List Of Notable NHL UFA Signings and Trades – July 1, 2024
NOTE: This list will be updated throughout the day as free-agent signings become official.
Edmonton Oilers sign Jeff Skinner to a one-year, $3 million contract.
San Jose Sharks sign Alex Wennberg to a two-year deal with an average annual value of $5 million.
Toronto Maple Leafs sign Oliver Ekman-Larsson to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $3.5 million.
Edmonton Oilers signed Viktor Arvidsson to a two-year contract with an AAV of $4 million.
New Jersey Devils signed Brenden Dillon to a three-year deal with an AAV of $4 million.
Dallas Stars sign Matt Dumba to a two-year contract with an AAV of $3.75 million.
Carolina Hurricanes sign Sean Walker to a five-year contract with an average annual value of $3.6 million.
Nashville Predators re-sign Alexandre Carrier to a three-year deal with an average annual value of $3.75 million.
Los Angeles Kings sign Warren Foegele to a three-year deal with an AAV of $3.5 million.
San Jose Sharks sign Tyler Toffoli to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million.
The New York Rangers acquire Reilly Smith from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2025 fifth-rounder. The Penguins also retain 25 percent of Smith’s $5 million cap hit for 2024-25.
New Jersey Devils sign Brett Pesce to a six-year deal with an average annual value of $5.5 million.
New York Islanders sign Anthony Duclair to a four-year contract with an AAV of $3.5 million.
Chicago Blackhawks sign Teuvo Teravainen to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $5.4 million.
Calgary Flames sign Anthony Mantha to a one-year contract worth $3.5 million.
Seattle Kraken signed Chandler Stephenson to a seven-year contract worth an average annual value of $6.25 million.
Ottawa Senators sign David Perron to a two-year deal with an AAV of $4 million.
Buffalo Sabres sign Jason Zucker to a one-year contract worth $5 million.
Nashville Predators sign Steven Stamkos to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $8 million.
Seattle Kraken ink Brandon Montour to a seven-year contract with an AAV of $7.14 million
Boston Bruins sign Elias Lindholm to a seven-year contract with an AAV of $7.75 million.
Boston Bruins sign Nikita Zadorov to a six-year deal with an average annual value of $5 million.
Nashville Predators sign Jonathan Marchessault to a five-year contract with an average annual value of $5.5 million.
Nashville Predators sign Brady Skjei to a seven-year contract with an AAV of $7 million.
Vancouver Canucks sign Jake DeBrusk to a seven-year deal with an AAV of $5.5 million
Columbus Blue Jackets ink Sean Monahan to a five-year contract with an AAV of $5.5 million
Washington Capitals acquire defenseman Jakob Chychrun from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for defenseman Nick Jensen and a 2026 third-round pick.
Florida Panthers re-sign Sam Reinhart to an eight-year deal with an average annual value of $8.63 million.
Tampa Bay Lightning sign Jake Guentzel to a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $9 million
Detroit Red Wings re-sign Patrick Kane to a one-year contract with a base salary of $4 million and $2.5 million in bonuses.
Chicago Blackhawks sign Tyler Bertuzzi to a four-year deal with an AAV of $5.5 million.
Toronto Maple Leafs sign Chris Tanev to a six-year contract with an AAV of $4.5 million
Toronto Maple Leafs sign Max Domi to a four-year deal with an AAV of $3.75 million.
Dallas Stars re-sign Matt Duchene to a one-year, $3 million contract.
The free-agent market opens at noon ET. Before the signing frenzy begins, check out the latest recent notable signings, contract buyouts and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
REINHART, GUENTZEL, KANE AMONG EARLY CONTRACT SIGNINGS
SPORTSNET: Sam Reinhart and the Florida Panthers have agreed to an eight-year contract before the midnight ET deadline for eight-year extensions. Financial terms weren’t disclosed but will be officially announced on July 1.
Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently speculated the average annual value would be $9 million. We’ll find out later today if that’s the case but it wouldn’t be surprising. It would give Reinhart the third-highest AAV among Panthers skaters, behind Aleksander Barkov ($10 million) and Matthew Tkachuk ($9.5 million).
Jake Guentzel and the Tampa Bay Lightning agreed to a new contract on Sunday just hours after his rights were traded to the Lightning by the Carolina Hurricanes. Terms were unknown but will be officially announced later on July 1.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Guentzel signing likely means the end of Steven Stamkos’ 16-season career with the Lightning. Stamkos’ agent indicated that his client is heading to free agency.
DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings and Patrick Kane agreed to a one-year contract. It comes with a $4 million base salary and $2.5 million in bonuses.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 35-year-old Kane enjoyed a bounce-back season with the Red Wings after undergoing a hip resurfacing procedure last June. It’s rumored the New York Rangers were interested in bringing Kane back for another season but wouldn’t go as high as the Wings with the base salary.
TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs reached an agreement with Max Domi on a four-year contract with an AAV of $3.75 million. It contains a $3.5 million signing bonus in the first year and a 13-team no-trade list.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: An affordable signing for Toronto. After a slow start, Domi fit in well with the Leafs last season, netting 47 points in 80 games.
The Leafs also re-signed Timothy Liljegren to a two-year contract with an AAV of $3 million. The 25-year-old defenseman was slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Leafs are reportedly close to signing Chris Tanev to a multi-year contract worth an annual salary-cap hit of $5 million. They acquired the signing rights to the 34-year-old defenseman from the Dallas Stars on Saturday.
SPORTSNET: The Utah Hockey Club and Sean Durzi agreed to a four-year contract extension with an annual salary cap hit of $6 million. The 25-year-old defenseman averaged over 23 minutes of ice time while leading his club’s blueliners with 41 points.
NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: The Predators are close to signing defenseman Alexandre Carrier to a new contract. Terms were not disclosed.
MARCHESSAULT, BERTUZZI, KYLINGTON HEADED TO MARKET
LAS VEGAS SUN: Jonathan Marchessault is heading to free agency. The 33-year-old winger was unable to reach a deal with the Vegas Golden Knights.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchessault was among the few original members of the Golden Knights (aka “The Golden Misfits”) on their roster last season. The 33-year-old winger is their franchise scoring leader and won the Conn Smythe Trophy leading them to the Stanley Cup last year. He’ll draw plenty of attention in the free-agent market with Reinhart, Guentzel and Kane off the board.
TORONTO SUN: Tyler Bertuzzi is moving on and won’t be signing with the Maple Leafs. The 29-year-old forward completed a one-year, $5.5 million contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like Domi, Bertuzzi had a slow start with the Leafs last season but finished strong with 21 goals and 43 points. He shouldn’t have any difficulty finding a new club willing to pay him a multi-year deal for around $5.5 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kylington was a Masterton Trophy nominee last season after returning to action following two seasons dealing with mental health issues.
NOTABLE CONTRACT BUYOUTS
EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers placed Jack Campbell on unconditional waivers Sunday before buying out the remaining three years of his contract. The 32-year-old goaltender carried an AAV of $5 million. The buyout will count as $1.1 million against the Oilers’ cap payroll this season, $2.3 million in 2025-26, $2.6 million in 2026-27, dropping to $1.5 million for each of the remaining three years.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Campbell was signed two years ago to fill the Oilers’ starting goaltender role. Inconsistent play in 2022-23 cost him that job to Stuart Skinner. He spent most of last season with the Oilers AHL affiliate in Bakersfield. It remains to be seen if the 32-year-old netminder lands with another NHL club this summer.
WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets placed defenseman Nate Schmidt on unconditional waivers on Sunday before buying out the remaining year of his contract. The 32-year-old had a cap hit of $5.95 million for 2024-25. This buyout will count as $2.716 million against the Jets’ cap payroll this season and $1.616 million in 2025-26.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some folks expressed surprise on social media that the Jets didn’t trade Schmidt, retaining salary in the deal. There may have been no market for him.
IN OTHER NEWS…
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens traded defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic to the New Jersey Devils for a 2026 fourth-round pick.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens appear to be making room for one of their promising young blueliners for this season. This move also clears over $766K from their cap payroll.
TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson has informed management he has no intention of signing with the club and has requested a trade.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson is completing his entry-level contract. The 22-year-old winger is the younger brother of Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson. He’s struggled to crack the Leafs lineup full-time partly because of injuries.
Robertson lacks arbitration rights so his only leverage is to refuse to sign until traded. We’ll see if the Leafs find a new home for him this summer or engage in a contract standoff.
THE SCORE: Four of the five players involved in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault scandal were not tendered qualifying offers yesterday. Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote and Michael McLeod will become unrestricted free agents today.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A trial date for their case has not yet been set. Don’t expect those players to receive any contract offers.
Highlights from the first round of the 2024 Draft, and the latest on Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman, Sam Reinhart, Sidney Crosby, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE FIRST ROUND OF THE 2024 NHL DRAFT
NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks selected Macklin Celebrini with the first-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft at Sphere in Las Vegas on Friday evening. You can see the full list of first-round picks by following the link provided.
Macklin Celebrini (right) poses with Joe Thornton after being chosen first overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2024 NHL Draft (NHL.com).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise here. Celebrini was the consensus top player among prospect evaluators. Sharks general manager Mike Grier has recently mentioned the Boston University center among his top prospects. Celebrini and promising Will Smith should give the Sharks a solid one-two punch at center in the coming years.
The Anaheim Ducks selected Oshawa Generals winger Beckett Sennecke third overall. He projects to be a top-six winger alongside one of the Ducks’ promising young centers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This one was a surprise as most evaluators expected Sennecke to be chosen in the middle of this round. However, a strong second half and postseason bolstered his stock. The Ducks are loaded with young centers like Leo Carlsson, Trevor Zegras and Mason McTavish. Sennecke could one day line up alongside one of them.
Russian winger Ivan Demidov was chosen fifth overall by the Montreal Canadiens.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens fans were angry about their club passing over Matvei Michkov in the first round of last year’s draft but they should be pleased with this choice. Demidov was projected to go second overall by many evaluators. However, the Chicago Blackhawks took defenseman Artyom Levshunov with that pick, the Ducks chose Beckett Sennecke and the Columbus Blue Jackets went with center Cayden Lindstrom.
The 18-year-old Russian winger has been compared to Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov. If he develops as projected, the Canadiens could have a scoring superstar on their hands.
The Utah Hockey Club selected Tij Iginla with the sixth overall pick, the first since the teams relocated from Arizona this spring.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Iginla is the son of Hall-of-Famer Jarome Iginla and is a goalscorer like his father. A versatile forward, Iginla can play center or on the wing. He faces heightened expectations because of his famous dad but has the potential to become an NHL star in his own right.
University of Denver defenseman Zeev Buium was chosen 12th overall by the Minnesota Wild. They traded up from 13th overall with the Buffalo Sabres to land him.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This year’s draft was notable for a crop of high-quality defense prospects including Buium, Levshunov, Carter Yakemchuk (chosen seventh by the Ottawa Senators), Zayne Parekh (ninth overall, Calgary Flames), Anton Silayev (10th, New Jersey Devils), and Sam Dickinson (taken 11th by the Sharks).
I expected Buium to be chosen among the top 10. He helped Denver win the Frozen Four tournament and was part of Team USA’s gold-medal squad at the 2024 World Juniors. This pick could end up becoming a steal for the Wild.
The New York Islanders selected Cole Eiserman of the USNTDP with the 20th overall pick.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Concerns about Eiserman’s defensive play sent the young scoring winger’s stock tumbling. However, this could work out well for the Islanders as they attempt to restock their depleted prospect pool. Eiserman broke Cole Caufield’s record for most goals in a USNTDP career. This kid has the potential to become an NHL scorer.
History was made in this draft as two Norwegians were chosen in the opening round for the first time. The Detroit Red Wings selected winger Michael Brandsegg-Nygard with the 15th overall pick while the Ducks chose defenseman Stian Stolberg at No. 23.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I love it when players from smaller hockey nations get chosen in the opening round of the NHL Draft. It shows how much the game is growing internationally.
Several notable prospects projected to go in the first round remain available heading into Day 2 of the draft on Saturday beginning at 11:30 am ET. They include KHL forward Igor Chernyshow, Prince Albert Raiders forward Ryder Ritchie, Medicine Hat Tigers winger Andrew Basha, Swedish defenseman Leo Sahlin Wallenius, and Brandon Wheat Kings defenseman Charlie Elick.
HEADLINES
TAMPA BAY TIMES: After 16 seasons, Steven Stamkos could be leaving the Lightning. General manager Julien BriseBois said Friday morning he’s uncertain if a deal can be done to keep the 34-year-old winger from heading to the free-agent market on Monday.
The issue is limited salary-cap space. The Lightning have 18 players under contract for 2024-25 with $5.335 million in cap space. That alone isn’t enough to re-sign Stamkos, let alone fill out the rest of the roster.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports Stamkos’ agent said his client is heading to market on July 1. It will be remembered that he appeared to be going to market in 2016 before signing an eight-year extension at the last minute. That doesn’t seem likely this time unless the Bolts free up sufficient cap space to make it happen.
BriseBois seems more optimistic about signing Victor Hedman to a contract extension. The 33-year-old defenseman has a year remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $7.875 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Stamkos departs, it will be interesting to see how that affects the Lightning’s efforts to re-sign Hedman.
FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: George Richards cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the Panthers could have a deal in place to re-sign Sam Reinhart. It’s expected to be worth $9 million annually and would have to be announced on June 30 if it’s to be for a maximum of eight years.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Negotiations between the Reinhart camp and Panthers management have been ongoing for months. The 28-year-old winger has repeatedly expressed his wish to remain in Florida. It appears he’ll get his wish, taking one of the biggest names off this summer’s free-agent market.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Sidney Crosby indicated preliminary contract extension discussions with Penguins management have begun. The 36-year-old Penguins captain has one year remaining on his contract. He declined to elaborate but said they’ve had some conversations.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby’s not going anywhere. He’ll likely get a four-year deal for around his current annual cap hit of $8.7 million and finish his career as a Penguin.
NHL.COM: The initial 24 players for the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face Off were announced on Friday.
Penguins center Sidney Crosby, Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand, and Lightning forward Brayden Point make up the first six of Canada’s roster.
Team USA’s first six players include Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk, Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes, Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox, and Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy.
Sweden’s first six include the Lightning’s Victor Hedman, Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander, Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg, New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson and Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling.
Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen, Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho, Predators goaltender Juuse Saros, and Dallas Stars defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell are Finland’s first six players.
The rest of the rosters will be announced between Nov. 29 and Dec. 2. The tournament will be held in Montreal and Boston from Feb. 12-20, 2025.
PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers will buy out the final year of Cam Atkinson’s contract.
THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Nikita Zadorov will head to free agency on July 1.
TSN: The Edmonton Oilers signed backup goaltender Calvin Pickard to a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $1 million.
STLTODAY.COM: The St. Louis Blues acquired Alexandre Texier from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 2025 fourth-round pick. The Blue signed the 24-year-old forward to a two-year contract with an AAV of $2.1 million.
Check out the latest on Mitch Marner, Sam Reinhart, Jake Guentzel, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
NO TRADE OR CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR MITCH MARNER?
THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports nothing new regarding the future of Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner. He and his agent haven’t put together a list of trade destinations. The 27-year-old winger is focused on finishing his contract with the Leafs and seeing how things go. LeBrun also doesn’t think there’s an appetite to discuss a contract extension this summer.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman speculates Marner’s situation could play out in Toronto next season. While acknowledging there’s a lot of time between now and then and things could change, Friedman described it as a “delicate conversation between player and team because everyone is determined to look like a winner here.”
Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).
If the Leafs are to trade Marner, Friedman believes it must make a major impact, either with assets or in cap room that would allow the club to make another significant transaction.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner’s contract is the complicating factor here. He carries a hefty $10.9 million cap hit that will be difficult to move even with the cap rising to a projected $87.7 million for 2024-25. He also has a full no-movement clause which he seems unwilling to waive.
We can’t rule out the Leafs getting an offer they can’t refuse from a team that Marner would consider an acceptable trade destination. However, it’s starting to sound like a slim possibility.
LATEST PANTHERS SPECULATION
THE ATHLETIC: Pierre Lebrun reports the Florida Panthers will have little time to get their pending UFAs such as Sam Reinhart signed between the end of the Stanley Cup Final and the start of free agency on July 1. Both sides profess a strong mutual desire to get an extension done.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Score’s Josh Wegman cited Evolving-Hockey projecting Reinhart to sign an eight-year deal with an average annual value of $11.13 million to stay in Florida. That would make him the Panthers’ highest-paid player. Aleksander Barkov and Sergei Bobrovsky currently hold that honor with AAVs of $10 million.
The Panthers and Reinhart could agree to an eight-year deal worth the same AAV as Barkov and Bobrovsky or a smidgen less. Whatever the cost, it’ll take a big chunk out of the Panthers’ projected cap space of $20.8 million for 2024-25.
SPORTSNET: Luke Fox also weighed in on the Panthers’ upcoming tricky free-agent situation involving several of their core players.
Fox noted that Panthers general manager Bill Zito prioritized re-signing defenseman Gustav Forsling over Brandon Montour. “Perhaps because Montour began the season injured. More likely because his current cap hit of $3.5 million should double soon, and we may be watching his final shifts in Florida.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zito must shed some salary to re-sign Reinhart and Montour. The Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons recently claimed the Panthers intend to retain both players and could trade Aaron Ekblad and his $7.5 million cap hit and use the savings on Montour. I don’t put much stock into that scenario given Ekblad’s value to the Panthers.
UPDATE ON JAKE GUENTZEL
THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Carolina Hurricanes are continuing contract discussions with Jake Guentzel. They’d like to re-sign the pending UFA winger but LeBrun indicates Guentzel could test the market on July 1 while keeping the Hurricanes as an option.
Yohe isn’t ruling it out but noted that Guentzel was “pretty angry” about the Penguins trading him and angrier that they didn’t make a legitimate attempt at a contract extension. He anticipates the 29-year-old winger could get $9 million annually on a six-year deal and doesn’t see the Penguins making that pitch.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins GM Kyle Dubas could’ve re-signed Guentzel but didn’t seem interested. It’s unlikely he’ll try to bring him back.
WILL THE STARS RE-SIGN MATT DUCHENE AND CHRIS TANEV?
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: That’s the question Lia Assimakopoulos included among her Stars’ offseason storylines following their elimination from the Western Conference Final.
Duchene was signed last summer to a one-year, $3 million contract after being bought out by the Nashville Predators. Tanev was acquired before the March trade deadline. Both are eligible to become UFAs on July 1.
The pair fit in well with the Stars roster, playing crucial roles in their march to the Western Conference Final.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars have a projected cap space of $15.9 million next season with 13 active roster players under contract. There might not be enough room for Duchene and Tanev unless they can free up additional cap space.
The Rangers take a 2-1 series lead over the Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final, the latest on the Oilers and Stars ahead of Game 3 of the Western Conference Final, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Alex Wennberg gave the New York Rangers a 5-4 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 3 of the 2024 NHL Eastern Conference Final. Alexis Lafreniere and Barclay Goodrow scored two goals each as the Rangers took a 4-2 lead into the third period. However, Florida stormed back in the third on goals by Aleksander Barkov and Gustav Forsling. Sam Reinhart tallied two goals for the Panthers.
Game 4 is in Florida on Tuesday, May 28 at 8 pm EDT.
New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the most exciting game of this year’s Conference Finals thus far. Reinhart opened the scoring in the first period, Lafreniere and Goodrow quickly gave the Rangers the lead, only to have Reinhart tally his second goal before the period ended.
Lafreniere and Goodrow gave the Rangers a two-goal lead in the second but the Panthers dominated the third period on their way to tying the game.
The Panthers controlled most of the play in this game. Sportsnet’s Luke Fox indicated they led the Rangers in shot attempts (108-44), shots (37-23), scoring chances (46-20), and high-danger chances (15-7). They also went two-for-six on the power play while successfully killing off the Rangers’ two man-advantage attempts.
Goaltender Igor Shesterkin made the difference for the Rangers. He stopped 33 shots to bail out his teammates with several clutch saves.
Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk collected two assists in this contest. He surpassed his father Keith in career playoff points 57-56.
Rangers captain Jacob Trouba delivered a high elbow on Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues in the second period. His elbow made contact with Rodrigues’ head, initially earning a five-minute major penalty before it was downgraded on review to a double-minor, drawing criticism on social media given Trouba’s prior history of questionable hits. The Panthers failed to score on the ensuing power play.
PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson believes the Oilers should scratch checking-line forward Ryan McLeod from Game 3 of the Western Conference Final if Adam Henrique is ready to return from a nagging injury. McLeod has no points and 15 shots in 14 playoff games, averaging nearly 14 minutes per game. He hasn’t scored in his last 26 playoff games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matheson pointed out that Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch shook his roster earlier in this postseason. He switched struggling goalie Stuart Skinner for Calvin Pickard in Games 4 and 5 of their second-round series against Vancouver and scratched veteran winger Corey Perry for the entirety of that series. He could do the same with McLeod if Henrique is ready to return.
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars center Roope Hintz is considered a game-day decision for Game 3 of the Western Conference Final. Hintz has been sidelined by an upper-body injury since Game 4 of their second-round series against Colorado.
IN OTHER NEWS…
THE SCORE: Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak scored the game-winning goal as Czechia blanked Switzerland 2-0 to win gold at the 2024 IIHF World Championships. Toronto Maple Leafs forward David Kampf scored into an empty net and Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal stopped 31 shots as Czechia won its first gold at the Worlds since 2010.
Dostal was named the tournament’s top goaltender. Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala of Switzerland was named most valuable player. Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi of Switzerland was the top defenseman.
Sweden defeated Canada 4-2 to win the bronze.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle did not play in Canada’s bronze-medal game against Sweden. He was injured while blocking a shot in Canada’s semifinal game against Switzerland.
CALGARY SUN: Flames defenseman Nikita Okhotiuk is reportedly returning to Russia. According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the 23-year-old Okhotiuk signed a two-year contract with KHL club CSKA Moscow. He’s a restricted free agent this summer, and the Flames can retain his NHL rights with a qualifying offer.
The 28-year-old winger is completing a three-year deal with an average annual value of $6.5 million. He’s enjoyed a career season in his contract year with 52 goals and a team-leading 87 points.
Reinhart said the lack of a new contract isn’t an issue. He claimed he has a positive relationship with the club and general manager Bill Zito. Reinhart insisted he’s “very comfortable” with the ongoing situation as he’s focused on the end of this season and the upcoming playoffs.
“I’ve got all the confidence it’s going to work out,” said Reinhart. “I’m very comfortable with where it is.”
Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart (NHL Images).
Zito told LeBrun that he believes the two sides will get a deal done and praised Reinhart’s performance this season. “Sometimes the contracts take time. That’s not necessarily a bad thing”, he said. “I believe we will find the right contract for Sam and the Panthers.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reinhart will be the top player in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent class. He will draw plenty of interest if he hits the open market on July 1.
Reinhart and Zito seem keen to get a contract extension done. The more he scores the more expensive he’ll be to re-sign. Still, he’s in a good situation with the Panthers, a club that has gained respectability by becoming one of the top 10 teams in the league.
The Panthers have a projected cap space of over $20 million for 2024-25 with 13 active roster players under contract. They must also re-sign restricted free agent Anton Lundell while key defenseman Brandon Montour is UFA-eligible on July 1.
It’ll be interesting to see how this situation shakes out. There was speculation earlier this season of Reinhart getting $8.5 million per season on his next contract. His 52-goal season raises his asking price. He’ll get over $10 million annually on the free-agent market. With Florida lacking a state tax, he might accept just under $9.5 million per season to stay with the Panthers.
SUGGESTED TRADE TARGETS FOR THE CANADIENS
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marco D’Amico proposed three trade options for the Canadiens in their offseason pursuit of a young scoring forward. He noted they have “an overabundance of defensemen, some cap space and a haul of draft picks over the next two drafts” to draw on for trade bait.
Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras tops D’Amico’s list, believing the 23-year-old winger could be traded this summer. Following a difficult third season with the Ducks, a change in scenery might be in order for Zegras.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: D’Amico observed that the Canadiens have been confirmed to be monitoring Zegras. He also noted that Ducks GM Pat Verbeek has refused to entertain a trade. Nevertheless, he believes that the winger could be in play this summer.
Verbeek could listen to offers for Zegras this summer but he’ll be an expensive acquisition. The Ducks GM could insist on the Canadiens’ 2024 first-rounder and top prospect Lane Hutson being part of the deal.
Zegras is signed for two more seasons. The Ducks aren’t facing any pressure to trade him. Verbeek can set a high asking price and wait to see if someone will meet it. He won’t have any problem with a healthy and motivated Zegras as part of his roster for next season.
Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas could become available this summer. The Hurricanes have several key players eligible for UFA and RFA status this summer with Necas in the latter category. They’re unlikely to sign them all.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Necas could become a trade candidate if the Hurricanes attempt to retain pending UFAs like Jake Guentzel, Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce. He won’t be as expensive to acquire as Zegras but it could cost the Habs a first-rounder or one of their promising defense prospects as part of the return.
Necas is also close to UFA eligibility. The Canadiens will want to ensure they can sign him to an extension before making this deal.
Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson is the least proven on D’Amico’s list but has plenty of potential. The Jackets already have a plethora of young talent coming in and another top-five pick likely this season.
D’Amico noted that an argument could be made to pursue Patrik Laine given his poor 2023-24 season. However, his $8.7 million cap hit and the baggage that has followed him would make him an expensive risk.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnson had a 40-point rookie season in 2022-23 but struggled with consistency before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in February. He could rebound well playing for Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis. However, Johnson seems the least likely target for the Habs. GM Kent Hughes will likely prefer an established scorer in their mid-twenties.
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