Hall of Famer Chris Chelios says he knows where Patrick Kane is going to wind up in free agency this summer.
Chelios, the former Red Wings defenseman, was on 104.3 The Score in Chicago and he said the 37-year-old unrestricted free agent is leaning toward two teams and is unlikely to return to the Red Wings this year.
"I am not gonna like to you guys," Chelios said. "It is down to Buffalo and Chicago. I know that."
Chris Chelios recently spoke to free agent Patrick Kane about his interest in returning to the Blackhawks:
"I am not gonna lie to you guys, it is down to Buffalo and Chicago. I know that." pic.twitter.com/FIirxkRntc
Kane has played the past three seasons with the Red Wings, after spending the first 16-plus seasons of his NHL career with the Blackhawks.
"It's a tough decision for him, whether to go home, make it easy on his parents, his family and friends and finish like Taeser (Jonathan Toews) tried to do, or he comes back, in my opinion, as a Blackhawk," Chelios said.
"The Blackhawks, you see how tough it is to make the playoffs, it's hit or miss, there's no guarantees. With the absence of Connor (Bedard) in the beginning of the season, there's no telling when he'll be back yet.
"How great would that be? You saw the reception he got a couple of years ago during the jersey retirement. He's so beloved in Chicago. I'm hoping he leans that way. I think he's going to make his decision pretty quick now.
"He's still got some good gas in him. I think he's got two, three years left in him yet. He had a good finish in Detroit, so let's keep our fingers crossed. That'll be great news if he signs with the Hawks."
In part one, the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild and Carolina Hurricanes took spots four through seven in our ranking of the best front offices.
Each of those teams has made a few mistakes over the years, but big wins have far overshadowed the mistakes.
The Avs won big in the draft multiple times and have made adding depth through trades and free agency look easy. The Stars are the best drafting team of the past 15 years in the NHL, and have pulled off major trades for Tyler Seguin and Mikko Rantanen.
The Wild acquired their top defensive pair, Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber, by nailing multiple trades. They also drafted top-line forward Kirill Kaprizov with the 135th pick in 2015. Great moves over the years have put them at the top of the Central Division with the Avs and Stars, both powerhouses of the last five years.
The Hurricanes built their core through the draft and made one of the best coaching hires in recent memory, Rod Brind’Amour.
While those four franchises’ front offices have done a fantastic job, the top three stand out even more. These three front offices pull off the unthinkable time and time again. They consistently make moves to get the missing puzzle pieces and will find loopholes like the long-term injured reserve (LTIR).
Their choices seem questionable at times, but always turn out for the better in the long run. The success this produces, by no coincidence, also makes these three teams some of the most hated in the NHL.
3. Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are the greatest franchise of the 21st century thus far. They’ve appeared in five Stanley Cup Finals, winning three of them. Other than the two seasons impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, they haven’t had a sub-94-point season since the 2012-13 season. Their 94-point season in 2016-17 was the only time they missed the playoffs since Jon Cooper first coached a full season there, and they were only off by one point.
The building blocks of the modern Lightning dynasty were assembled in the late 2000s, when the team draftedSteven Stamkos and Victor Hedman. Stamkos was the first pick in 2008, and Hedman was the second pick in 2009.
Stamkos served as captain when the team won back-to-back titles in 2020 and 2021. Meanwhile, Hedman remains a key component of the roster to this day.
Nikita Kucherov, selected by the Lightning in the 2011 NHL Draft, became one of the greatest second-round picks in NHL history. The electrifying (pun intended) right winger has been averaging a point per game for the last decade and still has juice left in the tank at 32 years old.
Later in that same draft, the Lightning selected Ondrej Palat all the way at pick 208.
In the next few years, Tampa also drafted legendary goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, along with forwards Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli. Both Point and Cirelli were third-round picks. The franchise has demonstrated skill in picking several great prospects in multiple rounds.
Perhaps most important was the man who could glue everything together, Jon Cooper. The Lightning hired Cooper as their head coach in 2013, and the franchise hasn’t looked back since. He now has a list of accolades that gives him an argument to be the greatest head coach ever.
On this day 13 years ago, Jon Cooper was hired as the TB Lightning head coach.
Among his many honors,
Highest win % in NHL history (min. 1000 GC) 3rd most reg. season wins in NHL history (616) 2nd fastest to 600 wins in NHL history (1004 GC) 2 Stanley Cups 11… pic.twitter.com/C91PdVB5Rv
Tampa’s best trades of the decade have been crucial to their championship runs. In 2017, they tradedJonathan Drouin for Mikhail Sergachev. Drouin never blossomed into a star, while Sergachev greatly improved during his time in Tampa. The Lightning also made a deal with the Rangers in 2018 to acquire Ryan McDonagh, a quality, experienced defenseman.
Furthermore, the team got forward Pat Maroon at a massive bargain. Maroon not only brought a hyper-physical presence, but championship experience too.
The Lightning’s 2022 trade to acquire Brandon Hagel was another good deal that helped the team after their cup runs. And while trading Mikhail Sergachev and letting Steven Stamkos walk in 2024 was arguably ruthless, it is the nature of the sports business. In fact, other teams have been even worse in that department (more on that later). It ultimately turned out to be the right move, as it freed up cap space to sign top forward Jake Guentzel.
The Lightning front office also abused a loophole through the LTIR to spend more on their roster. Until it was patched, teams were able to exceed the salary cap by the LTIR player(s)’ contract amount and have those players return in the playoffs.
While it felt like cheating, it was within the rules, and the innovative idea set a precedent for another team (that will be mentioned later).
2. Florida Panthers
Remember how, in part one, I said the Hurricanes’ playstyle works 90% of the time? The majority of the remaining 10% is when they play this team. The Panthers and Hurricanes matched up in the Eastern Conference Finals in both 2023 and 2025, and the Panthers were close to completing both sweeps before the Canes took Game 4 in 2025.
The Panthers have been the more physical team and have nullified the Canes’ aggressive forecheck these past few years. The result? Domination of the Eastern Conference whenever healthy.
After an injury-riddled 2026 season where captain Aleksander Barkov never played, the Panthers are favorites to win the 2027 Stanley Cup. This would mark their fourth appearance in five seasons, and their third Cup.
This Offseason Alone
The Panthers are already arguably the most physical team in the NHL. They added multiple new physical players this offseason. They acquired Brady Tkachuk, the younger brother of their second-line winger Matthew.
After failed negotiations with former star goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, they then traded for Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid. It’s crazy to think Evan Rodrigues was going to be a fourth-liner on this team after scoring some key goals for Florida the past few years. The team got their value in return by dealing him for a positional need in Markstrom.
The Panthers also traded for Radko Gudas and Garnet Hathaway. Both of whom have a history of dirty plays, especially Gudas, who endedAuston Matthews’ season with a knee-on-knee hit last season.
Florida already had three of the dirtiest players in the NHL in Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk. Their new additions can guarantee that this squad will lead the league in controversial plays in the upcoming season.
This team is built on a formula that works and has two of the past three years’ rings to show for it. They aren’t going away anytime soon.
Looking Back
The Florida Panthers have been built over 13 years of great decisions. They drafted Selke Trophy-winning captain and first-line center Aleksander Barkov in 2013 and top defenseman Aaron Ekblad in 2014.
Then came the man who doesn’t miss: Bill Zito. The Panthers hired Zito as their GM in 2020. He signed now-first-line left winger Carter Verhaeghe to a great deal after Verhaeghe never broke through in Tampa. He claimed Gustav Forsling off waivers. Forsling developed into one of the best two-way defensemen in hockey.
Zito then proceeded to fleece multiple other teams in trades. Sam Bennett, Brandon Montour, Sam Reinhart and Matthew Tkachuk all came to South Florida for a great price. While criticized at the time, Bill Zito had the insight to trust his bet that the Matthew Tkachuk trade would pan out.
Four years later, he was right. The hockey world was wrong. The Panthers know how to keep their talent too. Tkachuk has praised the organization for their roster construction and the way they take care of the players.
Zito hired Paul Maurice, who is responsible for their aggressive style that makes other aggressive teams look weak. He rented Anthony Stolarz, who became one of the best backup goalies on Earth in his one season with Florida. Bill Zito knows what it takes to win and how to get there, whether it’s in Florida or winning gold at the Olympics.
1. Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights are hands down the most ruthless front office in hockey. The franchise started in 2017 as an expansion team and immediately got to work. Marc-Andre Fleury was the franchise’s first starting goalie and led the team to a Stanley Cup appearance in their first year. The expansion draft provided the Knights with numerous crucial pieces for years to come.
The team made plenty of fantastic trades. They made a massive trade with the Ottawa Senators to bring in Mark Stone, their now-captain. Brett Howden even became a key piece after the New York Rangers dealt him to Vegas.
The Knights gambled in a trade for Jack Eichel. Their reward? One of the best puck handlers and passers in the sport. Vegas also stoleIvan Barbashev, their top-line left wing, from the St. Louis Blues. Soon after, they brought in Jonathan Quick, a legendary goalie who still had more left in the tank.
In 2024, they pulled the LTIR trick à la Tampa with Mark Stone to gain more cap space to get top-tier two-way defenseman Noah Hanifin and big-time two-way center Tomas Hertl. And with heavy anticipation, Stone magically was ready to play to start the playoffs. The internet didn’t hold back with their reactions, jokingly making posts targeting the Knights captain.
While they couldn’t get past the first round, where the Dallas Stars knocked them out in seven games, that year’s roster was one of the best ever assembled…on paper.
The next year, they pulled out a trick no one saw coming by poachingMitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs through a sign-and-trade, providing a boost to their top six.
Beyond the Trade Block
The Knights don’t only succeed on the trade block, though. While they’re notorious for trading picks, Pavel Dorofyev turned out to be a brilliant selection with the 79th pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. Alex Pietrangelo was one of the team’s best free agent signings. He provided the team with size, championship experience and great defense.
Perhaps one of Vegas’ strongest points is always having the right coach. Gerard Gallant, their first coach, was able to bring the misfits together and make it all the way to the Stanley Cup in one season. When the team’s performance under him worsened, they brought in Pete DeBoer, who got the team back to the Western Conference Finals.
The team did the same when they later brought in Bruce Cassidy, who brought them a Cup. And when the team was buckling under Cassidy, they brought in John Tortorella. The Knights went from possibly missing the playoffs to winning two games in the Stanley Cup Finals. GM Kelly McCrimmon’s intuition in this regard is incredible. Now Ryan Craig is in. Don’t be surprised if he succeeds too.
Many have criticized the Knights for their lack of heart towards their players. Jonathan Marchessault won the Conn Smythe trophy en route to the Stanley Cup, notching 13 goals in the last 15 games. A year later, the Knights let him walk. They traded Alex Tuch to get Jack Eichel. These are emotionally tough moves, just like the coach firings, but in retrospect, they were the right calls.
Mistakes and Outlook
The Golden Knights have made a few mistakes in their short history. Trading Nick Suzuki for Max Pacioretty didn’t age well. Their other mistakes have been in the net. Ever since they traded Marc-Andre Fleury, their goalie rotation has been disastrous.
They committed to Robin Lehner, who later stepped away from the NHL for off-ice reasons. Adin Hill took over in the 2023 playoffs and gave the Knights a fantastic run to the championship, but that was as good as he’d get. Logan Thompson requested a trade since the Knights wouldn’t make him the starting goalie over Hill, and he has put up better numbers than Hill in both of the past two seasons for the Capitals.
The Knights still suffer a goalie problem to this day, as their goalie tandem doesn’t reflect the caliber of the rest of the roster. However, the willingness of the organization to put feelings aside and prioritize what helps the team win has made them a perennial contender. According to Statmuse, they boast the best winning percentage of any franchise since 2000. At the end of the 2027 season, expect the Knights to be in the hunt for Lord Stanley once more.
Yzerman took charge in 2019, immediately beginning a rebuild that fans hoped would bring the Wings back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. And though the team steadily improved with Yzerman in charge, drafting franchise cornerstones in Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider and trading for forward Alex DeBrincat, the Red Wings stretched their postseason drought to 10 years under Yzerman's stewardship – worst in the NHL, a league where half the teams advance to the playoffs.
The Red Wings looked to break that drought in the 2025-26 season, finishing with 92 points, the most under Yzerman. But a brutal finish that included six losses in their final seven games doomed them to another playoff-less finish, leading to questions about Yzerman's leadership and a trade request from team captain Dylan Larkin.
But in reality, Yzerman's tenure with the Red Wings may have been doomed way before the end of the previous season.
Here are four moves Yzerman likely wishes he could have back, listed in chronological order.
1. Anthony Mantha trade: April 12, 2021
Mantha, a 2013 first-round pick, had a solid if unspectacular first few seasons in Detroit, seeing his production dip as he missed time with various injuries from 2018-21. His trade in 2021 for Czech forward Jakub Vrána, Richard Pánik and two draft picks was initially seen as a great haul, but it did not turn out so great for the Red Wings.
For one, the first-round pick the Red Wings acquired in the trade turned into goalie Sebastian Cossa, who made one career appearance for the Wings before being traded to the Utah Mammoth at the 2026 draft. For another, Vrána and Pánik are both out of the league after disappointing runs in Detroit, while the journeyman Mantha scored a career-high 64 points for the Pittsburgh Penguins last season (albeit after stops in Washington, Vegas and Calgary before that).
This trade took a while to evolve, but several years later, it hasn't been nearly as successful as initially thought.
2. Derek Lalonde hiring: June 20, 2022
From 2005-22, the Red Wings stuck with two coaches: Mike Babcock (2005-15) and Jeff Blashill (2015-22). Yzerman made a change ahead of the 2022-23 season, hiring Lalonde, a Tampa Bay Lightning assistant, as his first coaching hire.
Lalonde's inexperience showed, however, as the Red Wings missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons from 2022-24. Yzerman didn't wait until the end of the next season to make a change, firing Lalonde in December 2024 and hiring Todd McLellan, which yielded better results despite the Red Wings falling short of the playoffs once again.
3. J.T. Compher signing: July 1, 2023
The Wings signed Compher to a five-year deal with a $5.1 million average annual value ahead of the 2023-24 season, giving him the third most-expensive contract on the team at the time.
And it initially worked out for the Wings, with Compher putting up 48 points in 77 games in his first season in Detroit. But his production dipped to 32 points in 2024-25 and 28 points in 2025-26 despite consistent playing time, making his contract look like an anchor for the next two seasons.
Compher's contract now falls below fellow forwards Raymond and DeBrincat, but so does his production, which makes this one of Yzerman's least productive free-agent signings.
4. Justin Faulk trade: March 3, 2026
It may be too soon to judge a trade from the 2026 deadline, but it certainly doesn't look good for the Wings.
Yzerman sent Justin Holl, prospect Dmitri Buchelnikov, and two 2026 draft picks (a first and a third-rounder) to the St. Louis Blues for the veteran Faulk, who appeared in 17 games for Detroit down the stretch. The Wings were 35-21-7 before trading for Faulk and 6-10-3 after trading for him.
That's not entirely Faulk's fault – but trading out of the first round for the manifestation of a dud deadline looks really bad, even if Faulk can somehow find that All-Star form he showed with Carolina early in his career.
Yzerman took charge in 2019, immediately beginning a rebuild that fans hoped would bring the Wings back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. And though the team steadily improved with Yzerman in charge, drafting franchise cornerstones in Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider and trading for forward Alex DeBrincat, the Red Wings stretched their postseason drought to 10 years under Yzerman's stewardship – worst in the NHL, a league where half the teams advance to the playoffs.
The Red Wings looked to break that drought in the 2025-26 season, finishing with 92 points, the most under Yzerman. But a brutal finish that included six losses in their final seven games doomed them to another playoff-less finish, leading to questions about Yzerman's leadership and a trade request from team captain Dylan Larkin.
But in reality, Yzerman's tenure with the Red Wings may have been doomed way before the end of the previous season.
Here are four moves Yzerman likely wishes he could have back, listed in chronological order.
1. Anthony Mantha trade: April 12, 2021
Mantha, a 2013 first-round pick, had a solid if unspectacular first few seasons in Detroit, seeing his production dip as he missed time with various injuries from 2018-21. His trade in 2021 for Czech forward Jakub Vrána, Richard Pánik and two draft picks was initially seen as a great haul, but it did not turn out so great for the Red Wings.
For one, the first-round pick the Red Wings acquired in the trade turned into goalie Sebastian Cossa, who made one career appearance for the Wings before being traded to the Utah Mammoth at the 2026 draft. For another, Vrána and Pánik are both out of the league after disappointing runs in Detroit, while the journeyman Mantha scored a career-high 64 points for the Pittsburgh Penguins last season (albeit after stops in Washington, Vegas and Calgary before that).
This trade took a while to evolve, but several years later, it hasn't been nearly as successful as initially thought.
2. Derek Lalonde hiring: June 20, 2022
From 2005-22, the Red Wings stuck with two coaches: Mike Babcock (2005-15) and Jeff Blashill (2015-22). Yzerman made a change ahead of the 2022-23 season, hiring Lalonde, a Tampa Bay Lightning assistant, as his first coaching hire.
Lalonde's inexperience showed, however, as the Red Wings missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons from 2022-24. Yzerman didn't wait until the end of the next season to make a change, firing Lalonde in December 2024 and hiring Todd McLellan, which yielded better results despite the Red Wings falling short of the playoffs once again.
The Wings signed Compher to a five-year deal with a $5.1 million average annual value ahead of the 2023-24 season, giving him the third most-expensive contract on the team at the time.
And it initially worked out for the Wings, with Compher putting up 48 points in 77 games in his first season in Detroit. But his production dipped to 32 points in 2024-25 and 28 points in 2025-26 despite consistent playing time, making his contract look like an anchor for the next two seasons.
Compher's contract now falls below fellow forwards Raymond and DeBrincat, but so does his production, which makes this one of Yzerman's least productive free-agent signings.
4. Justin Faulk trade: March 3, 2026
It may be too soon to judge a trade from the 2026 deadline, but it certainly doesn't look good for the Wings.
Yzerman sent Justin Holl, prospect Dmitri Buchelnikov, and two 2026 draft picks (a first and a third-rounder) to the St. Louis Blues for the veteran Faulk, who appeared in 17 games for Detroit down the stretch. The Wings were 35-21-7 before trading for Faulk and 6-10-3 after trading for him.
That's not entirely Faulk's fault – but trading out of the first round for the manifestation of a dud deadline looks really bad, even if Faulk can somehow find that All-Star form he showed with Carolina early in his career.
The Athletic's Murat Ates revealed a number of Sabres who could factor into a deal, as part of a new article on Wednesday.
He first notes a few potential future assets.
"A first-round pick would be nice and the same applies to top prospects like Konsta Helenius or Radim Mrtka, but Winnipeg’s best outcome hinges on the quality of the top six forward they get back in the deal," Ates writes.
The first two forwards he goes on to mention are Zach Benson and Josh Doan.
"They each have ties to Winnipeg," Ates writes. "Benson starred for the WHL’s Winnipeg ICE, while Doan’s dad, Shane, started his career with the first edition of the Jets in 1995. Either one of those players would be a home run for the Jets."
Without them, it might be Ryan McLeod or Jack Quinn.
"Ryan McLeod would be a more reasonable target and has already dominated alongside Jets forward Cole Perfetti," Ates writes. "The 26-year-old playmaking center played with Perfetti on the Saginaw Spirit’s top line during their OHL playoff run in 2019. Jack Quinn and Peyton Krebs may each have appeal, too, but wouldn’t represent the same kind of home run swing. A return of McLeod and a substantial secondary piece could be viewed as a success."
The Sabres likely don't want to give up Helenius, Benson or Doan. Is there a combination of others that get it done? We'll probably find out soon enough.
Executive Vice President and GM Steve Yzerman is moving on from his roster managerial role, the team announced the morning of July 15. Yzerman will remain with the organization as an advisor to the team's Governor and CEO Chris Ilitch and handle day-to-day operations, but the Wings are beginning the search for a new roster manager.
The move comes while star center Dylan Larkin's trade request hangs in the ether, which has proven to be difficult to comply with. Reports indicate Larkin's trade destinations list includes the Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild, and Florida Panthers, with the Dallas Stars also floated as a candidate (though the latter is unconfirmed).
Yzerman joined the organization after a wildly successful tenure with the Tampa Bay Lightning in April 2019, sparking enthusiasm among a fanbase that hadn't made the playoffs since the 2015-16 season. He failed, however, to make the postseason in his homecoming, and the historically successful Red Wings now have the longest active drought in the NHL at 10 seasons after the Buffalo Sabres ended their drought last season.
"Steve's lifetime of contributions to the Red Wings has meant more to this franchise than words can truly express, and I have the highest level of respect for his continued commitment to our organization,” Ilitch said in a statement released by the team July 15. “We are thankful for Steve’s hard work and dedication as General Manager and are grateful knowing Steve will remain where he belongs – here with the Red Wings family.”
"I am sincerely grateful to Chris and the entire Ilitch family,” Yzerman said. “This organization has given me incredible opportunities, from my time as a player to the privilege of returning as General Manager. I've appreciated every experience throughout the years, and I’m extremely proud to remain part of this great franchise.”
None of them is named Connor Hellebuyck, though -- at least not yet.
And really, that's the whole situation. Are the Sabres content with what they've got? Or will they pull off the blockbuster trade that has been rumored for a while?
It seems obvious to understand why they'd want Hellebuyck, but it's actually a layered situation.
If the Sabres didn't make a goalie trade, they'd enter next season with solid options, but maybe without certainty.
Hellebuyck, more than anything else, would bring that certainty.
The biggest win of acquiring Hellebuyck for the Sabres, beyond getting a goalie of his caliber, is simply in knowing that he's their guy.
There'd be no more questions, like there were in this past postseason run.
The Sabres would sink or swim with Hellebuyck in net.
"Hellebuyck is a rare chance at a clear upgrade," The Athletic's Matthew Fairburn wrote on Wednesday. "In the sport’s most volatile position, Hellebuyck has been a picture of consistency... With five more seasons at a reasonable $8.5 million cap hit, Hellebuyck could make a major impact in Buffalo, where he would get a chance to win and play for the same franchise that once featured Ryan Miller and Dominik Hasek. The Sabres wouldn’t have to enter the playoffs wondering who is starting in net."
If the cost isn't prohibitive, there's no reason for the Sabres not to do this deal.
Although on the flip side, the reason it isn't done yet is probably because the cost is too steep for Buffalo at the moment.
It's clear, though, that getting Hellebuyck would be a win for the Sabres
"I have no doubt Anthony Mantha is still going to get paid plenty this summer. Had a great year. But I do wonder if his playoff showing — no goals, bad penalties, teammates literally suggesting that certain forwards weren’t good in front of Philly’s net — is costing him a bit."
It certainly wasn't the ideal ending for Mantha.
Alex Tuch went through a similar final phase in Buffalo but ended up getting a great deal in a sign-and-trade to the Washington Capitals. Mantha isn't on Tuch's level, but that should give him encouragement that there's still something out there.
For what it's worth, The Athletic's Chris Johnston projected Mantha to get a four-year contract worth about $24 million in total value earlier this offseason. Now? It's not as obvious.
"Mantha signed a prove-it contract with the Penguins last summer after recovering from a torn ACL in his right knee, and he proved it in a big way," Johnston wrote along with that projection. "Long viewed as a dangerous scorer with an excellent shot who struggled to put it all together, Mantha struck for a career-best 33 goals and 64 points. The only sour note came from a rough playoff performance, which included just one point (an assist) in six games, but that shouldn’t overshadow the fact that Mantha reestablished himself as an offensively gifted winger."
Mantha isn't expected to return to Pittsburgh, although the Penguins do still have some money to spend.
It feels like a deal should come sooner rather than later, but at the moment, Mantha is being forced to be patient.
San Jose Sharks star Macklin Celebrini could become one of the NHL‘s biggest contract stories this offseason. The 20-year-old center is eligible to sign an extension while entering the final year of his entry-level contract, which carries a $975,000 salary cap hit.
After a historic sophomore season, Celebrini acknowledged that maximizing every dollar is not his only priority.
Speaking with ESPN while promoting EA Sports’ NHL 27, the former No. 1 overall pick said building a contender matters just as much.
“Obviously, guys want to get paid – as they should, because you’ve got to make a living,” Celebrini said. “There are guys that deserve those numbers that are getting them, but of course you want to put your team in the best spot possible where you give a team the ability to make moves necessary to win.”
Celebrini also admitted that no decision has been made.
“I haven’t really had many discussions about it or thought through it too much yet,” he said. “Still kind of on the fence. But yeah, there’s definitely a lot to think about.”
Macklin Celebrini is drawing inspiration from NHL stars
Apr 8, 2026; San Jose, California, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) and San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (71) wait for the puck during the second period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is someone whose approach has shaped Celebrini’s thinking. The two shared the ice with Team Canada, and Crosby has become an important mentor.
Crosby accepted below-market contracts during his career to help Pittsburgh maintain a championship roster. That strategy helped the Penguins keep key players together while winning three Stanley Cups.
Celebrini’s comments come after the NHL’s contract market shifted dramatically. Philadelphia signed 21-year-old center Leo Carlsson to a matched offer sheet carrying an $18 million average annual value, raising expectations for elite young stars.
Still, Celebrini appears open to a different path. He understands that salary cap flexibility can determine whether a contender stays together. Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid has expressed similar thinking by prioritizing championship opportunities over chasing the highest possible salary.
Celebrini’s stance reflects maturity beyond his years. He produced 115 points and 45 goals last season, setting a Sharks franchise record while leading San Jose’s turnaround. If he ultimately accepts less than market value, general manager Mike Grier would gain valuable cap space to strengthen the roster.
The extension negotiations will now become one of the league’s biggest storylines, with both San Jose’s future and the NHL’s evolving contract landscape under close watch.
Getting Fantilli’s signature on a contract with an average annual value between $10-12 million, even short term, no longer feels realistic thanks to the Flyers hurling a giant boulder into what used to be a pristine summer lake for NHL GMs. Now, it's anyone's guess how much it might take to keep him.
Carlsson, whom the Ducks retained by matching a heavily front-loaded offer worth $18 million annually, is now the NHL's highest-paid player. Selected second overall in 2023, one spot ahead of Fantilli, Carlsson has a career scoring line of 61 goals, 80 assists and 141 points.
Fantilli, selected third by the Blue Jackets, has 67-73-140 over 213 games in his first three NHL seasons, including a career-high 31 goals in 2024-25, to almost match Carlsson point-for-point, although Fantilli has a significantly lower plus/minus rating of -30 to -1 for Anaheim’s top center.
The two play the same position with different styles, but the results are almost carbon copies. Fantilli’s asking price has almost certainly shot up since Carlsson’s offer sheet, which could put the Blue Jackets in a bind despite the team sitting on what PuckPedia, an NHL salary tracking site, calculates as $23.3 million in cap space.
"That's fair to say," Blue Jackets president/general manager Don Waddell said. "The price of RFAs went up, and now it's up to us to find a fair deal for all our RFAs."
Here’s how things could get sticky for the Blue Jackets:
The Jackets’ other two unsigned RFAs, forward Cole Sillinger and Jet Greaves, each filed for player-elected salary arbitration before the NHL’s July 5 deadline.
Each now has a hearing date in Toronto. Greaves is scheduled to go there on July 23 and Sillinger on July 27, although players no longer have to attend with their agents. Waddell plans to attend, if necessary, but he'd like to re-sign all three of his RFAs and avoid arbitration.
After all, the Blue Jackets haven’t been part of an arbitration hearing in 25 years. Unfortunately for the team, that might be what it takes to get things moving. Waddell said talks are happening with the agents for all three players on a regular basis, but nothing has materialized yet.
Since Greaves and Sillinger elected arbitration, the Blue Jackets got to choose whether they would negotiate on one- or two-year contracts. They chose one year for each, since both players will reach unrestricted free agency in two years.
According to AFP Analytics, a site that projects NHL contract values, it could cost the Blue Jackets $4.3 million to keep Greaves and $4.2 million to retain Sillinger on one-year deals. If so, that’s a combined $8.5 million that would leave $14.8 million to re-sign Fantilli, whose biggest form of leverage, like Carlsson's, is an offer sheet.
Is that enough to get it done?
It might not be if Fantilli’s new price rises anywhere close to Carlsson's stratosphere, even if he agrees to a lower amount. Waddell and all GMs like to keep at least $1 million in cap space going into each season, if possible, so the Jackets’ available pool to re-sign Fantilli could be in the $13 million range should Greaves and Sillinger each land new deals worth roughly $4 million each.
That’s less than ideal in the NHL’s new landscape, but it’s a possibility. Waddell feels confident that he'll fit all three into his remaining cap space, though, even if Greaves and Sillinger go to arbitration.
"We'll be fine with whatever gets thrown our way," Waddell said. "We have a pretty good idea of how the arbitrations are going to go, give or take a little bit, but we think we're in good shape from a cap standpoint."
Flipping things around, the Blue Jackets could help themselves out by figuring out a new contract with Fantilli and agent Pat Brisson before their arbitration cases.
Getting the biggest piece of the remaining pie settled would give provide a better idea of where the payroll is likely to climb starting next season while eliminating the threat of a gigantic offer sheet on Fantilli after paying Greaves and Sillinger.
It might also be easier to create salary space with trades while trying to fit Greaves and/or Sillinger's new salaries into the budget than it would to create room for a massive Fantilli raise.
Which teams are best positioned to sign Adam Fantilli?
It’s been less than a week since the Ducks matched the Flyers’ offer sheet for Carlsson on July 9, and neither Fantilli nor Chicago Blackhawks phenom Conor Bedard (2023 first overall) has signed offer sheets of their own. Bedard recently injured a shoulder during an offseason training session and underwent surgery, but he’s in the same talent tier as Carlsson and Fantilli.
The Blue Jackets are prepared to match any offer sheet to keep Fantilli.
"Yeah, 100%, it's hard to replace these young players," Waddell said. "He'll be 22 in August, and it's hard to replace these kind of guys with the upside that Adam's got, and he continues to take strides, so he's an important piece."
That Fantilli hasn't signed an offer sheet after Carlsson inked his deal is a good sign for the Blue Jackets, but they’re not out of the woods. There’s a lot of summer left, and teams that have enough cap space and required draft pick compensation are plentiful.
If a team offered anything greater than or equal to $11,939,167 per season, which Fantilli would almost certainly draw, NHL rules would require that team to give Columbus four of its own first-round picks within the next five years before signing the 21-year-old.
Teams with enough cap space and necessary picks include the Flyers ($29.57 million), Blackhawks ($29.31 million), Detroit Red Wings ($19.57 million), Seattle Kraken ($18.41 million), Vancouver Canucks ($17.81 million), Pittsburgh Penguins ($16.93 million) and Calgary Flames ($14.88 million).
The San Jose Sharks, meanwhile, will get up to $8 million added to their summer cap space of $12.94 million once they place chronically injured center Logan Couture, 37, on long-term injured reserve for the final season of his contract.
Several of those teams have unsigned RFAs, like the Blue Jackets, while the Kraken, Canucks and Flames might not appeal to Fantilli based on distance from his family’s home in Nobleton, Ontario. It takes two to tango, and players who sign offer sheets know there’s a chance they’ll change teams, potentially, for years to come.
Fantilli has spoken glowingly about playing in Columbus, and it’s a relatively short trip for his family to watch him play at Nationwide Arena. Those factors favor the Blue Jackets getting a deal done without an offer sheet, but that possibility can’t be eliminated until he’s signed.
What’s certain is that he’s due for a gargantuan raise, whether from the Blue Jackets or somebody else, while Waddell wrestles with a changing offseason ecosphere.
"I've said all along, you've got to leave yourself cap space," Waddell said. "If somebody decides to do [an offer sheet] on somebody, and he's an important player to us, then we have to be prepared to make that decision to match."
The Ottawa Citizen's Bruce Garrioch actually reports, though, that the Leafs made Giroux the biggest offer:
“The Citizen also reported that the Toronto Maple Leafs were interested, along with the Edmonton Oilers. The talk is that the Leafs offered Giroux the biggest contract, but Toronto isn’t the type of market that fits the mold for the kind of player that he is.”
It's fascinating that both the Leafs and Oilers, wanting to contend for a Stanley Cup, wanted Giroux, but he was fine to stay with Ottawa.
He'll turn 39 in January, and Giroux has played with the Senators since 2022-23.
At this point in his life, it makes sense to think that Giroux is concerned with a lot more than just money -- particularly because his lengthy NHL career has likely done plenty of positive things for him financially already.
He's played either 81 or 82 games in each of his four seasons with Ottawa. Giroux is a reliable forward for the Senators, and he's had 242 points through his first four seasons in Ottawa.
He's no longer a star, but he shows up each day and does his job.
The Maple Leafs could've used that for sure, but in the end, their offer apparently didn't have the intangible elements to it that Giroux got by staying in an environment he's comfortable in.
Former Red Wings sniper Brett Hull knows a thing or two about the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Inducted in 2009 after scoring 741 goals, fifth most in the history of the NHL, Hull said there should be a separate category in the hall for enforcers and that former Red Wing Bob Probert should be the first enforcer inducted.
Probert, who died of a heart attack at age 45 on July 5, 2010, and Joey Kocur formed "The Bruise Brothers" in Detroit during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Not only did Probert and Kocur protect captain Steve Yzerman, but Probert scored 163 career goals, including 29 goals in his All-Star season in 1987-88 when he broke Gordie Howe's franchise record for most points in the playoffs (21 points in 16 games).
"I've said it for years now that Bob Probert should be the first guy in the Hall of Fame in that niche category, the enforcer-type, Ice Guardian guy," Hull said on "Ice Guardians," a podcast he hosts along with former St. Louis Blues teammate Kelly Chase.
"There was (ex-Montreal Canadien) John Ferguson back in the day and his many Cup wins (five Cups in eight years), but I think Probie would be your inaugural guy."
Probert, a third-round draft pick by the Red Wings in 1983, recorded 3,300 penalty minutes during his 16-year NHL career, which ranks fifth all-time.
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound winger had 246 career fighting majors, including 14 fights with Stu "The Grim Reaper" Grimson of Chicago, Hartford, Calgary, Nashville, Anaheim and Kings.
"We talked to Joey Kocur the other day, and we brought up Bobby Probert, and we started talking about the Hall of Fame," Hull said. "It was always, 500 goals, 1,000 points, five Stanley Cups, whatever their criteria kind of was, and then it started to morph a little bit.
"Then all of a sudden, Guy Carbonneau got in, and it's like, OK, he was obviously a really great player, but if you were gonna define Carbonneau, it would be as a defensive player. So now we're going to acknowledge these guys that maybe didn't get 500 goals."
Grimson, now an NHL analyst with the NHL Network, was also on Hull's podcast and agreed that Probert should be in the Hall of Fame in the enforcer's category.
"He (Probert) was a guy who scored 29 goals and was in the All-Star game," Grimson said. "I don't think we've ever seen a package as complete as Probie, who could bring that physical element and was just gifted. He was a top-six guy and nobody wanted to fight him.
"Another way of looking at it, too, is the awareness you had to have out there against Probie. He was big and he was trouble. But it was also the space he got, too, right?
"As he was driving to the net, and Steve's got the puck high in the zone, you had to decide, am I going to cross-check him or not? You kind of got him, but you don't kind of got him."
And while there's still time for things to change, the Winnipeg Jets' No. 8 overall pick has taken a step in an exciting direction.
Bjorck is leaving his club team in Sweden, Djurgarden IF:
📢 Viggo Björck lämnar Djurgården.
💬 – Vi önskar Viggo stort lycka till i hans nya klubb och respekterar hans beslut, även om vi gärna hade sett honom i Djurgården en säsong till, säger sportchef Marcus Due-Boje.
"Björck was held in high regard by scouts heading into his draft year, but he gained momentum throughout this season and rose rapidly up boards. He’s just 5-foot-10 and 172 pounds, but he plays with such a fearless intensity that he can go toe to toe with larger opponents regularly. Björck is a playmaker known for making his linemates better and facilitating power plays. He also has a deceptively dangerous shot. His high hockey IQ gives him a maturity beyond his years."
Keep an eye on this in Winnipeg's preseason action. If Bjorck makes the team, he could have a big impact right away.
Dennis Hildeby has been enjoying the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In fact, right before Belgium played Senegal in the Round of 32, the goalie was still a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
That's when he got the call that he was being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in a deal that landed forward Nick Paul back to Toronto.
“It was definitely a first for me,” Hildeby told local media in Sweden, with the translation via Daily Faceoff. “I’d never experienced being traded before. As a player, you always know it’s possible, so it’s always somewhere in the back of your mind. There had already been a lot of movement around the league, so I knew there was a chance I could be next.”
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Highest win % in NHL history (min. 1000 GC)
