Notable NHL Trades – March 7, 2025

by | Mar 7, 2025

Notable NHL Trades – March 7, 2025

The Boston Bruins traded Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers for a conditional 2027 second-round pick. The Bruins retained half of Marchand’s $6.13 million cap hit.  

Boston Bruins traded Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Fraser Minten and a first-round pick. 

Toronto Maple Leafs trade Conor Timmins and Connor Dewar to the Pittsburgh Penguins. More to follow. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets acquire Luke Kunin from the San Jose Sharks for a 2025 fourth-rounder. 

The Ottawa Senators acquired Fabian Zetterlund, Tristen Robins and a fourth-round pick from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Noah Gregor, Zack Ostapchuk and a second-round pick. 

Philadelphia Flyers trade Erik Johnson to the Colorado Avalanche for Givani Smith.

The Buffalo Sabres shipped Henri Jokiharju to the Boston Bruins. Details to follow.  

The Dallas Stars acquired Mikko Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Logan Stankoven and two first-round picks. The Stars sign Rantanen to an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of $12 million. More details to follow.

New Jersey Devils acquire Cody Glass from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a third-round pick.

The Boston Bruins Trade Charlie Coyle to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Casey Mittelstadt, prospect Will Zellers and a second-round pick.

The Detroit Red Wings Acquire Petr Mrazek and Craig Smith from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Joe Veleno.

The Philadelphia Flyers trade Scott Laughton, a fourth-round pick and a sixth-rounder to the Toronto Maple Leafs for prospect Nikita Grebenkin and a 2027 first-round pick.

The Buffalo Sabres trade Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert and a 2026 second-round pick to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forward Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker.

The Winnipeg Jets acquire Luke Schenn from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick.

The Jets also acquire Brandon Tanev from the Seattle Kraken for a 2027 second-round pick.

The Pittsburgh Penguins traded Anthony Beauvillier to the Washington Capitals for a second-round pick in 2025.

The Philadelphia Flyers traded Andrei Kuzmenko to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick. Flyers retain 50 percent of Kuzmenko’s $5.5 million cap hit. 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 7, 2025

by | Mar 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 7, 2025

Recaps of Thursday’s games, the Stars could be close to acquiring Hurricanes winger Mikko Rantanen, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can see the roundup of Thursday’s trades by following this link. 

NHL.COM: A late goal by Seth Jarvis lifted the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 32 shots as the Hurricanes sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 78 points. Morgan Geekie scored both goals for the Bruins (64 points), who’ve lost three straight games and sit three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mikko Rantanen played what could be his final game with the Hurricanes. Reports emerged overnight claiming the Dallas Stars have permission from the Canes to negotiate a contract extension with the 28-year-old winger’s representatives that would lead to Rantanen being traded to the Stars before today’s 3 pm ET trade deadline.

Meanwhile, the Bruins continue their sell-off, shipping pending free-agent forward Justin Brazeau to the Minnesota Wild for forwards Jakub Lauko and Marat Khusnutdinov.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar had two goals and four assists and Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and three assists in a 7-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks. The Avalanche have won four straight games, holding the first Western wild-card berth with 76 points. Sharks forward William Eklund had a goal and an assist, while rookie teammate Macklin Celebrini tallied his 20th goal of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon holds a four-point lead over Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl with a league-leading 98 points. Sharks forward Nikolai Kovalenko returned to action after missing nine games with a lower-body injury.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Jake Guentzel scored a second-period hat trick and newly acquired forward Oliver Bjorkstrand tallied the winning goal to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 6-5. The Lightning have won 10 of their last 11 games, sitting third in the Atlantic Division with 78 points. Rasmus Dahlin and JJ Peterka each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy became the third goaltender in NHL history to record eight or more consecutive 30-win seasons, joining Martin Brodeur (12) and Patrick Roy (eight).

Speaking of the Stars, they got an overtime goal from Jason Robertson to nip the Calgary Flames 3-2, picking up their fourth straight win. Robertson also scored the tying goal as the Stars overcame a 2-0 deficit. They sit second in the Central Division with 84 points. Joel Farabee and Mikael Backlund scored for the Flames, who cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 68 points.

The Florida Panthers extended their win streak to five games by blanking the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0. Sergei Bobrovsky turned in a 16-save shutout for his 423rd regular-season win, tying Tony Esposito for 10th on the all-time list. Sam Reinhart, Mackie Samoskevich and Aleksander Barkov were the goal-scorers as the Panthers hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 81 points.

Winnipeg Jets forwards Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi each had three points in a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist for the Jets, who hold sole possession of first place in the overall standings with 90 points. Rookie winger Matvei Michkov scored his 20th of the season for the Flyers (62 points), who are five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

The Edmonton Oilers got an overtime goal from Evan Bouchard to down the Montreal Canadiens 3-2, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Leon Draisaitl extended his points streak to 13 games with his league-leading 46th goal and also added an assist for the Oilers. Cole Caufield netted his 31st goal of the season for the Canadiens (66 points) as they sit one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern wild-card berth.

Utah Hockey Club goalie Karel Vejmelka kicked out 38 shots in a 4-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Nick Schmaltz, Kevin Stenlund and Lawson Crouse scored as Utah overcame a 2-1 deficit. With 68 points, they sit three points behind the Flames in the Western wild-card race. Dylan Larkin and Jonatan Berggren scored for the Red Wings (66 points), who have lost four straight games and remain one point behind the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings fans must have an uneasy feeling of deja vu. Around this time last season, the Wings held a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference before a costly losing skid knocked them out of contention. Meanwhile, Utah placed forward Nick Bjugstad (upper body) on injured reserve.

The Nashville Predators defeated the Seattle Kraken 5-3. Filip Forsberg tallied twice and Steven Stamkos had two assists for the Predators. Adam Larsson, Jared McCann and Michael Eyssimont replied for the Kraken.

IN OTHER NEWS…

STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Colton Parayko will undergo a scope on his left knee and is expected to be sidelined for six weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues’ playoff odds got a lot longer with their top defenseman sidelined.

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed forward Ryan Reaves on waivers. If he clears, they can free up $1.15 million in cap space by sending him to the minors.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Nashville Predators claimed forward Jakub Vrana off waivers from the Washington Capitals and defenseman Jordan Oesterle from the Boston Bruins. Meanwhile, the Columbus Blue Jackets claimed winger Christian Fischer from the Detroit Red Wings.










Notable NHL Trades – March 6, 2025

by | Mar 6, 2025

Notable NHL Trades – March 6, 2025

The New York Islanders shipped center Brock Nelson and prospect forward William Dufour to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Oliver Kylington, prospect forward Calum Ritchie, a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and a conditional third-rounder in 2028. The Islanders retained 50 percent of Nelson’s $6 million AAV and flipped Kylington to the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations. 

The Edmonton Oilers acquired defenseman Jake Walman from the San Jose Sharks. TSN reports it appears to be a conditional pick and a prospect going to the Sharks. 

The Vancouver Canucks trade defenseman Carson Soucy to the New York Rangers in exchange for a 2025 third-round draft pick.

The New York Rangers traded winger Reilly Smith to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for forward Brendan Brisson and a 2025 third-round pick. The Rangers retained 50 percent of Smith’s $5 million cap hit. He is UFA-eligible on July 1.

New York Rangers trade Reilly Smith to the Vegas Golden Knights (NHL Images).

The New Jersey Devils acquired defenseman Brian Dumoulin from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a second-round pick in 2025 and prospect Herman Traff. The Ducks retained half of Dumoulin’s $3.15 million cap hit. He is eligible for UFA status on July 1.

The Panthers also sent goaltender Chris Driedger to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen.

The San Jose Sharks traded forward Nico Sturm and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 2026 fourth-rounder.










NHL Trades – March 5, 2025

by | Mar 5, 2025

NHL Trades – March 5, 2025

The Tampa Bay Lightning acquired forward Yanni Gourde, Oliver Bjorkstrand and a 2026 fifth-round pick from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for forward Michael Eyssimont, first-round picks in 2026 and 2027, and a 2025 second-round pick formerly belonging to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Detroit Red Wings are also involved in the deal. Gourde was traded to the Red Wings for unsigned defenseman Kyle Aucoin. The Wings traded him to the Lightning for a conditional fourth-round pick in 2025.

Seattle Kraken trade Yanni Gourde to the Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning load up again near the trade deadline, bolstering their forward depth and taking pressure off their top-six forwards.

As per Puckpedia, the Kraken retained half of Gourde’s $5.166 million cap hit ($2.583 million). With the Wings retaining half, the Lightning bring him back to Tampa Bay at a cap hit of $1.291 million.

Gourde, 33, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, which explains the Kraken’s willingness to retain salary. There was no salary retention for Bjorkstrand, who has a year remaining on his contract with an AAV of $5.4 million.

It’s a homecoming for Gourde. The versatile two-way center began his NHL career in Tampa Bay, helping the Lightning win two Stanley Cups in his first six seasons.

The Kraken selected Gourde in the 2021 expansion draft. He played well in Seattle, reaching a career-high 76 points in 2022-23 as they reached the playoffs for the first time. Gourde returned to action recently after missing two months due to sports hernia surgery.

Bjorkstrand has reached or exceeded 20 goals in five of the last six seasons with the Kraken and Columbus Blue Jackets. With 16 goals in 61 games, he’s on pace to reach that plateau again.

The Kraken are retooling, moving out some veterans to make room for younger talent. Brandon Tanev could be next to hit the trade block. The 33-year-old winger is also UFA-eligible and the Kraken are reportedly willing to retain up to half of his $3.5 million AAV to facilitate a trade.

**UPDATE** The Pittsburgh Penguins traded winger Michael Bunting and a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Nashville Predators for defenseman Luke Schenn and forward Tommy Novak.

The Penguins also traded defenseman Vincent Desharnais to the San Jose Sharks for a 2028 fifth-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bunting was acquired by the Penguins from the Carolina Hurricanes last season. He had 14 goals and 29 points in 58 games this season and is signed through 2025-26 with an AAV of $4.5 million.

Schenn, 35, has a year remaining on his contract with an AAV of $2.75 million. Novak is in the first season of a three-year deal with an annual cap hit of $3.5 million.

Desharnais is signed through next season with an AAV of $2 million.

The Penguins added depth at center in Novak, who can provide immediate help as they continue to retool their roster. Acquiring Schenn was an interesting move, suggesting he could be used as a trade chip to pry away a draft pick from a playoff contender.

Bunting is an energetic forward who will bring experienced depth at left wing on the Predators’ third line.

The San Jose Sharks traded goaltender Vitek Vanecek to the Florida Panthers in exchange for minor-league forward Patrick Giles.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vanecek will replace Spencer Knight as the Panthers’ backup goaltender. They traded Knight to Chicago on Saturday as part of the return for Seth Jones.

Vanecek is in the final season of a three-year deal with an AAV of $3.4 million. The Panthers recently placed winger Matthew Tkachuk on LTIR, giving them the wiggle room necessary to acquire him.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 4, 2025

by | Mar 4, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – March 4, 2025

The trade deadline is 3 PM ET on Friday, March 7. Check out the latest on the Flames, Panthers, Predators, Islanders, Penguins, Kraken, Leafs, Canucks and Jets in today’s NHL Rumor mill.

FLAMES

DAILY FACEOFF: Anthony Di Marco reports it sounds like the Calgary Flames have reached out to the Boston Bruins about Brandon Carlo. “Teams have yet to dive into the details, but CGY is interested.”

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston and Pierre LeBrun report Flames general manager Craig Conroy would love to add a young center and has shown interest in Dylan Cozens of the Buffalo Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Conroy is a buyer this season. He’s established a reputation for making bold moves, with the most recent being his acquisition of forwards Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee from the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 31. We’ll learn by Friday if he has another up his sleeve.

PANTHERS

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito may not be done making trades. Over the weekend, he acquired defenseman Seth Jones from the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Panthers have placed winger Matthew Tkachuk on long-term injury reserve (LTIR) to call up goaltender Chris Driedger. Zito hopes Tkachuk will return for the playoffs but it sounds like he’ll be sidelined for the remainder of the regular season. He has over $8 million in projected trade deadline cap room to make further acquisitions by the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun speculates Zito could attempt to add a forward. The Panthers GM also said he might consider adding a No. 3 goaltender.

PREDATORS

THE ATHLETIC: Johnston and LeBrun report the Nashville Predators are listening to proposals for center Ryan O’Reilly. It’ll take an offer of a promising young player to compel them to move O’Reilly.

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty listed defenseman Luke Schenn and forwards Michael McCarron and Colton Sissons as the Predators’ most likely trade candidates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schenn, McCarron and Sissons seem more likely to move than O’Reilly. Still, never say never.

ISLANDERS

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple cited a league source saying all options remain on the table for Brock Nelson of the New York Islanders ahead of Friday’s trade deadline. The 33-year-old center could sign a contract extension, get traded before the deadline, or remain with the Islanders without a new contract for the rest of the season.

New York Islanders center Brock Nelson (NHL Images).

Johnson and LeBrun report that no one knows for sure whether Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello will become a seller by the deadline. He could hang onto Nelson and fellow UFA-eligible forward Kyle Palmieri.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lamoriello could be trying to keep everyone guessing in the hope that it elevates the trade value of Nelson and Palmieri. Of course, that’s a guess on my part. We’ll just have to wait and see what unfolds for the Isles leading up to Friday.

PENGUINS

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe expects Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas could attempt to make multiple trades but will not stage a fire sale. He anticipates that Dubas’ main moves could come a day or two ahead of the deadline to ensure he has a full roster for Friday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Penguins are willing to move Erik Karlsson, but his hefty contract means a summer deal seems more likely. Winger Rickard Rakell is available, but the asking price is steep and Dubas feels no pressure to move him. Yohe claims some Western Conference teams are interested in Rakell. He also said there’s no indication that Dubas has asked Kris Letang and Bryan Rust to waive their no-movement clauses.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rakell carries an average annual value of $5 million through 2027-28. He also has an eight-team no-trade clause.

KRAKEN

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kate Shefte listed Brandon Tanev, Jamie Oleksiak, Andre Burakovsky and Oliver Bjorkstrand as Kraken trade candidates. Tanev has frequently surfaced in the rumor mill. As of Monday, he hadn’t been linked to any specific teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reported the Senators could be interested in Tanev. Whether they’ve made inquiries or offers is another matter.

MAPLE LEAFS

THE ATHLETIC: Johnston and LeBrun report the Toronto Maple Leafs have been attempting to find a suitable third-line center. They’ve looked at St. Louis’ Brayden Schenn and Philadelphia’s Scott Laughton while keeping tabs on fall-back options like Montreal’s Jake Evans, Seattle’s Yanni Gourde and Utah’s Nick Bjugstad. They’re also hoping to add a depth defenseman.

TORONTO STAR: Kevin McGran listed the Leafs’ potential trade chips, including prospects Fraser Minten and Easton Cowan, and roster players Nick Robertson and Pontus Holmberg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs are also pressed for cap space, meaning they’ll have to shed salary to acquire a center and a defenseman. The Blues are listening on Schenn, as are the Flyers with Laughton, but they’re in no hurry to move those players and have set high prices for them.

CANUCKS

THE ATHLETIC: Johnston and LeBrun believe the Vancouver Canucks’ most pressing decision surrounds Brock Boeser. The 28-year-old winger could depart as a free agent this summer unless he’s re-signed or traded by Friday. Management would also like to find an upgrade at center.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Canucks continue to evaluate all their options with Boeser. They made a contract extension offer earlier in the season, but it’s no longer on the table.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vancouver shipped J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers on Jan. 31. It’s looking like Boeser will be the next notable Canuck to be traded this season.

JETS

THE ATHLETIC: Johnston and LeBrun believed Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff seeks a bottom-six forward and a depth defenseman. They’re among the teams linked to Montreal Canadiens forwards Jake Evans and Joel Armia and Chicago Blackhawks forward Ryan Donato.

Murat Ates wonders what the Jets will do with Nikolaj Ehlers. If they keep the UFA-eligible winger, they risk his departure on July 1. If they trade him, they remove a big piece of their power play and second line. Ates believes they’ll retain him and rely on their existing team chemistry.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 4, 2025

by | Mar 4, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 4, 2025

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week are revealed, plus the latest on Matthew Tkachuk, Gabriel Landeskog and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens recovered from blowing a 3-0 lead with an overtime goal by Mike Matheson for a 4-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki had a goal and three assists and Cole Caufield reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time. Alex Tuch, Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin replied for the Sabres.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens (65 points) have won five straight games, sitting one point behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson became the fastest rookie blueliner in franchise history to reach the 50-point plateau, accomplishing that feat in 63 games.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin stopped 21 shots to shut out the New York Islanders 4-0. J.T. Miller, Artemi Panarin and Will Cuylle each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (66 points), who sit behind the Red Wings in the wild-card race. Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin stopped 22 shots as his club remains five points behind the Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders center Brock Nelson became the fifth player in franchise history to reach the 900-game milestone, but he might not have many more games left with them. The 33-year-old center is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and there’s no indication a contract extension is imminent. Nelson could be moved by Friday’s trade deadline.

The Rangers held winger Reilly Smith out of the lineup for the second straight game for “roster management”, suggesting they’re attempting to trade him before the Friday deadline.

The Washington Capitals blew a 3-0 and 4-3 leads before defeating the Ottawa Senators 5-4 on a shootout goal by Dylan Strome. Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and two assists while Tom Wilson and Connor McMichael each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (86 points), moving within two points of the first-overall Winnipeg Jets. Shane Pinto scored twice and Jake Sanderson collected three assists for the Senators, who sit one point out of the final Eastern wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals signed goaltender Charlie Lindgren before this game to a three-year, $9 million contract extension. Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven missed this game with an undisclosed mid-body ailment and is expected to be sidelined for the foreseeable future.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov scored two second-period goals as his club held off the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1, ending the latter’s eight-game win streak. The win leaves the Panthers second in the Atlantic Division with 79 points. Brandon Hagel replied for the Lightning, who sit third in the division with 74 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk could miss the rest of the regular season with a lower-body injury. General manager Bill Zito said they hope the 27-year-old winger will return for the playoffs. Tkachuk was placed on long-term injury reserve on Sunday to enable the Panthers to call up goaltender Chris Driedger, giving them $8.7 million in additional cap space if they wish to add to their roster before Friday’s trade deadline.

The San Jose Sharks overcame a 2-0 deficit to upset the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on a shootout goal by Fabian Zetterlund. Jack Thompson and Tyler Toffoli scored for the Sharks to end an eight-game winless skid. John Tavares and Matthew Knies opened the scoring for the Leafs, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toronto holds first place over Florida because they hold a game in hand. Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok made his season debut after being sidelined by an injury in training camp, followed by groin/sports hernia surgery in November. Meanwhile, the Sharks placed defenseman Henry Thrun (undisclosed) on injured reserve.

Goaltender Spencer Knight kicked out 41 shots in his debut with the Chicago Blackhawks for a 5-1 upset over the Los Angeles Kings. Ryan Donato and Ilya Mikheyev each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks. Anze Kopitar replied for the Kings, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 70 points but have dropped three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks acquired Knight on Saturday from the Panthers in the Seth Jones trade. Jones played over 22 minutes in his debut with the Panthers against the Lightning. The Blackhawks placed forward Philipp Kurashev on IR with an injured hand.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz, and Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki are the league’s three stars for the week ending March 2.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland indicated his club doesn’t expect team captain Gabriel Landeskog to return to the lineup this regular season. The 32-year-old winger is attempting to return from knee surgeries that have sidelined him for the past two seasons. MacFarland said there’s a chance Landeskog could return in the 2025 playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A postseason return for Landeskog seems as likely as his return during the regular season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Jeff Marek reports the Dallas Stars are working on an eight-year contract extension with forward Wyatt Johnston. The 21-year-old forward is in the final season of his entry-level contract. Marek believes Johnston could see a raise to between $8 million and $8.5 million annually on his next deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnston has steadily grown into a reliable offensive star, tallying 41 points as a rookie in 2022-23 and 65 points as a sophomore in 2023-24. He has 55 points in 60 games this season, putting him on pace to exceed last season’s output.

TSN: The Utah Hockey Club signed defenseman Olli Maatta to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3.5 million. The 30-year-old Maatta was UFA-eligible on July 1.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports the Columbus Blue Jackets are closing in on a contract extension with scrappy winger Mathieu Olivier. It’s believed to be a multi-year deal, likely four years or more.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov could return this week after missing 39 games with a back injury.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins recalled goalie Tristan Jarry from their AHL affiliate and placed defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph on injured reserve.