The four days between the end of the draft and the start of free agency occur at a frenetic pace behind the scenes.
It’s crunch time for teams to sign their pending unrestricted free agents before they lose their coveted trump card: an eighth year on a contract. Front offices toggle between their wish lists and contingency plans while the trade market remains active.
Based on conversations I’ve had with front-office executives, agents and players, here’s the latest I’m hearing on what we will see unfold when free agency opens Wednesday (noon ET) — and for the rest of the summer.
Turnover time in Chicago
The Chicago Blackhawks‘ rebuild is in full swing. Gone are Alex DeBrincat, a 41-goal scorer, and Kirby Dach, the third pick of the 2019 draft. Two other top-six forwards — Dominik Kubalik and Dylan Strome — are on the way out, too, as Chicago didn’t give them qualifying offers. In are prospects and draft picks.
Talk to people around the Blackhawks organization, and they’re prepared to have “a team of 21-year-olds” over the next two seasons.
While Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane haven’t asked for trades yet — and hold full control here, each with a no-movement clause — there’s a growing sense that could change soon. Keep in mind DeBrincat was Kane’s closest friend on the team. I’ve heard plenty of speculation that the New York Rangers — featuring Artemi Panarin, Kane’s favorite linemate of his NHL career — should be a team to watch, but there’s nothing concrete to report there yet. If Kane is available, there will be a market for him.
If Toews moves, the Blackhawks will need to retain some of his $10.5 million salary to create a market. A team is allowed to retain no more than 50% of a traded player’s salary, so Chicago may need to involve a third team.
GM Kyle Davidson doesn’t sound afraid to take on “bad” contracts over the next two seasons, as long as they bring in future assets. He’ll also need a few good veterans in the room to lead the youngsters by example.
Stanley Cup champ the answer in net for Caps?
The Washington Capitals haven’t been satisfied with their goalie situation since they won the Stanley Cup in 2018, failing to make it past the first round in each of those four seasons. While the organization liked Vitek Vanecek and Ilya Samsonov, it never fully trusted the youngsters as a reliable tandem. That’s why GM Brian MacLellan brought in Henrik Lundqvist in 2020, and scoured the goalie market again last summer. Lundqvist never appeared in a game for the Capitals, forced to retire because of a heart condition, and MacLellan said he couldn’t secure a goalie who was a clear upgrade at last year’s deadline.
This time, MacLellan had enough and “jumped into the fire,” to use his words. Vanecek was traded to New Jersey for draft picks. Samsonov didn’t get a qualifying offer; the Caps felt the price was too rich for a backup.
And in the meantime, Washington zeroed in on a new No. 1 starter who can give them veteran assurance: Darcy Kuemper coming off a Stanley Cup in Denver. The 32-year-old Kuemper was squeezed out of Colorado — Avs GM Joe Sakic said it was a tough call to make. As of Monday afternoon, Kuemper was still in contact with other teams — Toronto, Edmonton — but the belief around the league is that Kuemper is going to land in Washington.
Latest on Johnny Gaudreau
The Philadelphia Flyers are very much in play for Gaudreau, and there’s a temptation for the winger to play for his hometown team. But it’s not a given for a couple of reasons.
One factor: After signing Tony DeAngelo, the Flyers would need to move some salary to make Gaudreau’s contract work. They’re fielding calls, seeing if there are any matches for James van Riemsdyk ($7 million annual cap hit), but I don’t think the offers are there.
The other reason that would keep Gaudreau from Philly is that some people close to Gaudreau believe that staying in Calgary is the right move. At the draft, Flames GM Brad Treliving said he was “optimistic” about Gaudreau returning. Calgary can offer Gaudreau a max eight-year contract until Tuesday. After that, it’s seven years, just like everybody else. Sources said the Flames’ offer would come in around the $9.5 million-per-year range.
If Gaudreau hits the open market, keep an eye on New Jersey and Long Island as a sleeper landing spots. The Devils are looking to take a big step forward this season. Meanwhile, getting information on anything Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello is up to can feel like a fool’s errand — but word is, the Islanders would like to upgrade their forward group.
Landing spots for John Klingberg
Klingberg is going to test free agency. The defenseman and the Dallas Stars haven’t been close on a contract, with stalled talks that date back to last season. At this point, it’s best for both sides to see what his market value is.
There’s a lot of talk about Carolina as a possible destination for Klingberg. The Canes did due-diligence on Klingberg ahead of the trade deadline. He’d be a right-side replacement for the departed Tony DeAngelo. But money could be an issue. Carolina Tom Dundon sets his own prices and rarely budges based off the market.
The Seattle Kraken are another possible fit. I’ve heard the Kraken plan to be active in free agency.
What’s next for the Panthers?
The Florida Panthers had to look at themselves realistically after their second-round exit to the Tampa Bay Lightning. They won the first Presidents’ Trophy in franchise history. They went all-in at the trade deadline, landing prized center Claude Giroux. And then suddenly, they were starting their summer early after a sweep by their in-state rivals.
The Panthers’ front office recognized that while the franchise-record 122 points was amazing, 38 of those points came after regulation. Florida was 16-0-6 in overtime games; the 16 overtime wins were tied with the Minnesota Wild for most in the league.
While GM Bill Zito doesn’t want to overreact to the early playoff ouster, he also doesn’t want to get ahead of himself and assume his team is further along than it was. That portends for a quieter offseason. The Panthers didn’t have much to do on the first night of the draft; they were without a first-round pick and didn’t select until the third round. They’re also strapped against the cap and need to save room for a Jonathan Huberdeau extension, which they’ve been working on.
All of this means Florida will be looking for bargains. Florida is looking for players who come in at lower price points and are ready to blossom. The Panthers are also looking for veteran players with some warts — and therefore would be willing to take less salary to play for Florida, knowing that the structure and culture of the organization could allow them to make a name for themselves.
But while they’re looing for bargains, I’ve heard they’re still interested in re-signing Giroux.
More hard decisions for Tampa
Tampa Bay GM Julien BriseBois takes a lot of pride in the team he and his front office have built. The Lightning’s brand is strong. You either fit into the culture or you don’t. And you know a Lightning player when you see one. (Case in point: It was so obvious that trade deadline acquisition Nick Paul belonged in Tampa after he arrived, and the front office wasted no time signing him to a seven-year deal.)
But to keep the championship window open, the front office has had to make some tough decisions. One of those was parting with defenseman Ryan McDonagh, who fit the Lightning culture as well as anyone. When I caught up with BriseBois briefly at the draft, he reiterated how brutal it was to tell McDonagh the Lightning wanted him to waive his no-trade clause. McDonagh, 34, adored living in Tampa and had just completed an entire series he had played with a broken finger. But the Lightning want to keep things going, and that means signing key players to new contracts. Don’t be surprised if Anthony Cirelli, Erik Cernak and Mikhail Sergachev all have contract extensions by the end of the summer.
The biggest immediate agenda item for the Lightning has been re-signing Ondrej Palat (as well as Jan Rutta). Palat would likely need to take less than what’s available on the open market if he wants to stay in Tampa. BriseBois also told me the Lightning are in the market for a left-shot defenseman to replace McDonagh — at a lower cap hit than the $6.75 million AAV he was making.
Senators ready to spend
For months, it has been rumored that Claude Giroux will sign with the Ottawa Senators, his hometown team. That’s very much a possibility, though Giroux is exploring several other options as well.
Whether they land Giroux or not, the Senators are definitely in the market for defensemen as free agency opens.
Latest on the goalie market
There’s a supply-and-demand issue with goalies this year. And with so many of the top names already off the board — headlined by Marc-Andre Fleury re-signing in Minnesota — all eyes are on Jack Campbell. Leading up to the draft, Campbell had yet to receive an offer from the Toronto Maple Leafs. He wanted to stay, but the team was hesitant to commit. The Maple Leafs instead decided to take a flier on Matt Murray. So Campbell will head to the open market, where it appears the Edmonton Oilers are the favorite to land him.
‘The goalie market is absolutely crazy’ is a phrase I’ve heard multiple times this week. It’s why a guy like Charlie Lindgren, who played in only five NHL games last season, has received interest from more than half of the league. Lingren, 28, is a hot commodity for teams looking for (relatively) cheap backup options. All Lindgren is looking for is a one-way deal. St. Louis may want to keep him as Jordan Binnington’s backup.
Because there is such a demand for goalies, it has led many to wonder about Anaheim’s John Gibson and whether he is available via trade. As of now, Gibson has remained committed to the Ducks. He’s under contract through 2026-27, with a 10-team no-trade clause. So a team would need to call Ducks GM Pat Verbeek and blow him away with an offer. Only then is it even a conversation.
Along those lines, some teams have called Montreal about backup Jake Allen. However, I’ve been told there’s a strong possibility Carey Price begins next season on long-term injured reserve because of his knee. Because of that, the Canadiens aren’t keen on moving Allen.
Rangers on the move
The New York Rangers seemed to hit on nearly all of their trade deadline acquisitions. Andrew Copp and Tyler Motte were both fits with the organization — hardworking, and versatile — and contributed to the playoff run. While New York has shown some interest in bringing both players back, it sounds like both players will test their options, and there already seems to be interest brewing for both.
Vladimir Tarasenko staying in St. Louis?
I had a quick chat with St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong on the draft floor Thursday, just before the first round began. I asked him about the chances that Tarasenko would be traded. Armstrong brushed it off, basically saying there was no chance.
Things change, and I’ve been misled before, but considering how well Tarasenko played for St. Louis last season — even after requesting a trade — the Blues are in no rush to trade him, and have no urgency to do so. You might have heard this before: A trade will happen only if someone blows St. Louis away with an offer. Armstrong, in general, seems satisfied with the team he has. He believes they can win.
And what about Jakob Chychrun in Arizona?
When I asked Arizona Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong on draft night if there was an update on the Jakob Chychrun trade front, he said: “Our plan is to have him play for us next year, and he is going to do great.”
The Coyotes have had discussions about Chychrun with multiple teams over the past several months, including the days before the draft. But Arizona, which is in the process of revamping its entire roster, doesn’t want to part with a 24-year-old defenseman without getting a significant package in return.
The asking price around the trade deadline was a young roster player, a top prospect and a first-round pick. Those offers haven’t materialized yet, and so Chychrun will remain a Coyote. For now.
Nathan MacKinnon‘s next deal
By the end of the summer, expect a new contract for Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon. The years of MacKinnon being the league’s best bargain (at $6.3 million per year) are over. This one is going to be expensive.