The SC finals are in the rearview and the longest season in NHL history is put to bed.
The NHL Awards are handed out on Thursday night and the draft begins Friday night at the Sphere in Vegas.
The off-season is expected to be a busy one with the first salary cap increase since COVID. The players association opted to leave salaries as is instead of accepting a pay cut during the COVID season(s) and to do that they basically borrowed against future earnings, which suppressed the cap at the current levels.
Anyway, lot of activity could happen between now, the draft and free agency. Several big names rumored to be on the trading block.
Trevor Zegras (MTL and NYR among those named as "interested")
Martin Necas
Patrik Laine
Linus Ullmark (just traded to OTT)
Nikolaj Ehlers
Maybe Mitch Marner and more and then there is buyouts, FA, etc.
Here is the Ullmark trade FWIW:
TRADE ALERT: The #Sens have acquired G Linus Ullmark from @NHLBruins in exchange for (Boston’s original) ’24 first-round draft pick (no. 25 overall), C Mark Kastelic and G Joonas Korpisalo. As part of the transaction, the #Sens will retain 25% of Korpisalo’s remaining salary.… pic.twitter.com/0xRMxi8wZS
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) June 24, 2024
If I were a NJD fan, I would absolutely look into this and I hear Prague is incredible.
David Pagnotta
@TheFourthPeriod
Breaking News: #LetsGoBuffalo will visit Munich for exhibition play then take on #NJDevils in Prague for 2 games to kick off the 2024-25 season. Then in Nov, #TexasHockey play #TimeToHunt in Tampere, Finland for 2 games. Also, there WILL be an All-Star Game in 2026 & 2027. ⤵️
If I were a NJD fan, I would absolutely look into this and I hear Prague is incredible.
David Pagnotta
@TheFourthPeriod
Breaking News: #LetsGoBuffalo will visit Munich for exhibition play then take on #NJDevils in Prague for 2 games to kick off the 2024-25 season. Then in Nov, #TexasHockey play #TimeToHunt in Tampere, Finland for 2 games. Also, there WILL be an All-Star Game in 2026 & 2027. ⤵️
Yeah a good buddy of mine from HS(we went to a million games together our last few years of school) has lived in Israel since HS he goes to the Czech Republic a lot. Loves it. He's already got tickets for the games. Too bad I work in a schools so an Oct trip isn't in the cards.
@PuckPedia
The #NYR qualified Lindgren, Robertson, Henriksson, and Schneider.
They did not qualify Trivigno and Lindbom
Full list of non QO's:
@TheFourthPeriod
Devils are going to add a top-six forward. One name to look out for: Jonathan Marchessault. Lots of noise there.
Maybe they think he can replace Goodrow's regular season? Hits, blocks shots, has become pretty good on the dots.
4th liner
@TSNBobMcKenzie
Veteran defenceman Dmitry Kulikov is heading back to the Stanley Cup champion FLA Panthers. Four years, AAV of $1.15 million.
Yeah, the reason I don't like 6 years is b/c they just signed Kovacevic and they have RD in the system like Casey.
and a glut of RD on the roster.
Unless they think Hamilton is done.
Mike Commodore
@commie22
Steven Stamkos has had it with these insulting offers from the Lightning…he’s had enough…he’s #PackingHisShit and heading to #Smashville on a 4 year deal
NHL
@NHL
WOLL EXTENDED 🧱
Joseph Woll is staying with the @MapleLeafs
on a three-year deal! #NHLFreeAgency
I'm not a Marchessault fan, but hard to argue adding a Conn Smythe winner isn't a good move.
Devils season will come down to health and Markstrom.
Also favored to land OEL
Mike Commodore
@commie22
Steven Stamkos has had it with these insulting offers from the Lightning…he’s had enough…he’s #PackingHisShit and heading to #Smashville on a 4 year deal
Pierre says pump the brakes....
Pierre LeBrun
@PierreVLeBrun
All signs still point to Nashville being the front-runner for Steven Stamkos. Still nothing finalized obviously.
Quote:
Dillon as well.
I'm not a Marchessault fan, but hard to argue adding a Conn Smythe winner isn't a good move.
Devils season will come down to health and Markstrom.
Yeah I'm mixed on Marchessault. Definitely a solid top 6 guy, but at 33 I really hope they don't give him 5 years.
Also favored to land OEL
I get you wanna keep the AAV down but 6 years to a guy who's gonna be 35 in December??? wow.
Quote:
[Toronto Maple Leafs] We've signed defenceman Chris Tanev to a six-year contract. The average annual value of the contract is $4.5 million.
Also favored to land OEL
I get you wanna keep the AAV down but 6 years to a guy who's gonna be 35 in December??? wow.
especially to a pretty one-dimensional player like Tanev.
Maybe TOR thinks with their forward group and Rielly they could use some defensive d-men.
Quote:
In comment 16546462 JayBinQueens said:
Quote:
[Toronto Maple Leafs] We've signed defenceman Chris Tanev to a six-year contract. The average annual value of the contract is $4.5 million.
Also favored to land OEL
I get you wanna keep the AAV down but 6 years to a guy who's gonna be 35 in December??? wow.
especially to a pretty one-dimensional player like Tanev.
Maybe TOR thinks with their forward group and Rielly they could use some defensive d-men.
yea they are definitely all in for this core's prime the next 3 or 4 years and then I guess they figure they'll deal with a train wreck of a roster after that.
@FriedgeHNIC
Hearing Nashville has emerged as a serious contender for Jonathan Marchessault
per Elliotte
And it sounds like Teuvo is headed to Chicago
Joking aside, I can't see any scenario in which Drury comes out of this with a better team. Zero.
NYR are already less tough, if 8 is done they are way less tough. Are they any more skilled than they were last year? Not like any free agents left out there are going to raise the skill level. (Assuming Stamkos isn't coming in)
Quote:
Gotta think Rangers may overpay for Teuravainen. If they don't land him, they've got to explore the trade market.
And it sounds like Teuvo is headed to Chicago
Back where he came from (NHL-wise)
Pierre LeBrun
@PierreVLeBrun
·
We'll see where it ends up officially, but word is Steven Stamkos' deal with the Predators should end up around four years and $8 million AAV per year
Pierre LeBrun
@PierreVLeBrun
There were talks all week with Detroit but sounds like Shayne Gostisbehere will head to market today
Necas?
And they're in on Skjei and Stephenson. Busy down there in Nashville!
Quote:
will be interesting to see where the Devils go for a top 6 guy
Necas?
Ehlers? I don't think Zegras fits, but you could make a case he fits anywhere.
@PierreVLeBrun
If the Predators can finalize things with Jonathan Marchessault, hearing his deal with Nashville will be five years and around $5.5 M AAV per season
@FriedgeHNIC
Brandon Montour deal in Seattle will be 7 x $7.14M
@KevinWeekes
**Breaking News** 🚨 📰
I’m told fellow Scarborough Man F Tyler Toffoli is signing with the @SanJoseSharks
. #SJSharks #HockeyX
@DarrenDreger
Jonathan Drouin likely hitting the open market. Boston, St Louis and the NYR believed to be among the clubs most interested. Return to Colorado also possible.
Quote:
In comment 16546533 Stu11 said:
Quote:
will be interesting to see where the Devils go for a top 6 guy
Necas?
Ehlers? I don't think Zegras fits, but you could make a case he fits anywhere.
Yeah all are interesting options. Trades are trickier, but you also don't have to deal with giving out 5-6 years in term.
@DarrenDreger
Jonathan Drouin likely hitting the open market. Boston, St Louis and the NYR believed to be among the clubs most interested. Return to Colorado also possible.
He was really good in COL last year. Of course it was playing next to MacKinnon, but had a great 2-way season.
He'd be a good addition to a contender if the term and $$$ are right.
@reporterchris
The #caps acquire Jakob Chychrun from the #sens for Nick Jensen and a 2026 third-round pick.
@reporterchris
The #caps acquire Jakob Chychrun from the #sens for Nick Jensen and a 2026 third-round pick.
Nice deal for WAS. They are trying to salvage Ovi's end of career.
Quote:
Chris Johnston
@reporterchris
The #caps acquire Jakob Chychrun from the #sens for Nick Jensen and a 2026 third-round pick.
Nice deal for WAS. They are trying to salvage Ovi's end of career.
And they just signed Matt Roy
@frank_seravalli
Sources say #njdevils are closing in on defenseman Brenden Dillon: sounds like 3 years just around/under $4 million per year.
I am quickly starting to absolutely fucking despise Chris Drury. What an absolute disaster.