Ahead of the NHL Draft and free agency, the Pittsburgh Penguins - in addition to hiring a new head coach - figure to be busy.

And there is one potential restricted free agent forward who may be falling under the radar.

Dallas Stars forward Mavrik Bourque has only appeared in two playoff games this postseason, and with the Stars cap-strapped heading into the offseason, they're going to have some decisions to make. They will only have $5.87 million in cap space with a lot of pending-RFAs and unrestricted free agents (UFAs) to consider.

The 5-foot-11, 181-pound center, 23, registered 11 goals and 25 points in 73 games in his first full season with the Stars in 2024-25, and - being that he accomplished those numbers in a limited role - he only figures to get better. He had a breakout professional season in 2023-24 as well with 26 goals and 77 points in 71 games for the Texas Stars, Dallas's AHL affiliate.

A 30th overall pick in 2020 by the Stars, he was also a 20-goal scorer as a rookie with Texas, and in 172 career junior games with the Shawnigan Cataractes of the QMJHL, he recorded 93 goals and 236 points.

Because of his projected rise, finishing ability, and high-IQ, the former first-rounder may be worth a look by Penguins' POHO and GM Kyle Dubas in the RFA trade-then-sign market.

And that's something that Dubas has reiterated he will look into. He mentioned in his postseason press conference that they would explore any opportunities to acquire young talent, and the RFA trade-then-sign market was brought up specifically. 

Penguins Reportedly In Mix For KHL Star ForwardSoon enough, the

Pittsburgh has also been linked to players such as KHL star Maxim Shabanov and recently re-signed forward prospect Filip Hallander, which signals their desire to infuse young, NHL-ready talent into their system and into the mix for their NHL roster heading into 2025-26.

They have the cap space to be pretty flexible, too. With more than $24.5 million to work with this summer, Dubas can get creative in pursuing young players in the RFA and trade markets. The Penguins are unlikely to spend big in unrestricted free agency, so getting their hands on as many low-risk, high-reward players as possible seems to be the likely route. 

Bourque is a player who would immediately make their roster better, and he could figure into a bottom-six role along with several other young players in the mix.

He is the exact kind of player who fits their needs and perceived window of contention, so they should do everything they can to try to land him this summer. 

5 RFA Forwards The Penguins Should Pursue This SummerThe

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Former Vegas Golden Knights first-round selection and defenseman Erik Brannstrom has signed a three-year contract with Swiss team Lausanne HC.

Brannstrom was the third of three picks the Golden Knights used in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, selecting Cody Glass (sixth overall) and Nick Suzuki (13th overall) before choosing Brannstrom with the 15th pick. 

The Swedish defenseman never played a game with the Golden Knights but was used as a vital piece in acquiring their future captain, Mark Stone. The trade saw the Golden Knights send Brannstrom, forward Oscar Lindberg, and a second-round pick in 2020 to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Stone and Tobias Lindberg. 

Following the trade, Brannstrom found it increasingly difficult to make NHL rosters, and when he did, holding down a spot was another challenge. He played 294 NHL games with the Senators and the Vancouver Canucks, scoring 10 goals and 77 points. The 25-year-old signed with the Colorado Avalanchein the offseason but was traded prior to the start of the 2024-25 campaign. 

The Canucks couldn't find space for him on their NHL roster and sent him to the New York Rangers as part of the blockbuster J.T. Miller trade. The Rangers also found no use for him outside of the AHL and sent him to the Buffalo Sabres, where he once again served as an AHL player. 

Brannstrom routinely showed that he was a top-end AHL player but a low-end NHL player, recording 19 goals and 86 points in just 117 AHL games. 

Listed at 5'10, 185 lbs, Brannstrom is considered small for an NHL defenceman, which is why many teams have steered away from using him. He's proven to be an efficient puck mover and skater, but his small frame is considered a liability defensively, especially when defending the front of the net. 

Erik Brannstrom is headed to Switzerland. The diminutive puck-moving defenceman put up some solid results in limited minutes but struggled to gain the confidence of his coaches to move up the lineup. pic.twitter.com/6ZGAqrofFF

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) May 26, 2025

He'll head back to Europe, where he's had plenty of positive results, both in the SHL and with Sweden on the international stage. He previously played in the NL, playing 10 games on loan with the SCL Tigers. His stint witnessed him score two goals and eight points. 

Brannstrom will join a Lausanne HC team that currently rosters former NHLer Dominik Kahun, Rangers prospect Lauri Pajuniemi and Canucks prospect Basile Sansonnens.

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Golden Knights Reportedly In Two-Team Race For KHL Star ForwardWith the team pressed to the salary cap, Vegas Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon continues to find unique ways to add skilled forwards to his lineup and could be doing so again with KHL star Maxim Shabanov.

Rumors without action are common at this time of year. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are in the Conference Finals, so there aren’t going to be any substantial moves made by eliminated teams, but the speculation will always exist.

That is the case right now with the Minnesota Wild. One of their young stars, Marco Rossi, is rumored to be on the trade block. If this is correct, the Chicago Blackhawks must be making phone calls. 

The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) on XSpeculation about Marco Rossi's future arose following the Minnesota Wild's first-round playoff exit: https://t.co/8Hnp09g1wU

Minnesota selected Rossi with the ninth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. After dealing with some off-ice health issues before beginning his pro career, Rossi has blossomed into a great NHL player. 

At 23 years old, he’s played in 185 games with 45 goals, 56 assists, and 101 points. During the 2024-25 season, Rossi set career highs in goals (24), assists (36), and points (60). It is fair to assume that he has some big offensive seasons ahead of him. 

Byron Bader (@ByronMBader) on XI would be all in on acquiring Rossi if he's available. He's small and that's probably half the reason why he might be available. But could be pretty impactful in his prime. Just had his first star season and his career career is following very similar to Briere (Briere

A player like this would fit in quite well with the Blackhawks. Whether he’s a center or a winger in the long term, he’d make hockey magic with guys like Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar. He can make an impact at even strength and on the power play. 

Rossi is a restricted free agent and could be the subject of an offer sheet if he isn’t signed quickly. The problem the Blackhawks face with doing that is giving up a ton of draft picks in 2026, which might not be wise based on the potential of that draft. 

If the Wild were okay with making a trade with a division rival, one that can appease both sides, this is something worth considering for Kyle Davidson. 

Chicago has plenty of defenseman to spare when it comes to making trades. It is at the forward position where they lack youthful organizational depth. Rossi, being just 23, would fit right in with what the Hawks are trying to do. 

In acquiring Rossi, the Blackhawks (or any team) would have to get him signed. Based on his high production level for a young player, he will likely command a lucrative deal for a fair number of years. Due to his proven success, there isn’t much risk associated with that method. 

With a trade like this, a wise decision with the third overall pick, and a free agent or two, the Blackhawks could have a high-flying offense in 2025-26. 

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The Florida Panthers are making a few lineup changes as they look to close out the Eastern Conference Final.

There are a few Panthers players who are nursing injuries and as such, are being held out of Game 4 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Sam Reinhart, A.J. Greer and Niko Mikkola will all not play on Monday night.

They are each considered day-to-day with their respective injuries, Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice said.

Reinhart also missed Game 3 on Saturday, and he'll continue to be replaced Jesper Boqvist, who logged a goal and two assists in Florida's 6-2 victory.

Filling in for Greer on the left wing of Florida's fourth line will be Nico Sturm, who can also take faceoffs and contribute on the penalty kill.

On the blueline, Mikkola will be replaced in the lineup by Uvis Balinskis. He'll likely be paired up with Nate Schmidt while Dmitry Kulikov would slide up and take Mikkola's spot beside Seth Jones.

Maurice summed up his thought process into the moves as simply trying to put the best and most competitive team on the ice.

"The determination is, the three guys that I'm playing – obviously Boqvist is already in – but those guys would perform better than those three men would tonight," Maurice said.

A victory on Monday would not only punch Florida's ticket to the Stanley Cup Final, but it would also afford them some time to allow players to heal.

The Final is not expected to begin until at least June 4, possibly later depending how long the Western Conference Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars goes. 

Following the changes, here is an updated line and pairing projection for the Panthers head of Game 4:

Evan Rodrigues – Sasha Barkov – Jesper Boqvist

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand

Nico Sturm – Tomas Nosek – Jonah Gadjovich

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Dmitry Kulikov – Seth Jones

Nate Schmidt – Uvis Balinskis

Scratches: Mackie Samoskevich, Niko Mikkola, Sam Reinhart, A.J. Greer, Jaycob Megna

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Photo caption: May 24, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola (77) celebrates after a goal during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes in game three of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images