Once plagued by unrealistic expectations after being acquired by former Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin to replace Philip Danault, Christian Dvorak was given a much more suitable role this year. Between Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson, the American was tasked with pivoting a reliable veteran third line, and he delivered.

For the first time since joining the Habs, Dvorak was able to play a full 82-game season, and there’s no doubt it helped him find both stability and a certain rhythm. It didn’t make him a points-producing machine; that’s not who he is, but it allowed him to give a full effort, which meant Martin St-Louis knew precisely what he was getting every time he sent his third line in.

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While Dvorak put up over 100 points in his last two seasons in the OHL, he did it while playing alongside Mitch Marner and Matthew Tkachuk. In the NHL, he hasn’t had that kind of linemates, and we’ve seen what he can do without superstars on his wings. His best NHL season, offensively speaking, came in 2019-20 with the Arizona Coyotes when he put up 38 points. This season, he scored 33 points, which is about as much as one has come to expect from him.

Dvorak also played a reliable two-way game and was counted on for big shorthanded minutes, and he delivered skating alongside linemate Josh Anderson on the second penalty kill. He doesn’t play a spectacular game, but he is focused on the task at hand and delivers.

In the sixth and final year of his $4.45 M per year pact, Dvorak delivered on the team’s revised expectations and played his third-line center role as well as he could. He might have missed a few opportunities here and there offensively, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s hard to fault him for it. In my opinion, Dvorak deserves a B- for his performance this past season.

Will he be back next season? It doesn't appear very likely at this stage as his contract is up, and Kent Hughes has already extended Jake Evans. The Canadiens' GM has said in the past that there must be opportunities for the kids in the organization to graduate, and it appears to me that Dvorak will be a casualty of that approach. He was well-liked in the room and was a roommate to sniper Cole Caufield, but hockey is a business, and that likely won’t be enough to convince Montreal to sign him again.

Photo Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

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The Buffalo Sabres have a stockpile of young prospects in their organization, including four first-round picks who either played the entire year or split time between the AHL Rochester Americans and the NHL last season.

The Sabres are hosting the annual NHL Draft Combine next week, ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles late next month. Buffalo will be selecting ninth overall, but instead of adding another prospect to the coffers who may play three or four years down the road, GM Kevyn Adams may be willing to move his top-10 pick if he can acquire a player who can help snap the club’s 14-year playoff drought. 

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It is likely that Adams, along with newly added senior advisor Jarmo Kekalainen, will be looking for a player who has significant term or a young NHLer currently on his entry-level or second bridge deal with years remaining before being able to qualify for unrestricted free agency. There is a growing sense that if Buffalo does not make the playoffs this upcoming season, there could be an upheaval of much of the current management structure. 

The Sabres have 10 picks in the 2025 Draft, with selections in each round, an extra pick in the fourth round and two additional selections in the seventh round. With an extensive stockpile of young prospects playing in the NCAA, and in Europe, it is quite possible that Adams would be willing to deal multiple selections to add players to the NHL roster, since he has admitted publicly that Buffalo is not a destination city for free agents or players with no-trade protection. 

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The San Jose Sharks have announced that they’ve extended contract offers to a handful of prospects ahead of the June 1 signing rights deadline.

A bona fide offer allows a team to retain exclusive negotiating rights with a drafted player.

The Sharks have extended bona fide offers to the following prospects:

• Nate Misskey – Defense – UMass-Lowell (NCAA)
• Colton Roberts – Defense – Vancouver Giants (WHL)
• Carson Wetsch – Forward – Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

By extending offers, the Sharks will hold onto the rights of all three players, giving them the ability to negotiate entry-level contracts down the line.

With the June 1 deadline approaching, teams across the league are finalizing decisions on which prospects they plan to retain—and which they’ll let go. In San Jose’s case, two players did not receive offers:

• Theo Jacobsson – Forward – Nybro Vikings (Allsvenskan)
• Evgeni Kashnikov – Defense – Yekaterinburg (KHL)

Since they weren’t signed, both Jacobsson and Kashnikov will re-enter the NHL Draft on June 27–28.

For GM Mike Grier and the Sharks, this is one more step toward the 2025 NHL Draft. But before then, there’s still work to do. Don’t be surprised if a few more RFA or UFA decisions are made before the draft—just to get a clearer picture heading into free agency on July 1.

Two Former Sharks Eliminated From 2025 Stanley Cup PlayoffsFormer San Jose Sharks Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci have been eliminated from the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. Unfortunately, their playoff run came to an end last night with the Dallas Stars as they lost to the Edmonton Oilers in five games. 

Sharks Re-Sign Shakir Mukhamadullin To One-Year DealThe San Jose Sharks have announced they’ve re-signed defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin to a one-year contract carrying a $1 million AAV.

San Jose Sharks Free Agent Targets: Nikolaj EhlersThe San Jose Sharks are heading into an important off-season — one that includes landing the second overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. It also comes with a big free agency period as they look to build around their young core.

San Jose Sharks Should Reunite With Mikael Granlund This OffseasonThe San Jose Sharks could benefit from bringing Mikael Granlund back this summer. He was a key part of their lineup last season before being traded to the Dallas Stars along with Cody Ceci.