Dallas Stars’ Lessons From Game 3 & What They Mean for Game 4
The Dallas Stars enter Game 4 of the Western Conference Final against the Edmonton Oilers down 2-1, and in the opinion and perspective of many, have been outplayed for the…
Monthly Archives: May 2025
Peterka, Rossi Highlight Young Forwards Jets Could Target In A Trade
The Winnipeg Jets head into the offseason looking to add skilled forwards to their roster in hopes of increasing their goal-scoring at 5-on-5 when the playoffs roll around.
The Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli released his top 20 trade targets for the NHL offseason, and topping the list were Buffalo Sabres' JJ Peterka and Minnesota Wild's Marco Rossi.
The Jets will likely integrate Nikita Chibrikov into their lineup this season, whether it's immediately after training camp or at some point in the season, an extended stint in the NHL is long overdue for the 22-year-old. He unfortunately suffered a season-ending injury, but the team hopes he'll be a complete participant once training camp begins.
The pursuit of another young forward and the promotion of Chribrikov should not be affected by the choice Nikolaj Ehlers makes. Whether he's on the roster or not, adding additional scoring is a must.
Rossi fits the needs of the Jets more than Peterka does, but both would be fantastic additions. Rossi would slot into the Jets' second-line centre role like a glove and would be the perfect complement for Cole Perfetti and Ehlers. In 82 games this season, the 23-year-old scored 24 goals and 60 points. His production on the power play and at 5-on-5 was balanced, and he plays an effective two-way game. He's a skilled playmaker who could run give-and-gos on the cycle with Perfetti and get Ehlers the puck to do damage off the rush.
Peterka is a winger, which could make the line combinations more complicated, but if Gabriel Vilardi and the Jets feel comfortable shifting him back into the middle of the ice, Peterka would be an outstanding acquisition.
Finding a player as talented as he is at just 23 years of age is almost unheard of, and although the Sabres have repeatedly mentioned they don't plan on trading him, the indication is that they will have to move him unless negotiations take a pivot and he re-signs.
In 77 games, Peterka scored 27 goals and 68 points, tied for second on his team. His shot is lethal, but unlike other snipers, Peterka can create the space for himself to get his shot off. Skating on a line next to any of Kyle Connor, Ehlers, or Perfetti would provide him plenty of opportunities to show off his shot.
Both Rossi and Peterka averaged over 18:00 of ice time a night during the regular season, showing they are both capable of playing top-six minutes. They are also both restricted free agents in need of a contract, but with over $26M in cap space, the Jets shouldn't have too much trouble fitting them under the salary cap even after making deals with Ehlers, Vilardi and Dylan Samberg.
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"I'd Love To Stay"; Haydn Fleury Hopes To Remain A Jet Despite Log Jam Of DefensemenHaydn Fleury mentioned during his end-of-season press conference that he'd like to remain a Winnipeg Jet despite the log jam of defensemen the Jets currently employ.
Jets Pending Unrestricted Free Agent Signs With Swedish TeamWinnipeg Jets pending unrestricted free agent Axel Jonsson-Fjallby has signed a three-year contract with Brynas IF of the Swedish Hockey League. Max Westergård – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile
Max Westergård 2024-25 Team: Frölunda HC (J20 Nationell, SHL)Date of Birth: Sept. 3, 2007Place of Birth: Tampere, FINHeight: 5-foot-11, Weight: 165 poundsShoots: LeftPosition: Left WingNHL Draft Eligibility: 2025 first-year eligible…
What If Brendan Shanahan Joined A Potential NHL Expansion Franchise?
Brendan Shanahan is a free agent. But where will he go next?
The former president of the Toronto Maple Leafs brings a wealth of experience, a Hall of Fame ring as a player and a marquee name with him. Simply put, he could probably choose a number of NHL destinations right now.
But what about a franchise that doesn't exist yet?
NHL expansion seems like a sure thing in the future and one of the leading candidates is Houston. As first reported in The Hockey News' Money and Power issue back in January, the top ownership candidate is Dan Friedkin, a billionaire car distributor who also owns British soccer team Everton and a film company that produced Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon. Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States and a major TV market, so it's a great target for the NHL.
Now imagine if Shanahan was the expansion team's first president.
Houston gets instant credibility and someone whom the NHL trusts – let's not forget that 'Shanny' worked for the league's player safety department.
While the Maple Leafs did not meet their goal of winning a Stanley Cup during Shanahan's tenure, Toronto did have a ton of success on the ice and either drafted or acquired a mass of talent. Shanahan left the franchise with a solid GM in Brad Treliving and a well-respected coach in Craig Berube.
That Shanahan would be an asset for Houston is not a question; only the timing remains. The NHL has not green-lit any expansion process right now, so hypothetically, we'd be looking at 2026-27 at the earliest – and let's face it, the league is in no rush.
Having said that, Houston seems to be one of the favorites if and when the NHL expands again.
Other cities in the mix include Atlanta and Phoenix, and it will be interesting to see if the next wave involves two cities at once or staggered over the course of a year. (Full disclosure: The Hockey News publisher-owner W. Graeme Roustan is supporting the Atlanta group led by Vernon Krause and his South Forsyth project.)
Regardless, keep an eye on Shanahan in the coming years. He already took on a major challenge in Toronto, so what would be new and exciting for him? Helping build an expansion team from scratch might be the answer.
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Marner Betting Buzz Doesn’t Include Oilers: Why That Tracks
What will happen with Mitch Marner and where the winger will land on July 1 feels like all anyone not breaking down the NHL playoffs wants to talk about. Marner’s…
NHL releases official logo for 2026 Winter Classic, tickets to go on sale next week
The Florida Panthers may be in the midst of another exciting Stanley Cup Playoff run, but there is still something quite large looming in their future.
Earlier this year, it was announced that the Panthers would be hosting the 2026 Winter Classic at loanDepot park against the New York Rangers.
The game is set for Jan 2, and tickets to the general public will be going on sale next week.
For more information on tickets, click here.
According to the NHL, ticket sales will begin on Wednesday, June 4 at 10 a.m.
Along with the announcement came a new image showing the official 20206 Winter Classic logo.
It features Miami-themed neon blue and pink colors, along with a snow-covered palm tree.
The 2026 Winter Classic will be the first ever outdoor game in Panthers franchise history.
It will also become the southernmost outdoor hockey game in NHL history.
Fans looking for additional official information on the Panthers in the Winter Classic can head to FloridaPanthers.com/WinterClassic.
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Rousek, Brannstrom Sign With European Clubs
The Rochester Americans season ended on Sunday with a 5-0 loss to Laval in the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs, and after only 48 hours into the offseason, the club has lost a pair of players, winger Lukas Rousek and defenseman Erik Brannstrom, to European club teams.
Rousek, a Group-6 unrestricted free agent, has signed a deal with HV71 of the SHL on Tuesday. The 26-year-old was a sixth-round pick (160th overall) of the Buffalo Sabres in the 2019 Draft out of the Sparta Praha system. After spending two seasons in Czechia, the winger signed a two-year entry-level contract with Buffalo and played 19 games for AHL Rochester. In only his second season in North America, he led the Amerks in scoring with 56 points (16 goals, 40 assists) and 12 points in the Calder Cup Playoffs and earned a two-game call-up to the NHL.
After signing another two-year deal with Buffalo, Rousek scored 41 points in 51 AHL games, but in an extended look with the Sabres only had two assists in 15 games. This season, the 26-year-old had 42 points, but only scored seven goals and did not get another chance in the NHL with first-rounders like Isak Rosen, Jiri Kulich, and Noah Ostlund getting those opportunities.
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Brannstrom was a 2017 first round pick of the Vegas Golden Knights, and played parts of seven seasons with the Ottawa Senators and Vancouver Canucks. This season, he was dealt by Vancouver to the NY Rangers in the JT Miller deal and acquired by the Sabres in a one-for-one deal at the trade deadline for Nicolas Aube-Kubel.
The 25-year-old scored five goals in 13 games for the Amerks and played in one postseason game. A restricted free agent, Brannstrom has signed a three-year deal to play for HC Lausanne in Switzerland.
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Lehigh Valley Phantoms Head Coach Ian Laperriere Moves To Hockey Operations Role With Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers announced that the head coach of their AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms Ian Laperriere has been re-assigned to the Flyers as an advisor to Hockey Operations.
The team announced they will begin a search for a new AHL head coach immediately.
Laperriere signed a two-year contract extension in June 2024 that was set to run through the 2025-26 season.
The 51-year-old joined the Flyers as director of player development for the 2012-13 season and transitioned to assistant coach in the 2013-14 season, a role he served in through the 2020-21 season before joining the Phantoms.
The Montreal, Que., native has been the head coach of the Phantoms for the past four seasons leading the team to two Calder Cup Playoff appearances and a 134-120-38 record.
The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that Ian Laperriere will rejoin the organization as an advisor to Hockey Operations. https://t.co/jDdDnw762B
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) May 27, 2025
Laperriere has expressed a desire to be an NHL head coach and will help continue to develop Philadelphia's prospects in his new role.
In his playing career Laperriere recorded 121 goals and 336 point sin 1083 games while racking up 1956 penalty minutes. He spent one season with the Flyers and was forced to retire after taking a slapshot to the face.
Check out The Hockey News' Philadelphia Flyers team site for more updates.
Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' AHL Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.
Maple Leafs & Matthew Knies Made Progress on Contract, Insider Claims
The expectation this summer is that the Toronto Maple Leafs will be going through some massive changes on their roster, considering the high possibility they lose both Mitchell Marner and…
Can The Golden Knights Try To Win The Mitch Marner Sweepstakes In NHL Free Agency?
The Vegas Golden Knights have never been a team that sits quietly during the NHL’s off-season, and this summer may be no different.
With big names potentially hitting the open market, including Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner, all signs point to Vegas once again positioning itself to make a splash.
TSN and The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun recently suggested that Marner will probably look at Vegas as one potential landing spot. The Golden Knights have five pending UFAs and four pending RFAs, but they rarely wait around or miss an opportunity to make a splash, so they could make cap space to give Marner what he wants.
The Golden Knights Haven’t Needed Much of An Excuse To Change Things Up
The Golden Knights have a history of not being loyal to their players, such as not re-signing Jonathan Marchessault last summer, trading Reilly Smith after winning the Stanley Cup in 2023 and sending away most of their first-round prospects. If they want to acquire somebody else, they can part with a longtime player if necessary.
Vegas might be ready to pounce after falling short against the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the playoffs. Even when the Golden Knights remain a powerhouse club, they don’t stand pat, sending off excellent players to create cap room.
This summer, their pending free agents are mainly depth players, so there’s less pressure to keep all of them. If they do re-sign most of them, that could also mean clearing salary through trades to make room for a marquee acquisition.
If Vegas wants to pull off such a bold move, it will likely involve another round of salary cap gymnastics. They’ve done it before, trading away players and assets, such as Max Pacioretty, Marc-Andre Fleury, Shea Weber’s contract, Ryan Reaves, Nate Schmidt, Paul Stastny and Smith in past years.
Whether it was trading for Tomas Hertl, Noah Hanifin, Jack Eichel or Mark Stone, the Golden Knights aren’t afraid to make a surprise move that shakes up the NHL landscape.
Could The Golden Knights Target Marner?
Marner, who just wrapped up a 102-point season, is the top NHL player set to become available on July 1. His combination of elite skill, age and experience makes him the most significant free agent to hit the market in years. That might be too tempting for Vegas to pass up.
Naturally, several teams, such as the Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, and Los Angeles Kings, are likely to kick tires on Marner. But according to LeBrun, Marner is expected to consider some of the usual destinations, such as the Florida Panthers and, notably, the Golden Knights.
Three Potential Free-Agency Landing Spots For Mitch MarnerIn the wake of Toronto's second-round playoff
loss to Florida, Mitch Marner's name has been all over the headlines.
The potential fit in Vegas makes a lot of sense for Marner. The Golden Knights are competitive every season, and if he signs there, he does so for good money on a team with one of the lowest tax percentages in the NHL and a chance to play alongside Jack Eichel, who had 28 goals and 66 assists for a career high 94 points this season. A Marner and Eichel pairing could form one of the most dynamic one-two punches in the league.
Whether it’s a good idea to give up several pieces to sign one elite right winger with a history of falling short in the playoffs is another topic. But the Golden Knights already have Cup-winning experience to impart on Marner, who had 13 points in 13 playoff games this year and 63 points in 70 games in his post-season career.
For Vegas, it often doesn’t matter whether it’s the best move or not. They like to make headlines and sign the player everyone else wanted. If the superstar hits free agency on July 1, don’t be surprised if the Golden Knights win the sweepstakes.
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