The Pittsburgh Penguins traded forward Reilly Smith to the New York Rangers for a second-round pick in 2027 and a fifth-rounder in 2025, the teams announced.More to come.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders signed forward Anthony Duclair to a four-year contract, the club announced Monday.It's worth $3.5 million per season, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Duclair excelled down the stretch for the Tampa Bay Lightning this past season, racking up eight goals and seven assists over 17 games in the regular season before adding two helpers in five playoff contests.The Bolts acquired him from the San Jose Sharks on March 7. Duclair, who'll turn 29 on August 26, posted 16 tallies and 11 helpers over 56 games with the Sharks in 2023-24.Duclair is notoriously streaky, but he set career highs with 31 goals and 27 assists over 71 contests with the Florida Panthers in 2021-22.He's played for eight previous teams in his 10-year career.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs solidified their goaltending Monday.Toronto inked Joseph Woll to a three-year contract extension with a $3.66-million cap hit, the team announced.The Maple Leafs then signed free agent Anthony Stolarz to a two-year pact with a $2.5-million cap hit, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports.Toronto also brought back netminder Matt Murray on a one-year, $875,000 deal, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.Stolarz, 30, posted a .925 save percentage in 27 games with the Florida Panthers last season. He has a career .915 SV% in 108 contests.Woll will play out the final season of his current contract at a $776,667 cap hit before his new deal starts for the 2025-26 campaign. The 25-year-old was scheduled for restricted free agency next summer.The Maple Leafs could hand the keys to Woll to be a full-time starter next season. Ilya Samsonov and Martin Jones are pending unrestricted free agents.Woll battled injuries this past season but managed a .907 save percentage in 25 contests. He took over in goal for Samsonov late in Toronto's first-round clash against the Boston Bruins and led the Leafs to a pair of victories. However, he suffered an injury late in Game 6 and was unavailable for the series finale, which Boston won.Toronto drafted Woll in the third round in 2016. He made his NHL debut during the 2021-22 season and has 36 career appearances under his belt.Murray underwent hip surgery in October and didn't play a game for the Leafs this season. The 30-year-old suited up for three games with their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, in 2023-24. He won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 as a rookie and again in 2017.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Kraken signed defenseman Brandon Montour to a seven-year contract with a $7.14-million cap hit, the team announced Monday.Montour, 30, recorded eight goals and 33 points in 66 games with the Florida Panthers last season. He added three markers and 11 points in 24 playoff contests en route to a Stanley Cup triumph.Only Gustav Forsling played more than Montour's 22:40 per game in the postseason for the Panthers.Montour exploded offensively in 2022-23 with 16 goals and 73 points in 80 games. He also had 107 penalty minutes and played over 24 minutes per contest that season.The right-shot rearguard suited up for the Anaheim Ducks and Buffalo Sabres before emerging as a top-of-the-lineup defenseman with the Panthers.Montour carried a $3.5-million cap hit last season.The Kraken have $16 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks signed forward Jake DeBrusk to a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $5.5 million, the team announced.DeBrusk became an unrestricted free agent Monday after a seven-year tenure with the Boston Bruins. His new deal with the Canucks is a notable raise from the $4 million he's earned annually for the past two seasons.Vancouver was widely believed to be pursuing a top-six winger to complement Elias Pettersson this offseason, and DeBrusk should fill that role on the left side of the Canucks' depth chart.DeBrusk registered 19 goals and 40 points in 2023-24 but has eclipsed 25 tallies in three different seasons. The 27-year-old also has 47 points in 86 career playoff games.The Bruins drafted DeBrusk 14th overall in 2015.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins nabbed a pair of ex-Vancouver Canucks in free agency, signing forward Elias Lindholm and defenseman Nikita Zadorov, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.Zadorov inked a six-year deal at $5 million per season, according to Dreger.Lindholm signed a seven-year pact carrying a $7.75-million average annual value, per TSN's Chris Johnston.Lindholm and Zadorov also played together with the Calgary Flames. The Canucks added them in separate trades, acquiring Zadorov in November and Lindholm in January.The forward was one of the top centers available, though he had an inconsistent season. Lindholm produced just nine goals and 23 assists over 49 games with the Flames in 2023-24, and then only six tallies and six helpers across 26 contests with the Canucks down the stretch of the regular season.However, Lindholm was stellar in the playoffs, racking up five goals and five assists in 13 games. He's also two seasons removed from a 42-goal, 40-assist campaign.Zadorov collected five goals and nine assists in 54 games with Vancouver after his trade from Calgary. He dished out 177 hits with both clubs in 2023-24.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild inked forward Yakov Trenin to a four-year pact at an average annual value of $3.5 million, sources told The Athletic's Michael Russo.Trenin collected two goals and an assist over 16 games with the Colorado Avalanche this season. The Nashville Predators traded him to the Avalanche on March 7.He posted 10 tallies and four helpers across 60 contests with the Predators in 2023-24. He spent parts of five campaigns with Nashville, notching a career-best 17 goals in 2021-22.The Predators drafted Trenin 55th overall in 2015.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and free-agent defenseman Chris Tanev agreed to a six-year contract worth an average annual value of $4.5 million, the team announced Monday.The contract includes a full no-movement clause.Toronto acquired Tanev's signing rights from the Dallas Stars on Saturday for a 2026 seventh-round pick and restricted free-agent forward Max Ellis.The 34-year-old played 75 games last season split between the Stars and Calgary Flames, recording 19 points and a plus-24 rating. He played 19:41 per contest.Tanev's role increased in the postseason, where he averaged 22:18 in the Stars' 19 playoff games.The rearguard is highly regarded for his defensive ability and fearlessness. Tanev's 6.6 defensive goals above replacement ranked 14th among all NHL defenders, per Evolving-Hockey, which would've led the Maple Leafs. His 207 blocks were third league-wide and 48 more than the top Toronto player, TJ Brodie.Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving signed Tanev as a free agent with the Flames in October 2020.Toronto has $7.6 million of cap space, according to CapFriendly.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2024 class of unrestricted free agents once could've included the likes of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele, Devon Toews, and Noah Hanifin. Those impact players ultimately re-upped with their clubs, and in the latter's case, signed with his new squad after being traded. But even so, a boatload of talented players remain poised to hit the market this summer.One area where there isn't a lot of potential depth available is in goal. There are two "starters" - one cracked this list and the other is the inconsistent Ilya Samsonov. Laurent Brossoit and Anthony Stolarz stand out but are backups. Calvin Pickard stepped up during the playoffs but only played three games in the postseason.Here are our top pending unrestricted free agents as we near the start of the frenzy on July 1:xGF% = Expected goals for percentage at five-on-five

The Dallas Stars and Matt Duchene are expected to agree on a one-year deal in the range of $3 million, according to The Athletic's Chris Johnston.Duchene was set to become a pending unrestricted free agent and would have been among the top centers available if he tested the market.The 33-year-old produced 25 goals and 40 assists across 80 games for Dallas last season. He averaged only 16:46 of ice time, his lowest average since 2011-12 with the Colorado Avalanche. However, he posted favorable underlying numbers, with a five-on-five expected goals for percentage of 50.88 and a scoring chances for percentage of 51.53 in the same situations, per Natural Stat Trick.Duchene inked a one-year, $3-million deal with the Stars last July 1 after the Nashville Predators bought out the final three seasons of the seven-year, $56-million contract they gave him in the summer of 2019.The Ontario-born pivot fit in well as Dallas' second-line center in 2023-24. He and fellow veteran forward Joe Pavelski are by far the Stars' two most important pending UFAs. However, the latter said after Dallas' season ended that he's "probably" played his last game in the NHL.Duchene has suited up for the Stars, Predators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators, and Avalanche in his 15-year career. He played his first eight campaigns with Colorado, the team that drafted him third overall in 2009.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils are set to sign free-agent defenseman Brett Pesce to a six-year contract that carries an average annual value in the $5.5-million range, according to The Athletic's Chris Johnston.Pesce was one of the most coveted blue-liners on the open market this summer. The 29-year-old is known for a sturdy defensive game and gives the Devils a dependable top-four option on the right side.Pesce has spent the past nine years with the Carolina Hurricanes. He managed 13 points in 70 games in 2023-24 and has averaged more than 20 minutes per contest in all but his rookie season.The Devils have reworked their blue line early in the offseason, dealing John Marino to Utah while acquiring Johnathan Kovacevic from the Montreal Canadiens.New Jersey also acquired goaltender Jacob Markstrom in June and hired Sheldon Keefe as its new head coach.The Devils entered the signing period with approximately $19 million available to spend, per CapFriendly.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers re-signed forward Connor Brown to a one-year contract worth $1 million, the team announced Monday.Brown, 30, tallied four goals and 12 points in 71 regular-season games. He found some of his past form in the postseason, recording two goals and six points in 19 playoff contests.The Oilers inked Brown to a one-year contract last summer with a $775,000 cap hit. The deal had $3.225 million in performance bonuses, which Brown hit after playing 10 games.Brown played only four games in 2022-23 after sustaining a torn ACL.Edmonton had $13 million in cap space before the signing, according to CapFriendly.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers are re-signing defenseman Dmitry Kulikov to a four-year contract worth $1.15 million per season, reports TSN's Bob McKenzie.Kulikov, who was drafted 14th overall by Florida in 2009, joined the Panthers for a second tour of duty last summer on a one-year agreement.The 33-year-old recorded 20 points in 76 games and helped Florida capture the Stanley Cup in a shutdown, penalty-killing role on the blue line.Kulikov has suited up for eight different teams over a 15-year career.The Panthers also re-signed star forward Sam Reinhart on Monday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The summer's top unrestricted free agent isn't going anywhere.The Florida Panthers re-signed star forward Sam Reinhart to a maximum-term eight-year extension, the team announced Monday.The contract carries an $8.625-million AAV, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports. Reinhart's new deal slots him as Florida's third-highest-paid player behind captain Aleksander Barkov ($10 million) and Matthew Tkachuk ($9.5 million).Reinhart enjoyed a monster regular season in which he scored 57 goals - including a league-leading 27 tallies on the power play - and 94 points in 82 games. His production was helped along by his 24.5 shooting percentage, the highest in the NHL.The 28-year-old placed fourth in Selke Trophy voting as one of the league's best defensive forwards. He finished the campaign tied for ninth among all forwards in defensive goals above replacement (6.3), and the Panthers controlled 63.6% of the goals and 59.7% of the expected goals at five-on-five with Reinhart on the ice, per Evolving-Hockey.Reinhart went on to score the Stanley Cup-clinching goal in Game 7 to help the Panthers win their first championship in franchise history. His 16 playoff points (10 goals, six assists) in 24 contests were the fifth most on the team.Florida pried Reinhart, then a restricted free agent, away from the Buffalo Sabres in July 2021 in exchange for goaltender Devon Levi and a 2022 first-round pick. The Panthers signed him to a three-year, $19.5-million pact soon after.Reinhart's 121 goals in 242 games since arriving in the Sunshine State are the most on the team over that span, while his 243 points are second only to captain Aleksander Barkov.The Sabres selected Reinhart with the second overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. He's totaled 255 goals and 538 points in 696 career NHL games.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning signed forward Jake Guentzel to a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $9 million on Monday.The Bolts traded a 2025 third-round pick to the Carolina Hurricanes to acquire his rights on Sunday. Guentzel and Carolina were reportedly negotiating an eight-year, $64-million pact before the trade.Guentzel is now the third-highest-paid player on Tampa Bay's books behind Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point, who each make $9.5 million annually.News broke that Tampa Bay was setting its sights on the prized winger after creating cap space by trading Mikhail Sergachev and Tanner Jeannot on Saturday.Carolina acquired Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins in a pre-deadline blockbuster. He notched 25 points in 17 games with the Hurricanes, adding nine more in the playoffs as the club bowed out in the second round at the hands of the New York Rangers.Guentzel is a two-time 40-goal-scorer, and he won the Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2017. The 29-year-old could be a replacement for captain Steven Stamkos, who's testing the market Monday after 16 years with the Lightning.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2024 class of unrestricted free agents may be lacking a surefire superstar talent, but it more than makes up for it with its depth. Several of these players will be looking to cash in with long-term deals as the salary cap makes its first significant jump since the pandemic.With free agency opening Monday, we take out our crystal ball and predict where the most notable UFAs end up. The order of each player's appearance on the list is based on their predicted average annual value.Ages as of Oct. 10 (the start date of last season).Editor's note: Sam Reinhart (Panthers), Jake Guentzel (Lightning), and Patrick Kane (Red Wings) were removed from the list after reportedly signing deals before the market opened.Brady SkjeiAge: 30

Jonathan Marchessault is slated to become an unrestricted free agent when the market opens at noon ET on Monday after being unable to come to terms with the Vegas Golden Knights, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reports.The 2023 Conn Smythe winner is the franchise's leader in goals (192), assists (225), points (417), game-winning goals (32), and games played (514).As a result of seemingly being prepared to move on from Marchessault, the Golden Knights are showing interest in pending UFA Steven Stamkos, sources told Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. On Saturday, Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said Stamkos will test free agency.Marchessault is a founding member of the Golden Knights, joining the team in 2017 via the expansion draft after being left unprotected by the Florida Panthers. In early 2018, the 33-year-old signed a six-year, $30-million contract with Vegas that is now expiring.He was an integral part of the 2023 Stanley Cup-winning roster, becoming only the 10th undrafted player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy after scoring 13 goals and tallying 12 assists throughout the playoffs.Marchessault is coming off a 42-goal campaign during which he played all 82 games and added 27 assists.He'll be considered one of the top players available when free agency opens.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A handful of restricted free agents weren't offered qualifying offers by their respective teams by Sunday's 5 p.m. ET deadline, allowing them to hit the market as unrestricted free agents Monday at noon.Nils Lundkvist is among some of the more notable players now up for grabs. The full list can be found here.PlayerPositionTeamQO PriceJesper BoqvistFBOS$813.75KJacob BrysonDBUF$1.9MMax ComtoisFCAR$813.75KJake BeanDCBJ$2.8MAlex NylanderFCBJ$813.75KDillon DubeFCGY$2.4MNils LundkvistDDAL$874.125KSam SteelFDAL$892.5KBlake LizotteFLAK$1.675MCal FooteDNJD$840KMichael McLeodFNJD$1.4MErik BrannstromDOTT$2MParker KellyFOTT$813.75KCarter HartGPHI$4.479MPierre-Olivier JosephDPIT$892.5KKailer YamamotoFSEA$1.5MCalen AddisonDSJS$866.25KFilip ZadinaFSJS$1.1MNoah GregorFTOR$813.75KAkira SchmidGVGK$813.75KFour of the five former Canadian world juniors players charged with sexual assault from an incident in 2018 - Hart, Dube, Foote, and McLeod - were not tendered qualifying offers. The fifth, Alex Formenton, hasn't played in the NHL for the past two seasons.Lundkvist was acquired by the Dallas Stars from the New York Rangers in September 2022 for a pair of picks including a 2023 first-rounder. He often sat as a healthy scratch in 2023-24, suiting up for 59 games and averaging just over 14 minutes of ice time.It was reported earlier on Sunday that Brannstrom would not be receiving a qualifying offer from the Ottawa Senators.The Golden Knights acquired Schmid from the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. Though Vegas didn't tender him a qualifying offer, a few teams have indicated that he's still expected to sign there, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.(Cap source: CapFriendly)Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Maple Leafs pending unrestricted free agent Tyler Bertuzzi and pending restricted free agent Nick Robertson don't plan on re-signing with Toronto, reports TSN's Darren Dreger and Chris Johnston.Bertuzzi had an up-and-down campaign in Toronto, amassing 21 goals and 43 points in 80 games.He particularly struggled up until the All-Star break, registering just six goals and 20 points in 47 contests despite getting plenty of ice time with the Leafs' top forwards. The 29-year-old finished on a high note in the regular season, though, potting 15 tallies and 23 points in his last 33 games.Bertuzzi put up four points in seven playoff games this spring as the Leafs were ousted from the first round by Boston. Last year, he pitched in with five goals and five helpers in seven postseason contests as a member of the Boston Bruins.The Maple Leafs signed Bertuzzi to a one-year, $5.5-million contract as an unrestricted free agent last July. Dreger reports that he may land a four-year pact with a cap hit north of $5 million.Toronto has around $12 million in cap space after signing Max Domi and Timothy Liljegren to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $3.75 million and a two-year pact with a $3-million cap hit, respectively. The Leafs also acquired veteran defenseman Chris Tanev's rights from the Dallas Stars on Saturday.Robertson, meanwhile, has requested a trade, per Johnston.The Leafs selected him in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft and he enjoyed a 55-goal campaign with the OHL's Peterborough Petes the following season.The 22-year-old was once considered Toronto's top prospect, but his NHL tenure thus far has been marred by injuries. He's had to contend with an ailing knee, torn adductor, broken fibula, and an injured shoulder that required surgery.As a result, he appeared in a combined 35 NHL games (including four playoff outings) and 51 AHL contests between the 2020-21 season and the 2022-23 campaign.Robertson was largely healthy in 2023-24 and he appeared in 56 regular-season games with the Leafs, totaling 14 goals and 27 points. However, as the only other waivers exempt forward aside from Matthew Knies, he wasn't a permanent fixture in the lineup as Toronto maneuvered its way around the salary cap.He expressed frustration after the Maple Leafs sent him down to the AHL's Toronto Marlies in March."I understand it, but I'm not going to sit here and say I'm happy," he said, per the Toronto Sun's Terry Koshan. "I want to play, but I understand my contract situation. If it wasn't the way it was, maybe it would be a different situation, but it is what it is."Robertson made his NHL debut in the 2020 playoff bubble against the Columbus Blue Jackets, scoring his first goal in Game 3.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

"Showtime" is sticking around in Detroit.The Red Wings signed pending unrestricted free-agent forward Patrick Kane to a one-year deal on Sunday night.His deal is worth $4 million plus an additional $2.5 million in bonuses, per Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. Kane will earn another $1.5 million after hitting the 10-game benchmark, $250,000 if he plays in 60 games, $500,000 if the Red Wings make the playoffs, and an additional $250,000 if he reaches 60 points and Detroit appears in the postseason.The Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, and Buffalo Sabres were reported to have interest in making a run at the veteran.The Red Wings also won the Kane sweepstakes this past season, signing him to a one-year, $2.75-million deal in late November.Kane couldn't make his 2023-24 season debut until Dec. 7 while recovering from hip resurfacing surgery, but he was a key fixture of Detroit's attempted playoff push upon his return. He totaled 47 points (20 goals, 27 assists) in 50 games, good for second most on the team behind only Lucas Raymond over that span.The Red Wings finished the season with the same number of points (91) as Washington, but the Capitals had five more regulation wins and took the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in its last eight campaigns.After Detroit's season ended, Kane was complimentary of his time with the Red Wings."I think they're in a great spot," he said. "(Dylan) Larkin, his competitiveness, young players stepping up at the right times and playing so well in the important games - (Moritz) Seider, (Lucas) Raymond, (Alex) DeBrincat, (Simon) Edvinsson. ... I think the future's really bright for the team."Kane has amassed 471 goals and 1,284 points in 1,230 regular-season games, split between the Blackhawks, New York Rangers, and Red Wings. A three-time Stanley Cup champion with Chicago, he owns 138 points in 143 playoff contests.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Video contains coarse languageMax Domi is staying home.The Toronto Maple Leafs re-signed the pending unrestricted free-agent forward to a four-year contract with a $3.75-million cap hit, the team confirmed Sunday.Domi took to X to announce he's staying in humorous fashion.

The Montreal Canadiens traded defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic to the New Jersey Devils for a 2026 fourth-round pick, the teams announced Sunday.Kovacevic shoots right and stands at 6-foot-5, 223 pounds. The 26-year-old is in the final year of his contract with a sub-league-minimum cap hit of $766,000.

Utah signed pending restricted free-agent defenseman Sean Durzi to a four-year extension, the club announced Sunday.Durzi's new deal carries a cap hit of $6 million, reports TSN's Chris Johnston. His pact includes a 10-team no-trade clause starting in July 2026, per Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.The 25-year-old posted nine goals and a career-high 41 points in 76 games this past season while leading the Arizona Coyotes in average ice time (22:43).Though the Coyotes' defensive numbers last season - a minus-18 goal differential and 274 goals against - were less than impressive, Durzi's underlying stats were admirable. Arizona controlled around 51% of the shot attempts and scoring chances and was narrowly outscored 56-59 with Durzi on the ice at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick. He also led all Coyotes defensemen in offensive goals above replacement (7.5), per Evolving-Hockey.Durzi spent the bulk of the campaign on a pairing with J.J. Moser. However, Utah traded Moser to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday as part of the package that brought Mikhail Sergachev to the league's newly relocated club.Utah further bolstered its back end that same day by acquiring John Marino from the New Jersey Devils. The club also signed 25-year-old pending restricted free agent Juuso Valimaki to a two-year pact.As a result of the new deals and signings, Utah's top four could look something like this next season, barring further moves:LDRDMikhail SergachevSean DurziJuuso ValimakiJohn MarinoThe Los Angeles Kings traded Durzi to the Coyotes last June in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick. Initially selected by Toronto in the second round of the 2018 NHL Draft, the Maple Leafs sent Durzi to L.A. in January 2019 to land rearguard Jake Muzzin.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs re-signed defenseman Timothy Liljegren to a two-year contract carrying an annual cap hit of $3 million, the team announced Sunday.Liljegren was set to become a restricted free agent. The new contract walks him to unrestricted free agency in 2026.The 25-year-old tied a personal best with 23 points in 55 games for the Leafs last season, averaging a career-high 19:40 per game.

The Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, and Buffalo Sabres are among the teams expected to make a play for Patrick Kane when free agency opens Monday, reports Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.The Detroit Red Wings remain in the mix, too. The two sides reportedly found some traction toward a new deal Sunday.Detroit is still reportedly negotiating with some of its other pending unrestricted free agents - Shayne Gostisbehere and David Perron - into the 11th hour as well.Kane recorded 20 goals and 27 assists in 50 games with the Red Wings last season. He missed most of the first half of the campaign while recovering from hip resurfacing surgery, a procedure no NHL player had successfully returned from previously.AFP Analytics projects he'll sign a two-year contract with a $6.3-million average annual value.The 35-year-old played for the Rangers as a 2023 trade deadline pickup. He's also from Buffalo. He has no obvious ties to the Habs or Stars.A three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks, Kane also won the Calder Trophy in 2008, the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2013, and the Hart Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award, and Art Ross Trophy in 2016.Kane has tallied 1,284 points - the third most among American-born players - in 1,230 career games across 17 NHL seasons.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Videos contain coarse languageThe party was on in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday, as the Florida Panthers held their Stanley Cup parade on the eve of free agency.Thousands of loyal Cats fans took to the street to brave rainy weather and celebrate their team's first title, and as always, there was no shortage of viral clips to hit the internet.Here are some of the best:Ryan Lomberg gave a lucky fan a beer shower:

The Blue Jackets placed defenseman Adam Boqvist on unconditional waivers Sunday for the purpose of a buyout, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.If he clears waivers, the buyout will go as follows, per PuckPedia.SeasonInitial cap hitBuyout cap hit2024-25$2.6M-$66K2025-26N/A$533KBecause Boqvist is under 26 years old, it's a 1/3 buyout, which nets the Blue Jackets a small cap credit for the upcoming campaign.Boqvist was a key part of the Blue Jackets' return package in the 2021 trade that sent Seth Jones to Chicago. The Blackhawks selected Boqvist eighth overall in 2018.The 23-year-old struggled with injuries during his three seasons in Columbus, never playing more than 52 games. He boasts promising offensive ability but has struggled defensively.

The Winnipeg Jets placed defenseman Nate Schmidt on unconditional waivers Sunday for the purpose of a buyout, reports Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.Schmidt was set to enter the final year of his contract. If he clears waivers, the buyout will look as follows:SeasonInitial cap hitBuyout cap hit2024-25$5.95M$2.716M2025-26N/A$1.616MThe 32-year-old was relegated to a third-paring role this past season and produced 14 points in 63 games.Winnipeg acquired Schmidt from the Vancouver Canucks in 2021 for a third-round pick.The Jets already re-signed blue-liner Dylan DeMelo to a four-year, $19.6-million contract. Logan Stanley is a pending restricted free agent, while Brenden Dillon and Colin Miller are pending unrestricted free agents.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers placed goaltender Jack Campbell on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a buyout, the team announced Sunday.Campbell signed a five-year, $25-million contract with the Oilers as a free agent in 2022. He was assigned to the AHL in November after starting the season 1-4 with a .873 save percentage and didn't make another appearance for Edmonton.Here's a breakdown of what the buyout will cost the Oilers, according to Cap Friendly.SeasonBase salaryCap hit2024-25$5.4M$1.1M2025-26$4.2M$2.3M2026-27$3.9M$2.6M2027-28$0$1.5M2028-29$0$1.5M2029-30$0$1.5MCampbell also struggled in his debut season in Edmonton, posting an .888 save percentage in 36 appearances in 2022-23.The Oilers' tandem in goal next season will be Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard, who combined to help Edmonton reach Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final this postseason.Edmonton has approximately $12.9 million to spend this offseason and only has 14 players signed for 2024-25. The Oilers are also in search of a new general manager after the club and Ken Holland agreed to part ways.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators aren't expected to issue a qualifying offer to restricted free-agent defenseman Erik Brannstrom, sources told Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch.The move will make Brannstrom an unrestricted free agent.The qualifying offer would've been $2 million, and Brannstrom could've earned more with his arbitration rights.Brannstrom was the centerpiece of the return package in the 2019 Mark Stone trade, but the 5-foot-10 defenseman hasn't carved out a consistent top-four role during his six seasons in Ottawa.The 24-year-old, who was selected 15th overall by Vegas at the 2017 draft, will become one of the youngest UFAs available.Brannstrom recorded a career-high 20 points in 76 games this past season, averaging 16:35 per contest. He's routinely posted strong defensive underlying numbers when placed in a sheltered, third-pairing role.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba is shocked to see his name in trade rumors this offseason, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Rangers general manager Chris Drury reportedly asked Trouba earlier this week to submit the 15 teams on his no-trade list. Trouba's full no-move clause turns into a modified clause Monday, but the rugged defenseman may not be inclined to help a trade materialize, sources told The Athletic's Peter Baugh.Reports over draft weekend indicated the Detroit Red Wings are interested in acquiring Trouba, a Michigan native.Trouba has two seasons remaining on his contract at a cap hit of $8 million. He signed a seven-year deal with the Rangers in 2019 after asking to be traded from the Winnipeg Jets.New York named him captain in August 2022.Trouba is one of the league's most physically imposing blue-liners and chipped in 22 points in 69 games this past season. However, his defensive metrics and discipline are an issue, as he posted minus-2.3 defensive goals above replacement in 2023-24, per Evolving-Hockey, and led the Rangers with 22 penalty minutes in the playoffs.Drury has set out to clear cap space early this summer, already waiving veteran Barclay Goodrow. The Rangers have $12.8 million in financial flexibility, according to Cap Friendly. Ryan Lindgren and Braden Schneider are New York's most prominent restricted free agents, while Igor Shesterkin, Alexis Lafreniere, and K'Andre Miller are eligible to sign extensions as of July 1.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois revealed Saturday that team captain and longtime franchise fixture Steven Stamkos plans to become a free agent Monday."As of now, we've both agreed to go to July 1," the GM said, per NHL.com's Dan Rosen via his colleague, Mike Zeisberger.BriseBois added that he didn't extend an increased offer to Stamkos despite trading away defenseman Mikhail Sergachev and forward Tanner Jeannot to clear cap space earlier in the day, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.The Bolts executive explained that he went to Stamkos' agent after making the Sergachev trade, and both sides agreed on this outcome, per the Tampa Bay Times' Eduardo A. Encina.Tampa Bay is reportedly targeting Carolina Hurricanes winger Jake Guentzel, another potent scorer who's also a pending unrestricted free agent.Stamkos is one of the highest-profile pending UFAs in this year's class.The 34-year-old forward excelled this past season, racking up 40 goals and 41 assists over 79 games. His average ice time of 18:14 was his lowest since 2016-17, and he failed to drive possession at five-on-five with an expected goals for percentage of 48.04, according to Natural Stat Trick. However, the Lightning did control over 50% of the scoring chances (50.15) with Stamkos on the ice in those situations.Stamkos has played his entire 16-year career with the Lightning, who drafted him first overall in 2008. He's helped them make numerous playoff runs, including back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 (though he played just one postseason game that year) and the abbreviated 2021 campaign.The Markham, Ontario-born veteran is a two-time "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner who buried a career-high 60 goals in 2011-12. He's been exceptional in recent years, too, having established personal bests of 64 assists and 106 points in 2021-22.Stamkos also tested the free-agent waters in 2016, garnering interest from the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres, and Toronto Maple Leafs before re-signing with Tampa Bay on the eight-year, $68-million pact that expires Monday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the 2024 draft complete, we're handing out initial grades for each team's haul of new prospects.Jump to:

Folks, the NHL silly season is upon us (as evidenced by a whopping nine player trades during the draft on Saturday).Though all 32 general managers are bound to be attached to their phones when the free-agent market opens Monday at noon ET, we've singled out a handful of teams that should draw a bit more attention.Let's assess six of the most interesting squads entering free agency:Boston Bruins Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / GettyThe Bruins' problems this summer are child's play compared to last year when they had to contend with the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci while having barely any cap space to fill the gaps.Luckily for general manager Don Sweeney, that's no longer his reality, and he vowed to be "aggressive" this offseason. Boston hasn't made a deep playoff run since making the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, so that mindset is precisely what the team needs to gain some postseason staying power. The organization has around $21.6 million in projected cap space to work with, though a hefty chunk will have to go toward pending RFA goaltender Jeremy Swayman. Sweeney also has a new deal to mull over for forward Jake DeBrusk, Boston's top upcoming UFA, which would further cut into the funds.Sweeney has already made his first move by sending goaltender Linus Ullmark and his $5-million cap hit to the Ottawa Senators, therefore cementing Swayman's status as a true No. 1. Even though the Bruins got struggling goalie Joonas Korpisalo and depth forward Mark Kastelic in return, the trade saved them a smidge over $1 million while netting them a first-round pick - a luxury they previously hadn't had since 2021.Based on Sweeney's post-elimination promise, it's safe to assume he's got at least a few more tricks up his sleeve this summer, with a focus on the open market. Likely near the top of the Bruins' offseason wish list is pending UFA center Elias Lindholm, who's been linked to Boston for quite some time. Beantown may also look to add a top-four rearguard and a scoring winger.That's a lot to ask. Let's see how aggressive Sweeney is willing to get.Carolina Hurricanes Josh Lavallee / National Hockey League / GettyEvery team has to go through some level of change in the offseason, but the Hurricanes are going to look different in 2024-25.First, let's address the elephant in the room: Jake Guentzel. The Canes acquired him in a blockbuster deal prior to the deadline, a wise acquisition after they were done in by one-goal losses during last spring's Eastern Conference Final. Guentzel fit in well, chipping in with four goals and nine points in 11 postseason games. However, it wasn't enough as the Canes were ousted in the second round by the New York Rangers.Keeping Guentzel should be a priority, but he won't come cheap and his market will be competitive (more on that later). As one of the summer's top free agents, he's projected to sign a seven-year deal with a $9.678-million cap hit, and there's word that Carolina is willing to offer him an eight-year pact with an average annual value of $8 million. Either of those numbers could be difficult to swallow for the Canes - who have just under $24 million to work with - because of the gaps on their roster.Let's just recap: Jordan Martinook, Teuvo Teravainen, Brett Pesce, and Brady Skjei are all pending UFAs, while Martin Necas, Seth Jarvis, and Jack Drury are about to become RFAs. Carolina seems interested in saving some money by testing the market for Necas, but Jarvis will eat into its budget as he's predicted to ink an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $8.519 million. Oh, and cash needs to be set aside for key blue-liner Jaccob Slavin, who can ink an extension on July 1.Even Carolina's front office isn't the same, as Don Waddell has gone to Columbus. But, hey, maybe a major shake-up is exactly what the Hurricanes need. They once again fell short in the playoffs after a sparkling regular season, and it'd be a shame if they kept treading the same ground amid Sebastian Aho's prime.Florida Panthers Joel Auerbach / Getty Images Sport / GettyExperience the NHL, where you can go from winning the Stanley Cup to stressing over the free-agent market in the span of a single week.The Panthers may be in for a tough summer once the dust settles on Sunday's parade. Armed with around $19.5 million in projected cap space, general manager Bill Zito simply won't be able to afford to keep everyone, no matter how badly both sides want to work something out.Likely topping Florida's priority list will be ironing out a new deal for pending UFA Sam Reinhart, who smartly waited until a contract year to have a 57-goal season. If he stays in the Sunshine State, he'll take up the majority of the Panthers' dollars: He's projected to ink a seven-year deal with an average annual value just under $11 million.Though Reinhart is the biggest name, he's far from the only question mark on Florida's roster. Key defenseman Brandon Montour's pact is about to expire, same with trade-deadline pickup Vladimir Tarasenko's. There's also a slew of depth players to consider, including Nick Cousins, Ryan Lomberg, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Dmitry Kulikov, backup netminder Anthony Stolarz, and pending RFA Anton Lundell.The bottom line is Zito is going to need to be careful about how he navigates this summer, lest he cause problems for his future self. Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett, and Aaron Ekblad all have one season left on their current deals and will be eligible to sign new extensions on July 1. It's quite an intricate balancing act. Unfortunately for the Panthers, the salary cap isn't about to help them out by miraculously increasing by $100 million, so they're going to have to get crafty.Nashville Predators Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / GettyBy all accounts, Barry Trotz's first campaign as general manager of the Predators exceeded expectations. They were one of the best teams after the All-Star break and made the playoffs after missing out last spring.Nashville's improvement was largely driven by Trotz's aggressiveness in the free-agent market last year when he added Gustav Nyquist, Ryan O'Reilly, and Luke Schenn. With over $26 million at his disposal this summer, he has the room to have a similarly active offseason.Trotz has already warmed up with a trade that sent defenseman Ryan McDonagh and his $6.75-million cap hit to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Moving that money out helps mitigate the nearly $12 million in dead cap cutting into Trotz's wallet in 2024-25. Though the executive said the move wasn't about clearing salary, he did concede a little tidbit that should have Nashville fans' attention: "We will maybe be a little more active in some free agents that we weren't considered to be in." Couple that with his desire to add a scoring forward to his group, and Trotz may be about to cook.Of course, we can't talk about Nashville's offseason without mentioning Juuse Saros, who's eligible to sign an extension on July 1. It already sounds as though Trotz has taken care of that particular piece of business, but then there's the question of what Saros' reported eight-year pact means for up-and-comer Yaroslav Askarov. Will Trotz ship out the promising 22-year-old netminder as part of a larger package to upgrade in other areas? Decisions, decisions.Tampa Bay Lightning Mike Carlson / National Hockey League / GettyWhat in the world is going on with the Lightning and Steven Stamkos?The longtime captain and pending UFA has been eligible to sign an extension with the club since last summer, but it just hasn't happened yet. Stamkos didn't seem thrilled by that before the start of the 2023-24 season, but general manager Julien BriseBois emphasized his desire to keep the franchise icon several times throughout the campaign.The Bolts raised some eyebrows by reacquiring McDonagh and every cent of his $6.75-million salary in May, giving them just $5.3 million in cap space to work with at the time. However, BriseBois was confident the trade wouldn't impact his ability to re-sign Stamkos. Initially, the math wasn't adding up: Stamkos is projected to sign a three-year pact with an average annual value of $8.443 million. But, the general manager cleared a boatload of cap space in a hurry on Saturday, shipping off Mikhail Sergachev ($8.5-million salary) to Utah and Tanner Jeannot ($2.665-million salary) to the Los Angeles Kings.The Bolts now have $16.5 million in cap space, giving them ample room to re-sign Stamkos. Easy peasy, right? Maybe not. Stamkos' agent, Don Meehan, said on Friday that his client will test the market and become a free agent on July 1. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, is rumored to be interested in taking a run at Guentzel. BriseBois confirmed Saturday that he didn't increase his offer to Stamkos despite his influx of cap space, though he didn't completely close the door on an extension, either.Of course, the Lightning's newfound money needs to cover more than just one player: they currently have 16 roster slots out of 23 filled. Also not inconsequential in all this is the fact that veteran defenseman Victor Hedman can sign a new deal on July 1.Your move, BriseBois. Things might get messy if Guentzel doesn't head to Tampa Bay on Monday.Utah Chris Gardner / Getty Images Sport / GettyGiven its flurry of trades on Saturday, Utah is sizing up to be one of the summer's biggest wild cards.The organization is no longer tied to a college-sized arena and, for the first time in years, won't be constantly battered by relocation rumors. General manager Bill Armstrong is finally free of his extremely unique ball and chain, and that has to feel good.The question is, will the executive's newfound freedom under owner Ryan Smith loosen his purse strings? Armstrong has money to throw around on the free-agent market if he's so inclined, even after restructuring his blue line by adding Sergachev and John Marino. Utah has around $26 million in cap space to work with and that number can rise to $34 million when accounting for long-term injured reserve candidates. Of course, Armstrong has to take care of his own first as Sean Durzi and Barrett Hayton are pending restricted free agents, but the club will still have plenty of room to add another piece after the fact - like a top-six forward.The key here will be balance. The team labored in Arizona for the past few seasons and looked set to challenge for a playoff spot in 2023-24 before fizzling out halfway through the campaign. Simply put, Utah isn't going to adopt a Stanley Cup or bust attitude just because it has some extra cash and a new home.But there's something to be said about the intrigue Utah brings to the table for unrestricted free agents looking to try something new. The state has never had an NHL franchise, the organization has a lot of young talent (with more on the way because of its deep prospect pool), and it could afford to pay players more than they'd fetch elsewhere. By no means is it an unattractive locale.(Salary source: CapFriendly)

The Utah Hockey Club made a pair of splashes to bolster its blue line Saturday.First, the Tampa Bay Lightning traded defenseman Mikhail Sergachev to Utah for Conor Geekie, J.J. Moser, a 2025 second-round pick (via Toronto), and the 199th pick in Saturday's draft.The Lightning used pick No. 199 on forward Noah Steen from Mora IK in Sweden.Then, the New Jersey Devils sent blue-liner John Marino and pick No. 153 to Utah for pick No. 49 and a 2025 second-rounder (via Edmonton).The Devils selected 6-foot-4 Russian goaltender Mikhail Yegorov with pick No. 49. He spent last season with the USHL's Omaha Lancers. Utah picked defenseman Ales Cech out of Czechia with the 153rd selection.Sergachev is set to enter the second season of an eight-year contract worth $8.5 million annually. There is no salary retention involved the deal.The 26-year-old racked up a career-high 64 points in 2022-23. He was limited to just 34 games this past season due to foot and leg injuries. Sergachev was a key piece of the Lightning's back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021.

LAS VEGAS - Zeev Buium rose from his seat inside Sphere on Friday night, pivoted to his left, and wrapped his arms around his beaming mom, Miriam.The hug lasted five seconds - an eternity when the dream of being selected in the NHL draft has become reality and the whole hockey world is watching."It just felt so special. To hug my mom. To hug my dad (Sorin). They made so many sacrifices for my brothers and I," the San Diego-born defenseman said. "And then to hug my two brothers, who mentored me this entire time, feels even better. It's a moment I can't fully explain, but it was awesome." Dave Sandford / Getty ImagesBuium was one of six consensus top defensemen in the 2024 draft class. He watched Artyom Levshunov (second overall), Carter Yakemchuk (seventh), Zayne Parekh (ninth), Anton Silayev (10th), and Sam Dickinson (11th) walk one by one to the event stage to shake NHL commissioner Gary Bettman's hand.Considered a top-five talent by many draft pundits, Buium wasn't supposed to be available at 12. Philadelphia then dealt that pick to Minnesota for 13th and a 2025 third-rounder. The Wild weren't going to let their guy slide past 12."Seeing them trade up, I had a pretty good feeling it could be me," Buium said. "I couldn't be more honored for them to make that decision to get me."Corey Pronman, the sport's preeminent prospect analyst, gave the Wild an A+ grade for the pick. Scouts believe Buium - who recorded 50 points for the University of Denver in his freshman year - can blossom into a top-pairing defenseman. He's the exact type of blue-liner the Wild needed for their prospect pool: a two-way puck-mover who might one day run the power play.On a personal level, Buium's ready to exceed expectations - just as he has many times before as a California kid who welcomes challenges with open arms. Richard T Gagnon / Getty ImagesMiriam and Sorin Buium were born and raised in Israel. The Jewish couple moved to San Diego in their early 20s with around $1,000 and little grasp of the English language. Their oldest kid, Ben, now 23, was born a year later.Their second, Shai, now 21, was the first family member to gravitate toward hockey. After watching a relative skate on local ice, Shai wouldn't stop talking about an expensive sport out of the mainstream in Southern California. Miriam, a former elite basketball player, and Sorin, who works in heating and cooling, eventually relented. Naturally, their youngest, Zeev, now 18, followed.In those early years, Miriam would drive two-plus hours one way to Los Angeles for ice time. Three times a week, the Buium boys would eat meals and finish schoolwork in the car before skates at the L.A. Kings' practice facility in El Segundo. After a while, the family decided to move to Laguna Niguel - a mid-sized city between San Diego and L.A. - to halve the commute."It's a competitive, loving family," Denver Pioneers head coach David Carle said. "It's a family where everybody pushes each other and holds each other to a high standard. But they also have fun. They love to laugh and joke." Ben Ludeman / Getty ImagesAt different points, all three brothers moved to Minnesota to attend Shattuck-St. Mary's, a prep school located about an hour from the Wild's home arena, Xcel Energy Center. In his two years at Shattuck, Zeev learned how to be both a self-sufficient teenager - staying on top of schoolwork and laundry, for starters - and a dynamic blue-liner. He split his time between forward and defense in California but transitioned to full-time D duty at Shattuck."Being small forced me to use my hockey IQ and the creativity I developed as a roller-hockey player. I basically had to problem-solve with and without the puck, all the time," Buium recalled. "To this day, IQ is my biggest strength."Jeff Pellegrini, Buium's second-year coach, said the defenseman would sometimes "take chances and try things that were maybe too risky.""But you don't want to put handcuffs on Zeev," he said. "Nowadays, I see some of the escape moves he makes at the blue line, and the puck protection on the breakout, and everything else that makes him a special player, and I'm really impressed. We saw glimpses of that at a young age, but it's been polished and refined."The next stop for Buium: Ann Arbor, Michigan, to represent his country every day as part of the U.S. National Team Development Program. While USA Hockey saw potential in the left-shot D-man, Buium didn't start the 2021-22 season as some hotshot from a southern state. He had to prove himself."As the year went on," NTDP assistant coach Chad Kolarik said, "Zeev dominated. He was on our top pair and first power play. In a way, it played out the way we thought it might. The way we hoped. But you never really know, and it just took him a little bit longer to push through and to assert himself."

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired pending unrestricted free-agent defenseman Chris Tanev's rights from the Dallas Stars in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick and forward Max Ellis.The trade allows the Leafs to negotiate with Tanev, a Toronto native, before free agency officially opens on July 1. They can sign him to a maximum of seven years because Tanev wasn't on Toronto's reserve list after the deadline, per TSN's Darren Dreger.Tanev just played out the final season of a four-year pact with a $4.5-million cap hit, which he signed with the Calgary Flames in October 2020 under current Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving.His agent, Wade Arnott, said there's no agreement for a new contract with Toronto yet, per The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. The veteran is projected to ink a two-year deal with an average annual value of $4.15 million, according to Evolving-Hockey.A capable shutdown defender with a right-hand shot and a penchant for blocking pucks, Tanev split the 2023-24 season with the Flames and Stars. The 34-year-old chipped in with 19 points in 75 regular-season games while averaging just under 20 minutes of ice time per contest.Dallas acquired Tanev in a three-way deal involving the New Jersey Devils before the trade deadline. During the Stars' run to the conference finals, he posted strong numbers, with Dallas controlling 54.5% of the expected goals and outscoring teams 13-10 with Tanev on the ice at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick.Tanev has amassed 33 goals, 190 points, and 1,652 blocks in 792 career NHL games, split between the Vancouver Canucks, Flames, and Stars.Ellis, meanwhile, is a pending restricted free agent. He spent this past campaign with the AHL's Toronto Marlies, totaling four goals and 14 points in 36 games.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Red Wings drafted winger Michael Brandsegg-Nygard with the 15th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday.Brandsegg-Nygard is the first Norwegian player to ever to be selected in the first round. Marius Holtet was the previous highest-drafted Norwegian when the Dallas Stars selected him 42nd overall in 2002.Michael Brandsegg-NygardBrandsegg-Nygard possesses an NHL-ready frame and a lethal shot that projects to make him a top-six scoring winger in the pros. He improved as the season progressed and showed well for Norway at the World Juniors and the World Championship.He told theScore at the 2024 NHL Scouting Combine that he felt his physicality was the aspect of his game that improved the most."As the season went on, I felt more comfortable having to protect the puck and be physical," Brandsegg-Nygard said.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights traded goaltender Logan Thompson to the Washington Capitals for pick No. 83 and a 2025 third-rounder, the teams announced.Thompson had requested a trade, Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon confirmed.Vegas used the 83rd selection on the 6-foot-5 Belarusian netminder Pavel Moysevich. He posted a .942 save percentage in 13 KHL games in 2023-24.Thompson is entering the last year of his contract with a sub-league minimum cap hit of $766,667. He'll be an unrestricted free agent in 2025.The 27-year-old owns a lifetime .912 save percentage and a 2.67 goals against average in 103 career games.Thompson appeared in a career-high 46 games in 2023-24, posting a .908 save percentage and a 2.70 goals against average. He stopped 6.85 goals above expected, per Evolving-Hockey.Thompson will likely share the Capitals' crease with fellow lefty goalie Charlie Lindgren in 2024-25. Washington traded veteran netminder Darcy Kuemper earlier in the offseason to the Los Angeles Kings for Pierre-Luc Dubois.The trade leaves an opening in Vegas' crease behind Adin Hill.Thompson had a previously scheduled autograph signing at the draft and still honored it despite the trade.

The New Jersey Devils dealt netminder Akira Schmid and former top prospect Alexander Holtz to the Vegas Golden Knights for forward Paul Cotter and a 2025 third-round pick, the teams announced Saturday.Schmid gives the Golden Knights goalie depth after the club traded away Logan Thompson earlier Saturday. Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon said shortly after the deal that Schmid projects as the No. 3 and the team will try to acquire a backup.Schmid struggled in 2023-24, posting an .895 save percentage in 19 NHL games and an .894 mark in 23 AHL appearances. However, in 2022-23, he recorded a .922 save percentage in 18 regular-season NHL games, then a .921 mark in nine postseason contests, helping the Devils upset the New York Rangers in Round 1.The Swiss netminder is a pending restricted free agent.The Devils selected Holtz seventh overall in 2020. The Swedish winger established himself as a full-time NHLer for the first time in 2023-24, recording 16 goals and 12 assists in 82 games while averaging just 11:38 per contest. His underlying numbers were poor, though.Holtz, 22, carries a cap hit of $894K before becoming an RFA in 2025.Cotter brings far less upside than Holtz but has a more defined player archetype. In 2023-24, he notched seven goals, 18 assists, and 233 hits while playing a bottom-six role. His defensive metrics were strong.The 24-year-old is under contract for two more seasons with a $775,000 cap hit before becoming an RFA in 2026.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

LAS VEGAS - Beckett Sennecke was as stunned as everyone else inside Sphere on Friday night and countless fans watching the NHL draft on TV."The technology is pretty advanced in here," quipped Sennecke, the newest member of the Anaheim Ducks, and apparently also an amateur architecture critic. "It cost like $2.5 billion to build, so they better have some good technology."The Ducks ensured early fireworks by using the No. 3 pick on Sennecke. The game-breaking 6-foot-2 winger with elite hands labelled it "definitely shocking" in part because Anaheim didn't express special interest in the lead-up to the first round. Sennecke's immediate reaction - which included an f-bomb or two and quickly went viral - certainly backs up those words."I kind of blacked out, I guess," he said while wearing Anaheim's new orange jersey, a smile rarely leaving his face during a lengthy scrum. Jeff Vinnick / Getty ImagesLeave it to the Ducks to steal the show. They did the same thing last year when they passed on Adam Fantilli with the second pick in Nashville, ultimately selecting Leo Carlsson (a decision that's completely justifiable in hindsight). Sennecke was a late but extraordinary riser in the 2024 class. He grew a few inches midseason, then rattled off 22 points in 16 playoff games.Years from now, we'll remember this as the Macklin Celebrini draft, and perhaps the precise moment when the Sharks laid the foundation for San Jose's return to prominence. We'll also remember it for the collection of defensemen atop the class, starting with No. 2 pick Artyom Levshunov, the Belarusian now joining Calder Trophy winner Connor Bedard in Chicago."Every one of these top five, six defensemen play a different style," NHL Central Scouting bureau chief Dan Marr told theScore recently. "They all bring something different to the table. That's very unique."Levshunov's believed to be the most complete blue-liner in the class, the surest bet to become a Norris Trophy-caliber player. Carter Yakemchuk, who went to Ottawa at No. 7, offers a fantastic shot and physicality. Zayne Parekh, ninth to Calgary, is an offensive genius. Anton Silayev, 10th to New Jersey, is a imposing shutdown guy who can pitch in offensively. Sam Dickinson, 11th to San Jose, is a big, athletic, competitive kid with wheels. Zeev Buium, 12th to Minnesota, is a smart, dynamic blue-liner who tore up the NCAA last season.My two cents: Buium's the best value pick of the entire first round. At worst, he outperforms that 12th slot. At best, he's a longtime play-driving All-Star. (Check back on the weekend for a Buium profile we're publishing Saturday.) Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesDrafting's an inexact science. Even the smartest scouts in the business are guessing to some extent, and we'll find out in a few years what's in store for these young defenders. Maybe Dickinson develops better than expected and goes on to the greatest career. Maybe Silayev never comes over from Russia after his KHL contract expires and the Devils regret the pick. Or maybe he's a stud.This year's first round was entertaining in the moment and holds immense entertainment value for the future. I'm looking forward to reading the inevitable "2024 redraft" posts in 2034 with an eye on where Levshunov and his peers land.Isles bet on maligned sniper While Sennecke's stock rose like nobody else's, it can be argued none fell like Cole Eiserman's. Thought to be a top-five pick before the season, the American winger ended up going 20th to the Islanders.Eiserman's widely considered the class' best pure goal-scorer. He possesses a wicked one-timer and is lauded for consistently finding open ice, meaning he can score from distance and in tight. His 127 goals over two years set a U.S. National Team Development Program record. Michael Miller / Getty ImagesThere are questions galore about him, though: Is his hockey sense good enough? What about his compete level? Can he improve his OK skating? Will he blossom into a reliable 40-goal scorer or will he be a top-six passenger?"They picked me for me, so I'm really excited," Eiserman said of the Isles.Alexander Holtz, Arthur Kaliyev, and Oliver Wahlstrom are three goal-scoring forwards who represent the bad outcome for Eiserman. Cole Caufield and Owen Tippett represent the good. In other words: The Isles are either going to look super smart or shrug their shoulders at swinging hard and missing at 20.Here come the Norwegians They're partying in Oslo.Coming into draft weekend, the highest Norwegian ever selected was Marius Holtet, a Dallas Stars second-round pick in 2002. On Friday, the Red Wings snagged Michael Brandsegg-Nygard at 15, and the Ducks selected Stian Solberg eight picks later after acquiring the 23rd pick from Toronto. Robert Hradil / Getty ImagesBrandsegg-Nygard is a power winger with scoring touch. He played in Sweden's second-best pro league in 2023-24 and is headed for full-time SHL action this fall. Solberg, a two-way defenseman with a mean streak, is also SHL-bound after spending his draft year competing in Norway's pro loop.Nine Norwegians have appeared in an NHL game. Mats Zuccarello of the Wild is by far the most well known. Brandsegg-Nygard and Solberg, close buddies for years, just took their first step towards joining or usurping Zuccarello.Player to watch: Aatos KoivuThe Canadiens own two third-round picks, a fourth-rounder, and two fifths; the Ducks own a trio of thirds and a fourth. That adds up to nine chances for Koivu to hear his name called by one of his father's former NHL clubs.Aatos, the son of longtime Montreal captain and Anaheim fan favorite Saku Koivu, is projected to go off the board sometime in the middle rounds. The 6-foot, 170-pound center was listed 27th on NHL Central Scouting's ranking of international skaters and 64th on FloHockey's overall ranking.Aatos split the 2023-24 season between three squads within TPS, the Liiga team based in Turku, Finland. He registered nine goals and 22 points in 20 Under-18 games, 16 goals and 31 points in 28 Under-20 games, and zero points in four pro games. Michael Miller / Getty ImagesKoivu is a raw prospect who steadily progressed over the year and has good offensive instincts. He's more of a shooter than a passer and can really pick a corner thanks to a quick and reliable release. The righty loves to launch one-timers on the power play from the "Ovi spot" inside the left faceoff circle.Scouts are most impressed with Koivu's motor and work ethic. He's a two-way player with solid skating who left strong impressions during fitness tests and team interviews at the scouting combine in Buffalo in early June. That said, Koivu can be frustrating to watch at times as he rarely attacks the interior of the offensive zone, often settling instead for shots from distance.Koivu - who was born in Finland over the 2006 offseason, spent his early years in Quebec, and first learned to play in California - doesn't have vivid memories of his dad's career. He's said in predraft media interviews that he could usually be found horsing around with other kids during his dad's games.Player to watch: Mikhail YegorovYegorov, who should be one of the first goalies picked, counts playing chess among his various non-hockey hobbies. He became enamored with the game after binge-watching "The Queen's Gambit" on Netflix in 2020."It's mostly my hobby, but I think it helps my brain to work quicker and be sharper," the Russian said of his daily sessions on Chess.com. "It helps me analyze information and make decisions. In chess, I need to analyze the whole board. In hockey, I need to analyze the whole zone, where every player is."Yegorov did plenty of analyzing this past season. He was under siege between the pipes for an awful Omaha Lancers team that won just 16 of 62 USHL games. The Boston University commit finished with an .892 save percentage in 43 appearances - solid given the circumstances.Yegorov has NHL starter upside, though backup is a more realistic projection. He's a strong skater, athletic, positionally sound, and big at 6-foot-5.Player to watch: Aron Kiviharju Chase Agnello-Dean / Getty ImagesOnce considered the next can't-miss prospect out of Finland, Kiviharju's one of the class' biggest mysteries. Teams simply don't know what to think of him.The puck-moving left-shot defenseman is incredibly smart. He's elusive. A nifty passer. There are no personality or work ethic red flags to worry about.However, Kiviharju - who was born in Denmark but represents Finland internationally - is listed at 5-foot-10, 184 pounds. He regularly gets bullied by opponents and appeared in just seven Liiga games all year due to injury.When evaluating smaller defensemen, scouts often ask themselves what kind of impact the player can make without the puck on his stick. The small guy often needs to be exceptional offensively to earn a full-time NHL job.The jury's definitely still out on Kiviharju. He'll likely go in the second round, but the industry, concerned about his trajectory, has softened on him.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres are buying out the final three seasons of Jeff Skinner's contract, general manager Kevyn Adams announced Saturday.The buyout will make Skinner an unrestricted free agent and will create over $7.5 million in cap space for the Sabres this coming season.SeasonInitial cap hitBuyout cap hit2024-25$9M$1.44M2025-26$9M$4.44M2026-27$9M$6.44M2027-28N/A$2.44M2028-29N/A$2.44M2029-30N/A$2.44MSkinner produced a career-high 82 points in 2022-23 but managed only 46 points in 74 games in 2023-24.The 32-year-old has proved to be a defensive liability despite his offensive production over the last three seasons.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are prioritizing Jake Guentzel in free agency after creating ample cap space with a pair of trades Saturday, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.The Bolts dealt Mikhail Sergachev to Utah and Tanner Jeannot to Los Angeles during the second day of the draft and now have $16.5 million in financial flexibility, per Cap Friendly.The newfound money could also be used on retaining captain and unrestricted free agent Steven Stamkos. Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said Friday he's unsure the two sides will be able to come to an agreement before the market opens July 1.Guentzel is expected to be among the most pursued players this signing period. The Carolina Hurricanes, who acquired the winger prior to March's trade deadline, have been negotiating an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $8 million with Guentzel, Friedman notes.The Hurricanes are the only team who can sign Guentzel to an eighth year.Guentzel registered 30 goals and 77 points in 67 games split with Carolina and Pittsburgh this past season. He's a two-time 40-goal-scorer and an established playoff performer. Guentzel won the Stanley Cup in 2017 with the Penguins and has 67 points in 69 career postseason contests.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning traded forward Tanner Jeannot to the Los Angeles Kings for the 118th pick in Saturday's draft and a second-round selection in 2025, the teams announced.The Bolts scooped up defenseman Jan Golicic out of the QMJHL's Gatineau Olympiques with their newly acquired fourth-round selection.Jeannot is signed for one more campaign with a cap hit of $2.665 million and can become an unrestricted free agent next summer.He amassed seven goals and 14 points in 55 games this past regular season while averaging 12:01 minutes of ice time - the lowest of his career. The Saskatchewan native added one assist in four playoff contests.The Lightning acquired Jeannot from the Nashville Predators prior to the 2023 trade deadline for defenseman Cal Foote, a third- fourth-, and fifth-round selection in 2023, a second-rounder in 2024, and a conditional top-10 protected pick in 2025.Tampa Bay signed Jeannot to a two-year, $5.33-million pact last July.The 27-year-old enjoyed his best statistical season in his rookie campaign back in 2021-22 when he amassed 24 goals, 41 points, and 318 hits in 81 outings.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens drafted center Aatos Koivu out of the Finnish league in the third round of the 2024 NHL Draft on Saturday.The 18-year-old is the son of Saku Koivu, who played for the Canadiens for 13 seasons and served as the captain of the franchise for 10 years.Aatos totaled 16 goals and 31 points in 28 games in the U20 SM-Sarja league this past season and appeared in four Liiga games - the top level of professional hockey in Finland - for TPS.He also represented his country at this spring's IIHF World U18 Championship, where he registered one assist in five games.Listed at 6-feet and 170 pounds, Aatos finished 27th among all international skaters on NHL Central Scouting's final rankings, rising three places from its midterm report."(Aatos) Koivu is a strong skater with a stride that will be able to move at an NHL pace," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote in May. "He has good hands and uses his skill to attack at the net. He's not overly physical, but like his father, he's a strong competitor who plays in traffic. Koivu has an excellent shot."Saku, meanwhile, amassed 191 goals and 641 points in 792 career games with the Canadiens from 1995-2009.He was diagnosed with cancer prior to the 2001-02 campaign and nearly missed the entire season. Saku returned for the final three games of the regular season and playoffs, memorably receiving an eight-minute standing ovation in his season debut.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues traded veteran forward Kevin Hayes and a 2025 second-round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins for future considerations, the teams announced Saturday.Hayes has two seasons remaining on his contract at a $3.571-million cap hit after the Philadelphia Flyers retained 50% of his salary in the 2023 trade that sent him to St. Louis.The 32-year-old made 79 appearances for the Blues this season, registering 29 points while averaging 14 minutes per night. Hayes will likely slot in as Pittsburgh's third-line center behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.The Penguins will be Hayes' fifth team in his 10-year NHL career.Pittsburgh has approximately $7.1 million in remaining cap space after the trade, according to Cap Friendly.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks drafted forward Igor Chernyshov 33rd overall Saturday to kick off the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft.Chernyshov had 28 points in 22 games in the Russian junior league this past season while also making 34 appearances with the KHL's Dynamo Moscow.The 18-year-old winger entered the draft as Central Scouting's ninth-ranked international skater and slotted fifth among forwards. Chernyshov is listed at 6-foot-3, 204 pounds.The Sharks had two first-round picks Friday, choosing Macklin Celebrini first overall and Sam Dickinson at 11th. San Jose has six additional selections to make over the weekend after taking Chernyshov.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals traded restricted free-agent winger Beck Malenstyn to the Buffalo Sabres for the 43rd pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Saturday, the teams announced.The Capitals then used the pick to select Cole Hutson, a defenseman out of the U.S. National Team Development Program and brother of highly touted Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson.Malenstyn just completed his first full NHL season, tallying six goals and 15 assists in 81 games. The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder is a a high-energy, bottom-six winger who racked up a team-high 241 hits in 2023-24.The Delta, British Columbia, native is 26 years old and eligible for salary arbitration this summer.The Sabres still owned the 42nd pick as part of the move down the board from 11 to 14 on Thursday. They added blue-liner Adam Kleber from the USHL's Lincoln Stars with the pick.Buffalo general manager Kevyn Adams said following Thursday's trade that he hoped to use the extra draft pick as ammunition to improve the NHL roster.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers moved up to select forward Sam O'Reilly from the OHL's London Knights 32nd overall to close out Friday's opening round of the 2024 NHL Draft.The Philadelphia Flyers got a conditional 2025 first-rounder from Edmonton in return. If the selection is in the top 12, the pick will slide to 2026.O'Reilly ranked third in both goals (20) and points (56) by a rookie this past season while appearing in 68 contests.The 18-year-old went on to add five tallies and seven helpers in 16 playoff games.O'Reilly is listed at 6-foot-1 and 184 pounds.NHL Central Scouting placed O'Reilly 24th among all North American skaters, jumping up from the 40th spot in the midterm rankings."He's a two-way center. He competes hard and has physicality," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote in May. "I've seen quicker skaters, but he can escape pressure and has good enough quickness for the NHL level. O'Reilly has quality skill and vision and can create chances. He has a decent shot but I like him more when he's making plays. He has the potential to be a bottom-six center in the league."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs drafted defenseman Ben Danford with the 31st overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday.Danford tallied 33 points in 64 games with the OHL's Oshawa Generals last season. He added 10 points in 21 playoff games as the Generals lost to Easton Cowan and the London Knights in the OHL Final.The Madoc, Ontario, native is listed at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds."It's super special," Danford told Sportsnet's Jeff Marek. "Growing up, I've been a lifelong, die-hard Leafs fan, and to get drafted by them, it means that much more, so I can't wait to get started."Danford described what Toronto fans can expect out of the team's newest prospect."I think the main thing is just a competitive guy," he told Marek. "A guy that does anything for the team to win: block shots, can play a two-way game, defense-first, and can contribute offensively as well."The Maple Leafs traded down from No. 23 earlier in the night, adding the 58th overall pick from the Ducks.NHL Central Scouting ranked Danford 35th among North American skaters.Toronto hadn't drafted a defenseman in the first round since snagging Rasmus Sandin in 2018."Danford skates quite well," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote. "He's able to escape pressure with the puck and skate pucks up ice like a pro. Defensively, he closes on pucks quickly and competes well enough to win a lot of close races."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.