The Seattle Kraken and defenseman Will Borgen agreed to a new contract before his arbitration hearing, coming to terms on a two-year deal with an average annual value of $2.7 million, the club announced Friday.
Borgen was a pending restricted free agent. He would've had a hearing later this summer.
The 26-year-old collected three goals and 17 assists while playing all 82 games for the Kraken this past season. He added a goal and two assists in 14 playoff contests. Borgen also racked up 203 hits during the 2022-23 regular season, ranking 25th in the NHL and second only to Adam Larsson's 222 among Seattle skaters.
Borgen played the last two campaigns with the Kraken after spending his first two with the Buffalo Sabres, who drafted him 92nd overall in 2015. He debuted in 2018-19, then spent the entire 2019-20 season with the AHL's Rochester Americans before returning to the NHL the following campaign.
The Pittsburgh Penguins inked forward Vinnie Hinostroza to a one-year, $775,000 contract, the club announced Friday.
Hinostroza was an unrestricted free agent who played the last two seasons with the Buffalo Sabres.
The 29-year-old collected two goals and nine assists over 26 NHL games in 2022-23, adding five tallies and four helpers across 11 contests with the Sabres' AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans.
He produced two goals and an assist in the Sabres' Heritage Classic victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in March 2022. Kyle Dubas, who was then the Leafs' general manager, is now the Penguins' president of hockey operations and interim GM.
Hinostroza has also suited up for his hometown Chicago Blackhawks in two separate tenures, as well as the Arizona Coyotes and Florida Panthers. The Blackhawks drafted him 169th overall in 2012.
Dubas has been active in his first offseason with the Penguins. He made six UFA deals July 1, including re-signing goaltender Tristan Jarry to a five-year pact and bringing in defenseman Ryan Graves, along with netminder Alex Nedeljkovic.
The Edmonton Oilers traded forwards Kailer Yamamoto and Klim Kostin to the Detroit Red Wings for future considerations, the clubs announced Thursday.
Yamamoto is entering the final year of his contract, which carries a $3.1-million cap hit, according to CapFriendly. He'll be eligible for restricted free agency with arbitration rights next summer.
The American winger, who'll turn 25 in late September, collected 10 goals and 15 assists while being limited to 58 games this past season. He established career highs with 20 tallies and 21 helpers in 2021-22.
Kostin is currently a pending RFA. The 24-year-old Russian registered 11 goals and 10 assists in 57 contests this season.
Both players were drafted in the first round in 2017. The Oilers chose Yamamoto 22nd, while the St. Louis Blues selected Kostin nine picks later. The Blues dealt him to Edmonton last October.
The Calgary Flames appear to have some options in trade talks centered around Noah Hanifin.
The Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins are two clubs to have shown interest in the defenseman, reports The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. Florida is reportedly including forward Anthony Duclair in those discussions.
The Bruins have inquired about Hanifin but lack financial flexibility, LeBrun adds.
A June report indicated that Hanifin wasn't expected to sign a contract extension with Calgary and that a trade was likely. The 26-year-old is on the books through next season at a $4.95-million cap hit, after which he can become a UFA, according to CapFriendly.
Hanifin collected seven goals and 31 assists across 81 games this past season after tying a career high with 10 tallies to go along with a personal-best 38 helpers over 81 contests in 2021-22. The Boston-born blue-liner also authored favorable underlying numbers in 2022-23, including five-on-five expected goals for and scoring chances for rates of 54.93% and 52.87%, respectively, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Calgary acquired Hanifin in a blockbuster trade with the Carolina Hurricanes on the second day of the 2018 draft. The Canes dealt Hanifin and forward Elias Lindholm to the Flames for rearguard Dougie Hamilton, future Norris Trophy winner (and New York Ranger) Adam Fox, and forward Micheal Ferland.
The Flames fired head coach Darryl Sutter and parted ways with ex-general manager Brad Treliving after missing the playoffs this spring. On Tuesday, Calgary traded leading scorer Tyler Toffoli to the New Jersey Devils for forward Yegor Sharangovich and a third-round pick. The Flames signed Sharangovich to a two-year contract Wednesday.
The Tampa Bay Lightning dealt the rights to forward Ross Colton to the Colorado Avalanche for the 37th overall pick in this year's draft, the teams announced Wednesday.
Colton is a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights, according to CapFriendly. The Lightning have only $450,000 of wiggle room under the salary cap ceiling.
The New Jersey-born skater, who turns 27 in September, played his first three NHL seasons with the Lightning. Tampa Bay drafted him 118th overall in 2016. As a rookie, he helped the Bolts win their second straight Stanley Cup championship with four goals and two assists in 23 playoff games.
Colton produced 16 goals and 16 assists over 81 games this past season. He collected 22 tallies and 17 helpers across 79 contests in 2021-22, and registered nine goals and three assists over 30 games in the 2020-21 campaign.
Colorado acquired the 37th pick in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. The Avalanche sent forward Alex Newhook's rights to the Habs in exchange for selections No. 31 and 37 and defenseman Gianni Fairbrother.
The NHL's salary cap ceiling officially rose by $1 million to $83.5 million for 2023-24, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
The floor will be $61.7 million, while the maximum salary is $16.7 million, Friedman adds.
In October, commissioner Gary Bettman said the players' escrow balance was likely to be paid off by the end of the season, which would've allowed for a cap ceiling increase of approximately $4 million. However, two months later, Bettman said the league projected a $70-million escrow balance, which meant a cap ceiling increase of only $1 million from the $82.5-million figure of this past campaign.
The cap remained at $81.5 million for three seasons due to the pandemic before rising in 2022-23.
The Carolina Hurricanes, Seattle Kraken, and Toronto Maple Leafs have spoken to the San Jose Sharks about newly minted three-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, reports TSN's Pierre LeBrun.
Leafs general manager Brad Treliving is talking to a lot of teams about a number of different options, according to LeBrun.
Toronto’s introduction to the fact that Brad Treliving calls about everybody ... https://t.co/UFwsefZyVe
Karlsson won the Norris again Monday night on the heels of a historic 101-point season. The 33-year-old became the oldest defenseman ever to notch 100 points in a campaign, only the sixth blue-liner to ever accomplish the feat, and the first since Brian Leetch in 1991-92.
Reports from earlier in June said the Sharks and Karlsson were on the same page about working out a trade. On Sunday, he confirmed he wants to be moved to a contender.
The Swede had a career year and proved he still has plenty left in the tank after several injury-plagued seasons. His 25 goals and 76 assists were both personal bests in the NHL, and he achieved those marks despite playing for a lackluster Sharks squad that finished with the league's fourth-worst record. He also played 82 games for the first time since 2015-16.
The Blues and Flyers had reportedly been trying to complete the trade for days. They hit a snag over the weekend with a previous version of the deal. It apparently would've involved Philadelphia defenseman Travis Sanheim, and the Flyers would've retained a significant amount of Hayes' salary. But St. Louis blue-liner Torey Krug reportedly declined to waive his no-trade clause.
Hayes spent the last four seasons with the Flyers, collecting 18 goals and tying a career high with 36 assists in 2022-23. The Winnipeg Jets shipped him to Philly for a fifth-rounder in June 2019. He finished the 2018-19 season with the Jets after his original club, the New York Rangers, traded him for a pair of picks and forward Brendan Lemieux that February.
The Flyers tried to trade rearguard Tony DeAngelo back to the Carolina Hurricanes over the weekend as well, but that deal also appears to have fallen apart.
Many of the top potential unrestricted free agents in this year's class appear likely to remain or at least strongly consider remaining with their current teams. Some of them would be wise to do so, but re-signing wouldn't be the best course of action for all of them.
There's very little drama when it comes to notable pending UFAs like Patrice Bergeron, Jonathan Toews, and David Krejci, who will likely either return to the clubs they've played with for the duration of their careers or hang up their skates. Even many of other names near the top of the list like Tyler Bertuzzi, Ryan O'Reilly, Alex Killorn, and Adin Hill seem destined to re-up with their clubs.
That being said, there are some players for whom a change of scenery would clearly be preferable. Here's a handful of soon-to-be UFAs who should try to relocate.
Jonathan Drouin
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Perhaps no NHLer is in more dire need of a fresh start than Drouin. The playmaking forward's Montreal Canadiens tenure was doomed from the get-go due to the lofty expectations that accompanied being acquired for promising defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, who ultimately blossomed into a reliable top-four blue-liner and helped the Tampa Bay Lightning win back-to-back Stanley Cups. Drouin also dealt with the pressure of being a Quebec-born player suiting up for the Habs.
His trajectory after the trade has been repeatedly disrupted by injuries. Drouin was limited to 58 games this past season and played only 34 in the previous one. The 28-year-old frequently showed what he could do when healthy despite often playing center when he's more comfortable on the wing. While Drouin scored only 10 goals combined over the last three campaigns, he did collect 27 assists during his abbreviated 2022-23 season - his sixth with Montreal - for nearly half a helper per contest.
There's certainly risk involved in signing a player like Drouin who's sustained numerous injuries, and he may have to settle for a shorter-term, "prove it" deal as a result. But it's abundantly clear Drouin and the Canadiens should part ways.
Laurent Brossoit
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Yes, that's Brossoit lifting the Cup earlier this month, but it was Adin Hill who grabbed the No. 1 job and ran with it after Brossoit got hurt in the second round of the playoffs. Brossoit impressed down the stretch of the regular season, and while that was only an 11-game sample, his .927 save percentage and subsequent experience starting the Vegas Golden Knights' first eight games of their championship run will likely inspire some teams to call his agent.
The Golden Knights have a crowded and uncertain goaltending depth chart, with Robin Lehner's future still murky, talented rookie Logan Thompson recovering from an injury of his own, and the fact that Hill, Brossoit, and Jonathan Quick are all pending UFAs. Still, Vegas appears focused on getting Hill re-signed. If that happens, it seems unlikely Brossoit will be able to carve out the bulk of the workload.
So unless he's interested in serving as a backup yet again or even returning to the AHL in the defending champions' organization, Brossoit could look to parlay his late-season success and brief playoff experience into a contract with a team that will give him consistent starts.
Erik Gustafsson
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Gustafsson played a much less significant role with the Toronto Maple Leafs than he did with the Washington Capitals, as the Leafs clearly acquired him for defensive depth ahead of the playoffs.
The journeyman blue-liner was in the midst of a productive season when the Capitals traded him to the Maple Leafs in late February. Gustafsson posted 38 points, including seven goals, in 61 games with Washington while averaging 20:22 of ice time. He collected four assists in nine contests with Toronto following the swap but played just 15:45 per game. His underlying numbers also declined.
The Leafs have other pending UFAs on the back end - namely Luke Schenn and Justin Holl - but they're right-handed, whereas Gustafsson is a lefty. Toronto is set on the left side with Morgan Rielly, T.J. Brodie, and Jake McCabe, so Gustafsson would be hard-pressed to regularly crack the lineup unless he plays where he's not most comfortable.
The Swede has shown some offensive skill over several seasons and could ride his performance with the Capitals to a new deal outside Toronto where he can get more playing time.
James van Riemsdyk
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The Philadelphia Flyers and new general manager Daniel Briere appear to be on the verge of initiating an all-out rebuild, having traded Ivan Provorov in early June before attempting to move Kevin Hayes and Tony DeAngelo in separate deals that hit snags over the weekend.
It's safe to say Van Riemsdyk wouldn't be thrilled to be part of a team that's torn down. If it gets to that point, the 34-year-old should look to join a contender.
The American winger isn't the player he once was and definitely shouldn't expect a cap hit anywhere near the $7 million he has on his expiring contract. But Van Riemsdyk drove possession on a bad Flyers team this past season, so he still has something to offer potential suitors in additon to his experience and occasional flashes of his old scoring touch.
Kevin Shattenkirk
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Shattenkirk is in a similar situation to Van Riemsdyk, though the veteran defenseman does have a Stanley Cup ring from his season with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019-20. Just like JVR, the Anaheim Ducks blue-liner is also 34 years old, and Shattenkirk has spent the last three campaigns with the rebuilding Anaheim Ducks.
The Ducks have some promising youngsters and could eventually contend again down the road, but that's not likely to happen next season. Shattenkirk won't break the bank as a free agent as his game has also predictably declined with age. But while he might have at least a third-pairing role virtually locked up on a not-so-deep Anaheim squad, he should test the UFA waters if he wants to play for a winner.
It's no secret that this summer's crop of unrestricted free agents leaves something to be desired. However, there are several combinations of player and destination that would still be compelling for one reason or another.
Some of the biggest names on the market, like Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and Jonathan Toews, appear destined to either remain with the only NHL teams they've ever played for or retire. But that doesn't mean there aren't any other intriguing potential scenarios.
Here's a handful of UFA signings we'd welcome, even if they may not be the most likely moves.
Avalanche scoop up Orlov
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Dmitry Orlov won't come cheap, especially after he improved his stock with a strong stretch run for the Boston Bruins. But the talented blue-liner would surely entertain the possibility of joining the 2021-22 Stanley Cup champions and the likes of Cale Makar and Devon Toews on the back end.
Orlov is a left-shot defenseman. While Toews fills that role on Colorado's top pairing alongside Makar, the Russian could conceivably slot into the team's second pairing. Jack Johnson is the current lefty in that duo, but he's a 36-year-old pending UFA who's been one of the NHL's worst rearguards in recent years. Bowen Byram also shoots from the left side, but he played on the right when paired with Johnson in the top four.
The Avalanche will have $19.575 million in cap space when they put Gabriel Landeskog on long-term injured reserve for next season. Colorado has quite a few pending UFAs to consider re-signing, including forwards J.T. Compher, Evan Rodrigues, and defenseman Erik Johnson. But adding Orlov to the mix would make the Avalanche's must-watch group of defensemen even better and could be a move to get Colorado back to the championship round.
Oilers reel in Tarasenko
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As fun as it was at times to watch Vladimir Tarasenko play with the various talented New York Rangers forwards, it would be even better to see him line up alongside one of the absolute best players in the league in Edmonton Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers made it to the conference final two seasons ago and got bounced by the eventual champion Vegas Golden Knights in the second round this spring. They should continue to bolster Connor McDavid's supporting cast.
Specifically, the Oilers would be wise to upgrade at the RW2 slot currently occupied by Kailer Yamamoto, and it appears Edmonton is leaning toward moving the 24-year-old. That's where the Russian affectionately known as the "Tarasenk Show" comes in. The ex-St. Louis Blues playmaker will be 32 in December, and he didn't fill the net last season like he has in the past. But inserting him onto a line with Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins would be beneficial for all three players and enjoyable for fans to watch.
Edmonton will need to re-up young defenseman Evan Bouchard and consider bringing back several others. The club could also get back into the Erik Karlsson trade talks. However, Tarasenko to Edmonton is an appealing match if they can make the money work.
Pacioretty comes home to Canadiens
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Max Pacioretty's future with the Carolina Hurricanes is uncertain, to say the least. The team has 15 pending free agents of various varieties to consider signing and only around $16 million available once Andrei Svechnikov's $7.75-million cap hit goes back on the books.
To be fair, Pacioretty's future in the NHL is uncertain as a whole, given that he's still recovering after tearing his Achilles tendon for the second time in five months in January. Still, how great would it be to see the former Canadiens captain return to Montreal on a one-year deal that could be the last contract of his career?
Pacioretty scored three goals in five games with the Canes before sustaining his second tear and was productive in his four seasons with the Golden Knights prior to that. No one expects him to regain his old form or even be healthy for the start of next season. But even if Pacioretty doesn't suit up until December or January, it would be fun to see the 34-year-old winger back in Canadiens colors while mentoring Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky.
Sabres snag Dumba
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Dumba is still a relatively solid and experienced top-four defenseman despite injuries limiting him in recent years. The Sabres will be looking for more stability on the back end to allow Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power to freely quarterback the offense. Dumba could slot in with Power on the second pairing. His offensive game fell off last season, but he still averaged 21:16 of ice time. Only Orlov logged more among pending UFA blue-liners.
Dumba's expected goals for and scoring chances for percentages at five-on-five sat below 50% in 2022-23. However, his 4.92 individual expected goals in those situations ranked 39th in the NHL among rearguards - just behind the likes of Kris Letang, Rasmus Andersson, and Morgan Rielly. More reliable defensive defensemen like Scott Mayfield and Brian Dumoulin will likely be available in free agency. But those guys are older than Dumba and on the wrong side of 30.
The Wild defenseman certainly isn't perfect, but he's still only 28 years old. Locking him into a lengthy contract would be ill-advised, and there will likely be available rearguards with higher offensive upside than Dumba, like Orlov, Erik Gustafsson, and Shayne Gostisbehere. But again, they're all older than Dumba, who would better fit Buffalo's long-term vision as a team that's on the rise but not yet a Cup contender.
Kraken grab a Golden Knights goalie
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The triumphant Golden Knights have a slew of decisions to make ahead of free agency, three of which involve goaltenders. Vegas has three pending UFA netminders in Adin Hill, Laurent Brossoit, and Jonathan Quick, and the Seattle Kraken have a rather glaring need at the position.
Philipp Graubauer's locked in with the Kraken through 2026-27 thanks to his regrettable contract. But Seattle should move on from pending UFA Martin Jones, who was one of the NHL's worst netminders in goals saved above expected and goals saved above average at five-on-five this past season.
Hill's agent recently said that he'd prioritize trying to get his client re-upped in Vegas. Still, the Kraken should make a play for the 27-year-old whose strong play this spring helped the Golden Knights win the Cup. If Seattle can't get Hill, Brossoit would be a decent consolation prize. There are undoubtedly better goalies on the market, but seeing Seattle land a netminder from Vegas would enhance the recent expansion teams' burgeoning divisional rivalry.
