winger William Eklund to a three-year deal with an AAV of $5.6 million. Eklund, 22, was a restricted free agent.

The Philadelphia Flyers signed center Christian Dvorak to a one-year, $5.4 million contract.

The Montreal Canadiens trade defenseman Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues for forward Zachary Bolduc.

Logan Stankoven signs an eight-year contract extension ($6 million AAV) with the Carolina Hurricanes. The 22-year-old forward was slated to become an RFA next July.

Jake Allen re-signed with the New Jersey Devils. The 34-year-old goaltender agreed to a five-year contract with an AAV of $1.8 million.

The Edmonton Oilers trade winger Viktor Arvidsson to the Boston Bruins for a fifth-round draft pick in 2027. This move frees up $4 million of salary-cap space for the Oilers.

Thatcher Demko signs a a three-year contract extension with the Vancouver Canucks worth an average annual value of $8.5 million. The 29-year-old goaltender was eligible for UFA status next July.

The Canucks also confirmed that Conor Garland signed a six-year contract extension with an AAV of $6 million. Like Demko, he was slated to become a UFA next July.

Martin Fehervary signed a seven-year contract extension with the Washington Capitals worth an AAV of $6 million. The 25-year-old defenseman was a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 1, 2025

by | Jul 1, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – July 1, 2025

The NHL’s annual free-agent market opens at noon ET today. Check out the latest free-agent and trade speculations in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON NIKOLAJ EHLERS

ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported Monday that the Carolina Hurricanes are considered the favorites to land Nikolaj Ehlers. The 29-year-old former Winnipeg Jets winger is among the few notable players potentially available in the unrestricted free-agent market.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss believes the Bruins should pursue Ehlers. He cited the winger’s offensive consistency as a top-six forward.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Vancouver Canucks and New York Islanders could also attempt to sign Ehlers. He could still re-sign with the Jets, but it appears he’s heading to market today.

COULD THE JETS TARGET BROCK BOESER?

THE CHRIS JOHNSTON SHOW: Johnston yesterday suggested Brock Boeser could be “Plan A” to replace Nikolaj Ehlers if the latter goes to market on Tuesday. The Jets have over $23 million in cap space, and Johnston indicated he wouldn’t be surprised if they pursue the former Vancouver Canucks winger today.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was rumored the Oilers might attempt to sign Boeser. However, that seems unlikely without shedding significant salary after their recent signings of Evan Bouchard and Trent Frederic.

CANADIENS AMONG TEAMS INTERESTED IN JORDAN KYROU

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Montreal Canadiens remain interested in Jordan Kyrou. The 27-year-old St. Louis Blues winger is signed through 2030-31 with an average annual value of $8.125 million. His no-trade clause begins on July 1.

LeBrun indicated the Blues had spoken with several teams to determine his value in the trade market before deciding if they’d move him or retain him after his NTC began. It would take multiple assets for the Canadiens to acquire him, and they’d have to free up more cap space to take on his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kyrou’s NTC could prevent the Blues from shipping him to Montreal. The Canadiens are in the market for a top-six forward this summer, but they might have to consider other options.

UPDATE ON RASMUS ANDERSSON

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the thinning free-agent market for defensemen could rekindle trade interest in Rasmus Andersson. The 28-year-old Calgary Flames defenseman will be UFA-eligible next July and isn’t expected to re-sign with the Flames.

Teams like the Vegas Golden Knights, Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings are interested in Andersson. They would like assurances that he’d sign an extension with them, but the only club he’s willing to do that for is the Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames aren’t feeling pressured to trade Andersson this summer. They’re reportedly fine with going into this season with him still in the lineup. It remains to be seen if the Golden Knights remain interested after their expensive acquisition of Mitch Marner on Monday.

RANGERS STILL EYEING GAVRIKOV

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker reports the Rangers remain interested in signing Vladislav Gavrikov if the 29-year-old Los Angeles Kings defenseman becomes a UFA today. However, their inability to move blueliner K’Andre Miller complicates their pursuit of Gavrikov, who could command between $7 million and $8 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gavrikov was seen as the Rangers’ replacement for Miller, who is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. They have around $13 million in cap space. Adding Gavrikov would eat up over half of it.

WILL JAKE ALLEN REMAIN WITH THE DEVILS?

DAILY FACEOFF’s Frank Seravalli reports the New Jersey Devils and Jake Allen remain in negotiations. He claimed the Devils had made progress, suggesting the 34-year-old goaltender could be re-signed before noon today.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers could be closely watching Allen’s situation.










Notable NHL Trades and Signings – June 30, 2025

by | Jun 30, 2025

Notable NHL Trades and Signings – June 30, 2025

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed winger Mitch Marner to an eight-year, $96 million contract ($12 million average annual value. They subsequently traded him to the Vegas Golden Knights for center Nicolas Roy. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: And with that, Marner’s nine seasons with the Maple Leafs come to an end. 

Marner was projected to receive between $12.5 million and $13 million annually. It’s a little less than market value, but it comes with long-term security. 

It’s a good deal for Marner, and he ends up in a preferred destination. The 28-year-old winger is coming off a career-best 102-point performance. He’s in his prime and considered among the league’s elite two-way forwards. Whether this is the right deal for the Golden Knights remains to be seen. 

Toronto Maple Leafs sign winger Mitch Marner and trade him to the Vegas Golden Knights (NHL Images).

Marner brings additional offense to the Golden Knights and should also help defensively. However, this leaves the Golden Knights top-heavy among their top-six forwards at the expense of their overall roster depth. That should be a familiar situation for Marner, having been part of a similar experience with the Leafs for years. 

Snark aside,  a lack of overall depth prevented the Golden Knights from repeating as Stanley Cup champions over the last two seasons. Marner’s monster contract will once again leave them with limited cap space, forcing them to try and get creative. 

One way is placing veteran defenseman Alex Pietrangelo on long-term injury reserve for 2025-26, freeing up his $8.8 million AAV. However, that will be used up mostly for Marner’s cap hit, leaving little wiggle room to boost their depth. 

As for the Leafs, they at least get something for Marner rather than losing him to free agency for nothing. Roy, 28, is a big, physical middle-six forward who can play center or wing with two years on his contract at an annual cap hit of $3 million. He’ll provide size, versatility, and experienced skill to their checking lines. 

The Edmonton Oilers have signed defenseman Evan Bouchard to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $10.5 million. Bouchard, 25, was slated to become a restricted free agent on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bouchard’s getting a significant raise over the $3.9 million AAV of his previous contract. It’s not surprising given how he’s blossomed into a high-scoring puck-moving blueliner.

Bouchard netted a career-best 82 points in 2023-24. His production slipped to 67 points in 2024-25, but he was fifth among defensemen in scoring. He also led all blueliners in postseason scoring this year with seven goals and 23 points.

The Oilers had little choice but to pay Bouchard that much, though at four years it’s a manageable term if his performance drops off. However, they now have nearly $20 million tied up in two defensemen, with Darnell Nurse pulling in $9.25 million annually through 2029-30. It leaves the Oilers with around $550,000 in cap space, which means a cost-cutting trade is coming soon.

The Florida Panthers re-sign Aaron Ekblad to an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $6.1 million. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekblad made no secret of his desire to remain with the Panthers. It was assumed he’d have to accept a pay cut on a contract shorter than the eight years ($7.5 million AAV) of his previous deal. 

Instead, he gets another maximum eight-year contract with a pay reduction that wasn’t as severe as expected. 

The Panthers rewarded Ebklad for not only his loyalty but his years of hard work as the anchor of their defense corps, culminating in back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. However, this is a contract that probably won’t age well. 

Now 29, Ekblad has been hampered by injuries since 2020-21, and his performance declined a bit in 2024-25. If this persists, this deal could become a salary-cap headache down the road. 

The Detroit Red Wings trade winger Vladimir Tarasenko to the Minnesota Wild for future considerations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tarasenko signed a two-year contract last summer with the Red Wings, but things didn’t work out for him in Motown. After netting 23 goals and 55 points in 2023-24 with the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers, the 33-year-old winger managed only 11 goals and 33 points with the Wings.

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquire winger Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for a conditional third-round pick in 2027.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A skillful playmaking winger, the 24-year-old Maccelli had a career-best performance in 2023-24 with 17 goals and 40 assists for 57 points. However, his production dropped significantly last season as he tumbled down the Mammoth’s depth chart, becoming a healthy scratch in 26 regular-season games. This could turn into a steal for the Leafs if Maccelli regains his form.

The New York Islanders signed defenseman Alexander Romanov to an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $6.25 million. Romanov, 25, was slated to become a restricted free agent on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a foregone conclusion after the Islanders traded Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens on Friday. Romanov’s deal makes him their highest-paid defenseman. He’s not a point-producer like Dobson, but he’s a physical shutdown blueliner who logged over 22 minutes of ice time per game last season.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 30, 2025

by | Jun 30, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – June 30, 2025

Updates on Alex Pietrangelo, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Kyrou, Brayden Schenn, Brad Marchand, Brock Boeser and Patrick Kane in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

ALEX PIETRANGELO TO MISS THE 2025-26 SEASON?

THE FOURTH PERIOD’s David Pagnotta claims he’s heard Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo “is dealing with serious injuries and is going to require multiple major surgeries this summer, which will result in him missing the entire 2025-26 season, at least.”

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pietrangelo’s condition has been the subject of frequent speculation for weeks, with some pundits speculating his NHL career could be over. There hasn’t been confirmation yet from the Golden Knights. During the draft weekend, general manager Kelly McCrimmon said they’ll know more soon.

If Pietrangelo is sidelined next season, the Golden Knights can place him on long-term injury reserve. He has an average annual value (AAV) of $8.8 million, giving them salary cap flexibility to find a replacement or to address another roster issue.

The Golden Knights have been linked to Mitch Marner as the front-runner to sign the 28-year-old winger when free agency begins on July 1. PuckPedia shows them with less than $758,000 in cap space for 2025-26 with 21 active roster players under contract. Putting Pietrangelo on LTIR would be necessary if they hope to sign Marner or anyone else this summer.

THE LATEST ON EVGENI MALKIN, JORDAN KYROU AND BRAYDEN SCHENN

RG.ORG: James Murphy cited an NHL executive suggesting the possibility of Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin getting traded this summer. The Penguins won’t be offering the 38-year-old Malkin a contract extension, meaning he’ll either retire next July or try to sign elsewhere as an unrestricted free agent (UFA).

Murphy’s source suggested the trade option as a way for Malkin to earn a contract extension elsewhere or improve his value for next summer’s free-agent market. Another NHL source told Murphy he expects Malkin will be traded during the season, not this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Malkin has a full no-movement clause, so he’s not going anywhere. He has already indicated he intends to retire as a Penguin. Age and the wear and tear of 19 NHL seasons have caught up with him.

The Montreal Canadiens have been linked to St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou. A source told Murphy the two clubs have had more than one conversation. The same source also said several teams (including the Canadiens) are interested in Blues center Brayden Schenn.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens need a second-line center but would add a top-six winger if a center isn’t available. Teams might be interested in Schenn, but it would take a significant offer to pry away Schenn. They’re flush with wingers but thin at center.

THE LATEST NOTABLE UFA RUMORS

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reported the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs hope to get the chance to speak with Brad Marchand when the UFA market opens on July 1.

If the 37-year-old winger doesn’t re-sign with the Florida Panthers, the Bruins would be open to bringing him back. They shipped Marchand to the Panthers at the March trade deadline.

Meanwhile, The Athletic’s James Mirtle believes Marchand will be the Leafs’ top UFA target. He believes the winger will get $8 million per season on the open market, but also thinks he could end up staying with the Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most observers are leaning toward Marchand re-signing with the Panthers, which could leave long-time Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad as the odd man out.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited several NHL insiders claiming the Oilers could be a destination for Brock Boeser. The 28-year-old winger is headed to the UFA market after nine seasons with the Vancouver Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers have $12.35 million in cap space for 2025-26 with 20 active roster players under contract. Their priority is re-signing restricted free agent (RFA) defenseman Evan Bouchard, who could command around $10 million annually.

Rumor has it the Oilers hope to trade winger Viktor Arvidsson and his $4 million cap hit. However, that still won’t leave them enough to sign Boeser once they re-sign Bouchard unless they can shed another contract.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman remains confident he’ll be able to re-sign Patrick Kane. The 36-year-old winger is coming off a one-year, $4 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane didn’t sign his previous contract with the Wings until June 30 of last year. The same thing could happen this year.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 29, 2025

by | Jun 29, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 29, 2025

What’s the latest on Bowen Byram? Are the Oilers still goalie-shopping? What’s going on with the Rangers and Islanders? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

LATEST ON BOWEN BYRAM

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Mike Harrington reports Bowen Byram appears headed out of Buffalo. The 24-year-old defenseman is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1, and has been the subject of frequent trade speculation.

Byram might be the only good asset the Sabres have left to bring in a top-six winger to replace the departed JJ Peterka.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram (NHL Images).

Harrington noted there are several clubs making inquiries about Byram. He wondered if the blueliner might fetch a top forward like Quinton Byfield of the Los Angeles Kings or Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues. He also speculated whether a move for Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust is dead now that the draft is over, or does it return to life on Tuesday, when Rust’s no-trade protection expires.

BARN BURNER PODCAST: TSN’s Darren Dreger reported the Sabres are getting interest in Byram from the Kings, Vancouver Canucks and the Vegas Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I doubt the Kings will part with Byfield. Kyrou has surfaced in recent speculation, but the Blues appear to be listening to offers rather than actively shopping the 27-year-old right winger.

Rust has also been the subject of recent conjecture. Like the Blues with Kyrou, the Penguins might be listening, but they’re not rushing to move the 33-year-old winger.

WHO COULD THE OILERS TARGET TO IMPROVE THEIR GOALTENDING?

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Robert Tychkowski reported that a couple of goalie options for the Oilers came off the board yesterday. The Anaheim Ducks traded John Gibson to Detroit, and the St. Louis Blues re-signed Joel Hofer.

Oilers general manager Stan Bowman said he’ll continue exploring his options, but didn’t rule out sticking with his current tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard.

Kurt Leavins noted the Oilers have been linked to Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko. The 29-year-old has a year left on his contract with a $5 million cap hit, and the Canucks could move him if unable to sign him to an extension.

Leavins wondered if the American goaltender would prefer being traded to a US-based team like Philadelphia or San Jose over a contender like Edmonton. He also mentioned Demko has an injury history. His cap hit would be difficult for the Oilers to fit into their limited cap space.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There aren’t many options left for Bowman to improve his goaltending. Jake Allen is the best UFA-eligible netminder and could re-sign with the New Jersey Devils.

The Canucks have not indicated that they want to move Demko. He lacks no-trade protection, but if they were to peddle him, they could send him to a team of his choosing.

UPDATES ON THE RANGERS AND ISLANDERS

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports the Rangers face the possibility of Will Cuylle becoming an offer-sheet target on July 1. The 23-year-old is a restricted free agent without arbitration rights coming off an entry-level contract.

The Rangers could pitch a two-year bridge deal for Cuylle comparable to that of Philadelphia Flyers winger Tyson Foerster, who signed a two-year contract with an AAV of $3.75 million on May 30. However, Cuylle could be tempted by a more lucrative offer from a rival club.

Brooks doesn’t see Cuylle getting an offer that the Rangers couldn’t match. However, they have around $13 million in cap space. An offer sheet between $6.5 million and $7 million could put them in a pickle.

Defenseman K’Andre Miller hasn’t been traded yet. If the RFA blueliner is still a Ranger by July 1, it could complicate their efforts to sign Vladislav Gavrikov when the Los Angeles Kings blueliner becomes a UFA on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gavrikov could cost around $7,5 million annually. Combine that with Brooks’ proposed offer sheet for Cuylle, and the Rangers would have to make another cost-cutting trade as he did earlier this month when he sent Chris Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks.

Meanwhile, Ethan Sears reports Islanders GM Mathieu Darche confirmed forwards Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat won’t be moved.

Trading Noah Dobson to Montreal gives the Islanders some cap room to maneuver after accounting for RFAs like Alexander Romanov, Max Tsyplakov, Simon Holmstrom and Emil Heineman. Sears believes they must shore up the right side of their blueline if they intend to compete for a playoff berth in 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders have over $20 million in cap space for next season with 17 active roster players under contract.










Notable NHL Trades and Signings – June 28, 2025

by | Jun 28, 2025

Notable NHL Trades and Signings – June 28, 2025

The Anaheim Ducks trade goaltender John Gibson to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for goaltender Petr Mrazek, a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick.

Anaheim Ducks trade goaltender John Gibson to the Detroit Red Wings (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson, 31, had been a fixture in the trade-rumor mill for the past two seasons. The sticking point had been his contract with its $6.4 million average annual value. However, he has only two years remaining on his deal. With the salary cap rising significantly over that period, his contract became more palatable for a club like the Red Wings, which went through five goalies last season.

Gibson will be expected to help the Red Wings end their franchise-record nine-year playoff drought. He’s spent the past several seasons backstopping the rebuilding Ducks, but with a potentially more competitive team in front of him in Detroit, he has a chance to prove he’s still a reliable starting goalie.

This move solidifies Lukas Dostal as the Ducks’ starting goaltender. The 25-year-old had outplayed Gibson for the job last season. Mrazek will support him in the backup role.

The Ottawa Senators acquire defenseman Jordan Spence from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a third-round pick in 2025 and a sixth-round pick in 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators were in the market for a right-shot defenseman to replace Nick Jensen, who recently underwent hip surgery with no timeline for his return. Spence, 24, carries an affordable $1.5 million cap hit for 2025-26. He netted 28 points in 79 games last season with the Kings.

The Calgary Flames signed defenseman Kevin Bahl to a six-year contract with an average annual value of $5.35 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bahl was acquired from the New Jersey Devils as part of the return in the Jacob Markstrom trade. He quickly established himself among their top-four blueliners, logging over 21 minutes of ice time per game.