RADIO
Jacob Moverare Signs Deal With Zug in Switzerland
Defenseman Jacob Moverare has signed a two-year contract with EV Zug in Switzerland. The Swedish blue-liner will return to Europe after becoming an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He has appeared in 109 NHL games with the Los Angeles Kings, including 15 in 2025-26. Moverare has earned 11 career points (two goals, nine assists) in the NHL. He struggled to secure a consistent role in L.A. and will now try his luck in Switzerland. At Zug, Moverare will join several other former NHLers, including Tomas Tatar and Dominik Kubalik.
Source: Swiss Hockey News
Source: Swiss Hockey News
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.
Source: Bruce Garrioch
Source: Bruce Garrioch
Michael Hutchinson Retires After 11 NHL Seasons
Goaltender Michael Hutchinson has announced his retirement from the NHL. He has called it a career after 11 NHL seasons. Hutchinson represented six teams, going 127-57-62 in 154 regular-season appearances. He totaled six shutouts and had a 2.94 goals-against average with a .902 save percentage. The Barrie, Ontario native had the most success early in his career with the Winnipeg Jets, where he posted three consecutive 20-win campaigns. Hutchinson's final NHL outing was in 2023-24 with the Detroit Red Wings. He sat out the 2025-26 season after spending one year in Finland.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
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.
Source: Michael Russo
Source: Michael Russo
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.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
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.
Source: KHL
Source: KHL
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.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
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.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Hunter Shepard Links Up With KHL Team
Goaltender Hunter Shepard has signed a one-year contract with the KHL's Barys Astana, according to AHL reporter Tony Androckitis. Hunter has starred in the minors but hasn't seen much action in the NHL. Last season, he appeared in one game for the Ottawa Senators, finishing the campaign as a member of the Montreal Canadiens organization. The 30-year-old Grand Rapids, Minnesota native has also played for the Washington Capitals, going 2-3-1 for his career. Shepard's short-term contract leaves the door open for a North American return next year, though his odds of landing an NHL spot are low.
Source: Tony Androckitis
Source: Tony Androckitis
Nils Aman Returns to Sweden on Three-Year Deal
Center Nils Aman has returned to his native Sweden, signing a three-year contract with Djurgardens IF. Aman was an unrestricted free agent after not receiving a qualifying offer from the Vancouver Canucks. In recent seasons, Aman has mostly seen AHL action and was used just twice by the Canucks in 2025-26. Overall, he appeared in 132 games with the team, totaling 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists). Given Aman's NHL struggles and the fact that he's now 26, a return to North America seems unlikely.
Source: Djurgardens IF
Source: Djurgardens IF
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.
Source: Charlie O'Connor
Source: Charlie O'Connor
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.
Source: Columbus Blue Jackets
Source: Columbus 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.
Source: Columbus Blue Jackets
Source: Columbus Blue Jackets
Patrick Kane Rejoins Blackhawks on Two-Year Deal
Right wing Patrick Kane has returned to his original NHL team, signing a two-year, $16 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. Kane spent his first 16 years with the Blackhawks before stints with the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings. With 1,225 points, Kane is the Blackhawks' second all-time leading scorer and ranks third with 446 goals. He's one of only five players to win the Hart Trophy as the league MVP with the Blackhawks. In his prime, Kane was a scoring machine. In recent seasons, he has battled health issues. Still, the veteran star posted a respectable 57 points (16 goals, 41 assists) in 67 games last term. He is expected to play a major role for Chicago in the top six and on the power play.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
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.
Source: Adam Kimelman
Source: Adam Kimelman
