NHL News

Drake Batherson • RW • Senators

Drake Batherson, Senators Far Apart in Contract Talks

Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson is currently on track to start the 2026-27 season as a pending unrestricted free agent. According to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia, Batherson and the Senators "aren't close" to a contract extension. Batherson will finish a six-year contract with a $4.95 million cap hit. His new deal is expected to carry an average annual value of $10 million to $11 million. Keeping Batherson will be vital for Ottawa, especially after losing Brady Tkachuk this offseason. Batherson was the team's second-highest scorer in 2025-26, contributing 33 goals and 38 assists in 79 games.

4 hours ago

Quinn Hughes • D • Wild

Quinn Hughes and Wild Scheduled for Contract Talks This Week

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes could have his future sorted out soon. According to The Athletic's Michael Russo, Hughes and his representatives are scheduled to meet Wild general manager Bill Guerin this week to discuss a new contract. Hughes will play out the final season of a six-year, $47.1 million contract in 2026-27. He will become an unrestricted free agent in 2027 if a new deal isn't reached. Last season, Hughes had a great run with the Wild after arriving from the Vancouver Canucks. He notched 53 points (five goals, 48 assists) in 48 games, adding 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) in 11 postseason outings.

5 hours ago

Macklin Celebrini • C • Sharks

Macklin Celebrini Inks $94 Million Extension With Sharks

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini signed a five-year, $94 million contract extension on Wednesday. He will finish his entry-level deal in 2026-27, after which the new contract will take effect. Celebrini is set to become the NHL's highest-paid player, with the average annual value of his contract extension at $18.8 million. In just two seasons, Celebrini has established himself as one of the leading talents in hockey's new generation. He set a Sharks record in 2025-26 with 115 points (45 goals, 70 assists) in 82 games. Overall, Celebrini has tallied 70 goals and 178 points in 152 career games. These are extraordinary numbers for a 20-year-old.

5 hours ago

Vyacheslav Buteyets • G • Ducks

Vyacheslav Buteyets Set to Continue Career in KHL

Goaltender Vyacheslav Buteyets has signed a two-year deal with the KHL's Traktor Chelyabinsk. He was immediately loaned out to the Shanghai Dragons, where he will spend the 2026-27 campaign. Buteyets has just completed his entry-level contract in the NHL. He made his NHL debut in December, playing one period for the Anaheim Ducks against the Utah Mammoth. During his time in the Ducks organization, Buteyets mostly saw action in the ECHL. Last season, he went 18-19-5 with the Tulsa Oilers, allowing 3.11 goals with a .908 save percentage. At 24, Buteyets is at a critical stage in his development and clearly sees better opportunities outside North America. The Ducks extended a qualifying offer to Buteyets earlier in the offseason, meaning the club will retain his NHL rights.

5 days ago

Akira Schmid • G • Panthers

Akira Schmid Signs Two-Year Deal With Panthers

Florida Panthers goaltender Akira Schmid has agreed to a two-year, $4 million contract. He was scheduled for a salary arbitration hearing next week, but that won't be necessary now. Schmid joined the Panthers in late June when the team acquired his rights from the Vegas Golden Knights. The 26-year-old posted a 16-10-6 record, a 2.59 goals-against average, a .893 save percentage, and two shutouts last season. The Panthers' blue paint will look very different next season, with Jacob Markstrom also brought in this offseason and Sergei Bobrovsky heading to Toronto. Schmid is set to be Markstrom's backup in Sunrise.

5 days ago

Cole Sillinger • C • Blue Jackets

Cole Sillinger Re-Signs With Blue Jackets for Three Years

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cole Sillinger signed a three-year, $13.875 million contract on Friday, avoiding a salary arbitration hearing. This looks like a decent deal for both sides. Sillinger is a versatile player who still has room to grow. He has finished with 30-plus points in four of his five NHL campaigns. In 2025-26, Sillinger recorded a career-high 25 assists and 33 points in 81 games. The 23-year-old was third on his team with 112 hits. A couple of seasons ago, Sillinger averaged 0.5 points per game, making 40 points a realistic target for 2026-27.

5 days ago

Nikita Grebenkin • RW • Flyers

Nikita Grebenkin on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp

Philadelphia Flyers left wing Nikita Grebenkin (upper body) is expected to be ready for the start of training camp, Charlie O'Connor of PHLY Sports reports. Grebenkin, who is a restricted free agent, suffered an upper-body injury in late March and missed the end of the season. The 23-year-old Russian earned 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 55 games during his rookie campaign. He was also a physical presence in the Flyers' lineup, finishing with 86 hits. Grebenkin did not require surgery, indicating that his injury was not very severe. He will compete for a bottom-six role in training camp.

6 days ago

Danton Heinen • LW • Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets Sign Danton Heinen to Two-Way Deal

Winger Danton Heinen will return to the Columbus Blue Jackets for the new season on a one-year, two-way contract. He will earn $1 million in the NHL and $550,000 at the AHL level. Heinen moved to Columbus in December last year when he was traded by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He had a poor campaign in 2025-26, picking up 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 46 outings. Heinen came close to a 40-point season in 2023-24, and while Columbus will hope he can replicate that form, it seems unlikely. Even if he sticks with the big club, Heinen will probably see limited ice time in a bottom-six role.

6 days ago

Jet Greaves • G • Blue Jackets

Jet Greaves Signs Three-Year, $15 Million Deal With Blue Jackets

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves signed a three-year, $15 million contract on Thursday. The team announced the deal just before Greaves' scheduled salary arbitration hearing. Greaves received a significant pay bump from his previous two-year, $1.63 million deal. In 2025-26, he became only the fifth goaltender in franchise history to post a 25-win season. Greaves finished the campaign with a 26-19-9 record, allowing 2.60 goals with a .908 save percentage and two shutouts. His emergence has hurt Elvis Merzlikins' fantasy stock. The Latvian veteran was limited to 29 starts last season and appears poised to begin the new campaign in a backup role.

6 days ago

Trevor Zegras • C • Flyers

Trevor Zegras Wants to Improve as Center

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras is determined to become a more effective player at the center position, Adam Kimelman of NHL.com reports. Zegras, who recently signed a four-year, $36.5 million contract extension, prefers to play at center but has also spent time on the left wing. Difficulty winning faceoffs has hindered his development. "I feel pretty comfortable in both spots, whether it's in the middle or on the wing, so wherever they need me to play, I'm more than comfortable in both spots," Zegras. "I thought playing center in the playoffs was definitely something that gave me a lot of confidence. So I think wherever they need me, I'm good to go." Last season, Zegras won only 34.1 percent of his faceoffs. He pushed the number to 44.0 percent in the playoffs. If Zegras becomes more reliable in the faceoff circle, he could see increased ice time and boost his fantasy value.

Jul 22

Isac Lundeström • C • Blue Jackets

Isac Lundestrom to Miss Start of Season

Columbus Blue Jackets center Isac Lundestrom (Achilles) won't be available for the start of the 2026-27 season, Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers reports. He is recovering from offseason Achilles surgery and is expected to return in November. This means the Blue Jackets will be without a solid bottom-six contributor and penalty-killer early next season, though Lundestrom's absence won't affect fantasy hockey. The Swedish forward managed only four goals and eight assists in 68 outings last season. He's been limited to 15 or fewer points in four consecutive campaigns.

Jul 22

John Marino • D • Mammoth

John Marino Signs Eight-Year Extension With Mammoth

Utah Mammoth defenseman John Marino will remain with the team after his contract expires next offseason. On Tuesday, he agreed to an eight-year, $54 million extension. The 29-year-old will complete a six-year, $26.4 million deal in 2026-27. Marino earned a long-term extension after a career year in 2025-26. He tallied 36 points (four goals, 32 assists) in 80 games and finished with an impressive plus-42 rating. Marino moved to Utah in 2024 and has been a great fit for the team. However, his modest defensive stats mean he provides limited value in fantasy hockey.

Jul 22

Jason Robertson • LW • Stars

Jason Robertson Avoids Arbitration Hearing With One-Year, $12 Million Deal

Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson signed a one-year, $12 million contract with the team on Tuesday, avoiding a salary arbitration hearing. Robertson appeared headed for a move this offseason when his contract talks hit a snag, and Dallas even had a couple of trades in place to send him elsewhere. But he ended up staying for now. The Stars can sign him to a long-term extension on Jan. 1. Robertson has led his team in scoring in three of the past four seasons. In 2025-26, he tallied 96 points (45 goals, 51 assists) in 82 games. He'll be looking to prove his worth in the upcoming campaign, which should benefit fantasy managers.

Jul 22

Connor Bedard • C • Blackhawks

Connor Bedard Signs Five-Year, $75 Million Extension With Blackhawks

Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard (shoulder) has signed a five-year, $75 million contract extension, giving him the third-highest cap hit in the NHL next season. His average annual value of $15 million is surpassed only by Anaheim's Leo Carlsson ($18 million) and Minnesota's Kirill Kaprizov ($17 million). Bedard, who turned 21 on Friday, was a restricted free agent. Unfortunately, Bedard's season debut in 2026-27 will be delayed by shoulder surgery. On July 9, the Blackhawks announced that Bedard is expected to be out for approximately four months. Once he's back, he will set his sights on maintaining a point-per-game pace for a second consecutive year. Bedard finished last term with 75 points (30 goals, 45 assists) in 69 outings.

Jul 19

Jamie Drysdale • D • Flyers

Jamie Drysdale Signs Four-Year, $26 Million Contract With Flyers

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale will remain with the franchise on a four-year, $26 million contract. As a restricted free agent, the 24-year-old had a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for Monday. After struggling to stay healthy early in his NHL career, Drysdale has performed solidly for the Flyers. He matched his career high with 32 points (eight goals, 24 assists) in 78 games last term, adding 94 blocks. Flyers general manager Daniel Briere expressed confidence that Drysdale's best performances are still to come, so it wouldn't be surprising if he nears the 40-point mark in the next few seasons.

Jul 18

Kirby Dach • C • Canadiens

Canadiens Bring Back Kirby Dach on One-Year Deal

Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach will play out the 2026-27 campaign on a one-year, $3.6 million contract. He received only a slight raise from his previous four-year, $13.45 million deal. Dach, who was a restricted free agent, struggled badly with injuries during his last contract. The 25-year-old was limited to 37 appearances in 2025-26, totaling 15 points (seven goals, eight assists). He's yet to play more than 58 games in a season for Montreal, so Dach's main goal next season should be an injury-free campaign. If he stays healthy, Dach could become a 40-point scorer while averaging about two hits per game.

Jul 18

Connor McMichael • C • Blues

Blues Sign Connor McMichael to Six-Year, $40 Million Deal

St. Louis Blues forward Connor McMichael has been handed a six-year, $40.5 million contract by the team. He was a restricted free agent after earning $2.1 million in each of the last two seasons. The Blues brought in McMichael from the Washington Capitals in the deal that sent Jordan Kyrou to D.C. last month. He's scored over 100 points over the last two years, though McMichael had a mediocre 46-point campaign in 2025-26. With a larger role in St. Louis, the 25-year-old could make a greater impact. A middle-six role awaits him, along with regular power-play time.

Jul 18

Nicholas Robertson • LW • Penguins

Nicholas Robertson Inks Two-Year Contract With Penguins

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Nicholas Robertson has signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract. As a restricted free agent, Robertson filed for salary arbitration, with a hearing scheduled for late July. Ultimately, he managed to work out a deal with his new team. The Penguins acquired Robertson's rights from the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1 in exchange for a 2028 fourth-round draft pick. Robertson posted a career-high 32 points (16 goals, 16 assists) in 78 games last season, but it wasn't enough to interest the Maple Leafs' brass in keeping him around. A fresh start in Pittsburgh isn't a bad alternative for Robertson, especially if he can carve out a top-six role.

Jul 16

Cole Perfetti • C • Jets

Cole Perfetti Agrees to Five-Year Contract With Jets

Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Perfetti has avoided a salary arbitration hearing by signing a five-year, $30 million contract. The Jets now won't have to worry about Perfetti's contract situation for quite some time, though questions about his ability may linger within the organization. In 2025-26, Perfetti totaled only 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 68 games. Still, at 24 years old, Perfetti is a relatively young player and has time to prove his worth in the league. He was a 50-point scorer only two seasons ago.

Jul 16

Trevor Zegras • C • Flyers

Trevor Zegras Signs Four-Year Extension With Flyers

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras signed a four-year, $36.5 million contract on Wednesday, avoiding salary arbitration. With the average annual value of his contract at $9.125 million, Zegras is now Philadelphia's highest-paid player. He earned a handsome deal after putting up a career-high 67 points (26 goals, 41 assists) in 81 games last season. Zegras chipped in with two goals and four assists in 10 games during the postseason. Six years into his NHL career, Zegras has reached the 60-point plateau three times. Provided he stays injury-free, a 70-point campaign should be well within his reach next season.

Jul 16

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