The Tampa Bay Lightning and restricted free-agent defenseman J.J. Moser avoided arbitration on a two-year pact with a $3.375-million cap hit, the team announced Thursday.

The first year of his deal carries a salary of $2.7 million and he'll earn $4.05 million in the second campaign, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Moser was one of 14 players to file for salary arbitration by last Friday's deadline. Hearings are scheduled to take place from July 20 to Aug. 4.

The 24-year-old will once again be an RFA with arbitration rights when his new deal expires. He'll be due a qualifying offer worth $4.05 million, according to PuckPedia.

Tampa Bay acquired Moser as part of the trade that sent blue-liner Mikhail Sergachev to Utah during Day 2 of the 2024 NHL Draft.

The Switzerland native registered five goals and 26 points in 80 games this past season with the Arizona Coyotes while averaging 20:34 minutes per contest. He spent the bulk of his ice time on the top pair with Sean Durzi.

Moser is a left-handed shot and will likely get pushed behind Victor Hedman and the recently reacquired Ryan McDonagh if the Lightning play him on that side. Tampa Bay's blue line could shape up like this in 2024-25:

The Coyotes selected Moser in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft. He has accumulated 72 points in 205 career games.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning and restricted free-agent defenseman J.J. Moser avoided arbitration on a two-year pact with a $3.375-million cap hit, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

The first year of his deal carries a salary of $2.7 million and he'll earn $4.05 million in the second campaign.

Moser was one of 14 players to file for salary arbitration by last Friday's deadline. Hearings are scheduled to take place from July 20 to Aug. 4.

The 24-year-old will once again be an RFA with arbitration rights when his new deal expires. He'll be due a qualifying offer worth $4.05 million, according to PuckPedia.

Tampa Bay acquired Moser as part of the trade that sent blue-liner Mikhail Sergachev to Utah during Day 2 of the 2024 NHL Draft.

The Switzerland native registered five goals and 26 points in 80 games this past season with the Arizona Coyotes while averaging 20:34 minutes per contest. He spent the bulk of his ice time on the top pair with Sean Durzi.

Moser plays the left side, likely pushing him behind Victor Hedman and the recently reacquired Ryan McDonagh on the Lightning's depth chart. Tampa Bay's blue line could shape up like this in 2024-25:

The Coyotes selected Moser in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft. He has accumulated 72 points in 205 career games.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After spending a decade with the Florida Panthers, veteran forward Jonathan Huberdeau has mixed feelings about watching his former team win its first championship in franchise history.

"It's hard to see the guys lift the Cup," the Calgary Flames winger told La Presse's Guillaume Lefrancois in a French-language interview, as translated by Florida Hockey Now. "You say to yourself, 'I was there for 10 years, during more difficult times.' But that's how you build a team."

The Panthers selected Huberdeau with the third overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, and he sits second all-time in franchise history in goals (198), assists (415), and points (613), trailing only Aleksander Barkov in all three categories.

Florida made the playoffs four times during Huberdeau's tenure, winning just one round against the Washington Capitals in 2022.

The Panthers shipped Huberdeau off to Calgary almost exactly two years ago as part of the blockbuster trade that brought Matthew Tkachuk to the Sunshine State, and the franchises have gone in opposite directions ever since. The Flames have missed the playoffs for the past two campaigns, while Florida's clinched back-to-back Stanley Cup Final berths.

"I'm happy for the guys, they worked hard," Huberdeau said "Barkov, I've been with him for years, he works so hard. Aaron Ekblad, Sam Bennett, too. Tkachuk has arrived, and yes, he is good. But he is well-surrounded. They have talent, you see it. ... And a good coach like Paul Maurice, it seems. I thought they were going to win."

Huberdeau is about to enter the second season of the eight-year, $84-million extension he signed with Calgary in August 2022. The Quebec native is currently the 10th-highest-paid forward in the league, but he has yet to play up to his hefty $10.5-million cap hit.

He's amassed 107 points in 160 career games with the Flames, including 12 goals and 40 assists this past campaign.

"It's certain that I'm hard to trade," Huberdeau said. "I knew it when I signed the contract but I didn't know how it was going to happen. I thought I was going to produce points, that it would be good, but the more defensive system of play didn't help. … It's never fun to be in a rebuild.

"When you are young, you can learn, gain maturity, you have time. But at 31 years old, you want to win and you want to win now. It's harder to swallow but you have to accept your role, 100%."

It seems as though Calgary will be in for another uphill climb in 2024-25. The Flames dealt starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom and forward Andrew Mangiapane in June after parting ways with Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, and Nikita Zadorov during the season.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks inked 2024 second overall pick Artyom Levshunov to a three-year, entry-level pact Saturday.

His contract carries a cap hit of $975,000 plus an additional $3.25 million in performance bonuses, per PuckPedia.

"Signing Artyom gives us the opportunity to continue his development in house and take the next step into professional hockey," general manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement. "He's a strong two-way defenseman that has all the tools to be a high-end player in the NHL and we're excited to continue his growth at the pro level."

Levshunov will likely spend the bulk of the 2024-25 campaign with the AHL's Rockford IceHogs.

He impressed as a freshman in the NCAA with Michigan State this past season, registering nine goals and 35 points - good for the second most among all first-year defensemen - in 38 outings.

The 18-year-old rearguard is the highest-drafted Belarusian player in NHL history.

Levshunov boasts a right-handed shot and is listed at 6-foot-2, 208 pounds.

The Blackhawks had to lean on a handful of rookie defensemen this past season, including Kevin Korchinski (76 games), Isaak Phillips (33 games), Wyatt Kaiser (32 games), and Louis Crevier (24 games).

Alex Vlasic wasn't classified as a rookie in 2023-24, but he held a major role in his first full NHL campaign, ranking second on the Blackhawks in average ice time (21:29) while appearing in 76 contests.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2024 first overall pick is turning pro.

The San Jose Sharks signed forward Macklin Celebrini to a three-year, entry-level contract Saturday.

His pact carries a cap hit of $975,000 plus an additional $3.5 million in performance bonuses, according to PuckPedia.

"Macklin is not only a special player on the ice, but he is a poised, confident, and intelligent young man off of it," general manager Mike Grier said in a statement. "His combination of skills and hockey sense is rare, and we are extremely confident that he is ready to make the transition to being a full-time NHL player.

"We could not be more excited to have Macklin locked in to formally join the Sharks organization for the 2024-25 season."

The 18-year-old ranked second in the NCAA with 32 goals as a freshman with Boston University this past season and third with 64 points in 38 contests. Celebrini became the youngest recipient of the Hobey Baker Award, which honors the top player in men's college hockey.

He logged 46 goals and 86 points in 50 games as a member of the USHL's Chicago Steel in 2022-23.

The North Vancouver native also has some international experience under his belt. Celebrini represented Canada at the World U18 Championships in 2023 and helped the team win bronze after netting 15 points in seven games. He also led his country with eight points in five outings at the 2024 world juniors, though Canada finished the event in fifth place.

Celebrini is familiar with the Bay Area and played a season with the San Jose Jr. Sharks at the Under-14 level. His father, Rick, has worked for the Golden State Warriors in the NBA since 2018.

Grier said the Sharks' offseason moves thus far helped Celebrini put pen to paper, according to The Mercury News' Curtis Pashelka.

After finishing in last place in the league with a 19-54-9 record, Grier added the likes of Tyler Toffoli, Alex Wennberg, and Barclay Goodrow to kick off his summer.

The Sharks also signed fellow top prospect and 2023 fourth overall pick Will Smith to his entry-level pact in late May. Smith was a freshman with Boston College this past season.

Grier made it clear that he didn't want to put too much on the two youngsters' plates next season.

"I think that's been kind of the goal here, to kind of try and insulate (Celebrini) and (Smith) so they don't feel like they've got the weight on their shoulders and that they've gotta go out and produce every single night," he explained, per NBC Sports California.

"I'm not expecting (Celebrini) to go out there and be the MVP of the league or anything like that," Grier added. "There's gonna be bumps, there's gonna be ups and downs, and I'm sure he'll navigate that and we'll help him navigate those things."

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas and New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren were among the 14 restricted free agents to file for salary arbitration before Friday's 5 p.m. ET deadline, the NHLPA announced.

Here's the complete list:

Contract projections provided by Evolving-Hockey.

Players can still negotiate and sign contracts before their salary arbitration hearings. Those who elect for arbitration are no longer eligible to sign offer sheets.

The deadline for club-elected salary arbitration is Saturday at 5 p.m. ET. Hearings will be held from July 20 to Aug. 4.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman was eligible to file for arbitration again this summer. He went through the process last year and was awarded a one-year pact worth $3.475 million, though he said he didn't want to go through with it again.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres re-signed restricted free-agent rearguard Henri Jokiharju to a one-year deal worth $3.1 million, the team announced Friday.

The 25-year-old can become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Jokiharju posted a career-high 20 points (three goals, 17 assists) in 74 outings this past season while registering 18:22 minutes of ice time per contest. Eleven of his points came in the 33 games following the All-Star break.

A right-handed shot, Jokiharju spent the bulk of the 2023-24 campaign paired with youngster Owen Power or star Rasmus Dahlin.

The Chicago Blackhawks selected Jokiharju with the 29th overall pick in the 2017 draft. He spent his first NHL campaign in the Windy City but was traded to Buffalo in July 2019 in exchange for forward Alex Nylander.

Jokiharju has amassed 87 points in 347 career NHL games.

The Sabres also traded prospect Matt Savoie to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for center Ryan McLeod and winger Tyler Tullio on Friday.

Buffalo has three remaining restricted free agents on its roster: forwards Peyton Krebs and Beck Malenstyn (acquired from the Washington Capitals in late June) and goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes signed free-agent forward Jack Roslovic to a one-year contract worth $2.8 million, the team announced Thursday.

Roslovic amassed nine goals and 31 points in 59 games this past season, split between the Blue Jackets and Rangers. New York acquired his services from Columbus in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick at the trade deadline.

The 27-year-old went on to add eight points in 16 playoff games during the Rangers' run to the conference finals.

He played out the final season of a two-year pact with a $4-million cap hit, though the Blue Jackets retained half of his salary as part of the trade agreement with New York.

The Jets selected Roslovic with the 25th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. He spent the first four years of his NHL career in Winnipeg before being traded to his hometown Jackets in January 2021 as part of the blockbuster Patrik Laine and Pierre-Luc Dubois swap.

Roslovic has totaled 80 goals and 221 points in 445 career NHL games.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Red Wings sent forward Robby Fabbri and a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for goalie Gage Alexander, the teams announced Wednesday.

Anaheim will receive the earlier of Detroit's fourth-rounder at next year's draft or the Boston Bruins' selection, which was acquired by the Red Wings in March 2023 as part of the Tyler Bertuzzi trade.

Detroit announced the trade shortly after signing free-agent forward and two-time Stanley Cup champion Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year pact worth $4.75 million annually.

Fabbri is under contract for the 2024-25 campaign with a cap hit of $4 million. He can become a free agent next summer.

The 28-year-old racked up 18 goals - matching his career high - and 32 points in 68 games this past season.

Fabbri has struggled with injuries in recent years and sustained three ACL tears in his career.

He suffered a season-ending left knee ailment in February 2017 as a member of the St. Louis Blues. Fabbri then reinjured himself the following training camp and missed the entirety of the 2017-18 campaign.

In March 2022, Fabbri tore his right ACL and wasn't able to take the ice again until January 2023. He suited up for just 28 contests in 2022-23 after suffering a lower-body injury that required surgery.

The Mississauga native has amassed 98 goals and 200 points in 398 career NHL games after being selected by the Blues with the 21st overall pick in 2014.

Alexander appeared in 19 games for the ECHL's Tulsa Oilers this past season, posting a 5-8-1 record to go along with a .887 save percentage and 3.76 goals against average. He's listed at 6-foot-6 and 205 pounds.

The Ducks picked Alexander in the fifth round of the 2021 NHL Draft.

The Red Wings now have around $20 million in cap space, while the Ducks have just under $21 million, according to CapFriendly.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers re-signed restricted free-agent forward Bobby Brink to a two-year deal with an average annual value of $1.5 million, the team announced Wednesday.

Brink totaled 11 goals and 23 points in 57 games this past season as a rookie while averaging just under 14 minutes of ice time per contest. He made his NHL debut in 2021-22, registering four assists in 10 outings that campaign.

The 22-year-old also spent time with the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms in 2023-24, scoring seven tallies and six helpers in 13 regular-season games before logging four points in six playoff matchups.

The Flyers drafted Brink in the second round in 2019.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.