The Buffalo Sabres' first day of the NHL's free-agent frenzy saw Sabres GM Kevyn Adams take some low-risk, decent-return gambles in signing mid-tier veterans like winger Justin Danforth and defenseman Zac Jones. But another Sabres signing could prove to be extremely important as the season goes on -- and that's the signing of experienced goalie Alex Lyon.

For the 32-year-old Lyon, his new contract was about stability, and the Sabres provided him with that, signing him to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.5 million. Lyon has spent the past two seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, and in that time, he's posted a save percentage of sligly less than .900 -- a satisfactory-enough number at a time when NHL offenses can be overwhelming, and one that came playing behind the Wings' sub-par defense corps.

Now, before we go much further, let's be clear -- Lyon is obviously the third goaltender on the Sabres' depth chart. He's not going into camp being the ideal starter for this Buffalo team. 

That said, ostensible starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen didn't have a particularly great year in 2024-25, posting a bloated 3.20 goals-against average and an .887 SP in 55 games.  By the end of the season, Luukkonen had lost his starter's job in favor of greybeard journeyman James Reimer. Now, Luukkonen's contract status -- the 26-year-old is entering Year 2 of a five-year contract that pays him $4.75-million per season -- necessitates he be given a chance to win the No. 1 job back. But there's no assurance Luukkonen is going to return to the form he showed in 2023-24, when he posted a .910 SP in 54 games.

So, if Luukkonen can't get the job done, Lyon is still not Plan B.  That would be up-and-comer Devon Levi. The 23-year-old Levi did not have great success in limited NHL action last year, posting an .872 SP in nine games. However, Levi had much more positivity in the American League, putting up a .919 SP in 42 games. If Levi -- currently an RFA -- is intending on bumping up his pay grade, making the jump to the NHL on a permanent basis provides him all the motivation in the world.

After Sabres' Latest Trade, Don't Expect Much From New Buffalo DefensemanThe Buffalo Sabres made a trade Saturday, but it wasn't the trade many were expecting, as star defenseman Bowen Byram remained a Sabre, at least, for the time being. However, Sabres GM Kevyn Adams reshaped his defense corps by

All of which is to say that, if Lyon is called into action on a regular basis, things for Buffalo probably haven't gone very well. Either or both of Luukkonen and Levi could be hurt or under-performing. But by the same token, if Lyon can come through in the clutch when called upon, he's going to look like a terrific financial bargain, and one of Adams' best signings in his history running the team.

Goaltending insurance is something every NHL team is investing in. At a time when it feels like the health of every player in the league is just one bad collision or bounce away from being compromised, you need as much talent as you can get. So while Lyon may not be occupying much of the spotlight when next season begins, there's a road ahead in which the Sabres turn to him as a last line of resort, with their season possibly hanging in the balance.

Sabres Deals Addressed Needs, But Were Budget-ConsciousThe Buffalo Sabres made a pair of trades before and during the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles which were as much about changing the makeup of the roster as they were about trimming the budget of the club in advance of the beginning of free agency on July 1. 

We still believe Adams should be on the hot seat for the roster decisions he's made. If all he does is what he's done thus far, we don't envision the Sabres as a playoff team. But if Adams makes more changes by the time next season begins, Buffalo could challenge for a wild card berth in the Eastern Conference.

And if things go a particular way -- and if Lyon comes through in a pinch -- we might look back on the signing of a third goaltender as the move that saved the Sabres' year.

It's never too early to be thinking about the future. Right? 

Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz said he had two things in mind when thinking about the Predators' future: getting bigger and getting younger. 

"We've got some great prospects on the way, but I felt two things: we wanted to get bigger and we want to get younger," Trotz said. 

The Predators' current defensive corps averages 6 feet 2 inches and 200 pounds. The 2025 draft class averages 6 feet and 181 pounds. In addition, the Predators' defense had an average age of 28 years. 

Looking for size and youth, the Predators may have at least one pick lined up for the 2026 draft in 7-foot, 273-pound Moldovan defenseman Alexander Karmanov. 

The 17-year-old was selected by the Brantford Bulldogs, 172nd overall in the third round of the CHL's Import Draft, an entry draft held for CHL prospects that are not from Canada or the United States.

Karmanov is also committed to Penn State for the 2027-28 season. He spent the past year with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights 16U AAA team in Pennsylvania, competing between the Atlantic Youth Hockey League and 16U AAA tournaments. 

Between both, he played 35 games and scored 33 points and had 60 penalty minutes. According to Brantford's X/Twitter account, he is "the largest hockey player on the planet." 

If he were to break into the NHL, he'd be the tallest player to ever play, surpassing Zdeno Chara's record height by three inches. 

Depending on Karmanov's arrival at Penn State, he could be teammates with 2023 Nashville Predators draft pick Aiden Fink, who would be a senior by the start of the 2027-28 season.

Defenseman Mac Gadowsky, who is attending the Predators' development camp by invitation and stands 6 feet 3 inches tall, would also be his teammate, as Gadowsky recently transferred to Penn State.  

When drafting taller players, skating is usually the primary focus. That appears to be the most significant focus for Karmanov when watching his highlights. He's a big body, but doesn't move fast. 

Skating at an NHL pace can be a challenge for larger players, but Nashville has found ways to develop them and maintain a reputation as one of the largest teams in the NHL. 

Trotz wants size and Karmanov has the potential to be the biggest to ever play the game. 

In a shocking twist only 30 minutes into the 2025 NHL Free Agency period, Brock Boeser signed a seven-year, $7.25M AAV contract with the Vancouver Canucks. His signing came after a tumultuous season of uncertainty regarding his fate. Many thought he would be traded at the Trade Deadline, while signs leading up to free agency implied that he would be moving on from the team. With his signing, Boeser will extend his streak as the Canucks’ longest-tenured active skater.  

The Canucks came into the 2015 NHL Draft with the 23rd selection in the first round. While some players were obvious selections (Connor McDavid), realistically, the talent pool provided by this draft class meant that nearly any pick would be profitable. At the time, only three of twelve prospect draft rankings had Boeser going higher than 23rd overall. The general consensus seemed to be that he would not be picked higher than 25th. With that being said, it wasn’t shocking when former Canucks General Manager Jim Benning decided to select Boeser 23rd overall. 

Boeser’s addition to Vancouver’s prospect pool was a bright sign, as some of the only other names in the Canucks’ ranks were Jake Virtanen, Jared McCann, and Hunter Shinkaruk — with only one of these three still playing in the NHL. He was given the expectation of 30-goal scorer in the NHL early on and nearly broke this milestone in his first full season. 

On March 25, 2017, Boeser signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Canucks, making his NHL debut the same day against his hometown Minnesota Wild. In the same game, he scored his first NHL goal. By the end of his first nine games in 2017, he scored four goals on 25 shots and added one assist. For an early campaign, Boeser’s four goals left fans very optimistic about the upcoming season. 

Boeser’s first full season with the Canucks was one to remember. It seemed as though he was shot out of a cannon to start the season, as he scored two goals and three assists in his first four games. It only took him 10 games to get his first hat trick of the season, and the first of his NHL career, which he scored against Matt Murray and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Within the first 10 games of his rookie season, Boeser had five goals and eight assists. 

“The most natural goal scorer I’ve ever played with,” former Canucks captain Henrik Sedin said of Boeser back in 2017. 

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An array of goal-scoring streaks, impressive play, and a Rookie of the Month title in November earned Boeser a nod to the 2018 NHL All-Star Game. There, he won the accuracy shooting event, beating out players such as Sidney Crosby, Brad Marchand, and Steven Stamkos, and took home the award for MVP of the game. 

Despite playing at a near 40-goal pace in his rookie season, injuries sidelined Boeser for 20 of the team’s games. He finished the year with 29 goals and 26 assists in 62 games played, putting him fifth in points among all rookies that season. Boeser finished second in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy to Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders. 

The start of Boeser’s career in Vancouver was certainly memorable, and with his re-signing, he’ll add even more goals on top of the 204 he has already scored as a member of the Canucks. 

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The Buffalo Sabres made a pair of trades during and after the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles that opened up more cap space in advance of the beginning of free agency on July 1, but the club did not make any kind of splash as the market opened on Tuesday, re-signing three players on multi-year extensions and signing free agent winger Justin Danforth and goalie Alex Lyon to two-year deals. 

Danforth had 21 points (9 goals, 12 assists) in 61 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season and signed for an AAV of $1.8 million, while Lyon, who went 14-9-1, with a 2.81 GAA and .896 save %  in Detroit last season signed for $1.5 million per season. 

“(Lyon is) a proven goaltender, ” Sabres GM Kevyn Adams said on Wednesday. “I think he's a really good veteran. A high character guy. He's proven in the league. He's played well in his time in the National Hockey League. He's going to challenge and push. We just think he helps us win hockey games.” 

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Danforth is expected to play a fourth line role, replacing Sam Lafferty, who was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday. Lyon, 32, will be in the mix to challenge for playing time behind Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and with youngster Devon Levi. Luukkonen, who did not have much of a threat to his starting role after Levi was demoted to Rochester early last season, had a subpar campaign (24-24-5, 3.20 GAA, .887 save %) in the first year of a five-year deal. 

Levi, a restricted free agent this summer, still has an exemption to waivers that will allow him to be demoted to AHL Rochester next season. If Levi plays well in training camp and earns a roster spot, it is likely that the Sabres will carry three goalies on their NHL roster, as they did at the start of the 2023-24 season with Luukkonen, Levi, and Eric Comrie.  

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

The Buffalo Sabres did not make much of a splash on the opening day of free agency on Tuesday, with the most impactful signing being the two-year contract for goaltender Alex Lyon and the re-signing of center Ryan McLeod to a long-term extension. The item that was the most newsworthy was a report from TSN’s Darren Dreger, that clubs interested in restricted free agent Bowen Byram are contemplating an offer sheet.

Sabres GM Kevyn Adams met with the media during Day 3 of the club’s Development Camp at LECOM Harborcenter on Wednesday and indicated that he is open to bringing back the 23-year-old blueliner, who is two years away from unrestricted free agency on a short- or long-term deal, and is open to a hockey deal bringing back NHL players, but that he would match an offer sheet if it were tabled by another club. 

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“The moves we've made and the position we've put ourselves in, from the cap perspective, has been strategic.” Adams said. “If you leave just enough room in your cap, maybe where you see a projection on a one year deal and someone comes over the top, you're potentially putting your organization in a really tough spot. So the moves we’ve made and the decisions we've made for weeks now leading up to this point (have been) with that in mind. So we'll be matching and have the opportunity to have a player under contract who we think helps us win.”

Dreger indicated that trade conversations have taken place between the Sabres and the Calgary Flames, Vegas Golden Knights, Los Angeles Kings, and St. Louis Blues for Byram, who scored 38 points last season. After the trade of defenseman K’Andre Miller to Carolina on Tuesday and unrestricted free agents Vladislav Gavrikov and Ivan Provorov signing seven-year contracts with the New York Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets, the availability for a legitimate top-four defenseman has shrunk to Byram, and Calgary’s Rasmus Andersson, putting Adams in a position to exact the price he’s looking for or bringing back him back on a short-term deal.    

“We believe Bo is an excellent hockey player that can help our team win,” Adams said, “I've maintained the same position that if there's a deal out there that makes sense for us that we think is going to improve our roster we're open to it. If there's not, we're not in a situation where we're looking to move him out or looking to move him for futures and stuff like that, for me we want to help our team win hockey games and he helps us do that.”

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

The Philadelphia Flyers were the one team that won as much as it lost on Day 1 of NHL Free Agency.

Entering free agency with three needs - a goalie, a center, and a seventh defenseman - the Flyers got to work and took care of business in record time, but at what cost?

Forward Christian Dvorak, expected to take over as the fourth-line center for at least one year, agreed to a one-year deal worth an egregious $5.4 million, making him the fifth-highest-paid forward on the Flyers' roster behind only Trevor Zegras, Sean Couturier, Travis Konecny, and Owen Tippett.

Now, term was a big part of the deal for the Flyers so as to avoid locking themselves into undesirable future roadblocks for younger players, which drove Dvorak's price upwards, as well as bids from other teams.

But other centers with NHL experience, such as Curtis Lazar, Philipp Kurashev, and Lars Eller, all signed one-year deals with new teams worth no more than $1.25 million.

Lazar, like Dvorak, has played for Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet before. Injuries and adapting to a new coach limited Lazar to just five points in 48 games with New Jersey this season, but last year, he had 25 points in 71 games.

For his efforts, the 30-year-old, a prime bounce-back candidate, signed with Edmonton for one-year and $775k.

Piggybacking off that, new Flyers goalie Dan Vladar was by far the most expensive netminder to come off the market Tuesday, signing a two-year, $6.7 million ($3.35 million AAV) with Philadelphia that included an eight-team no-trade list in both years.

Flyers' Porter Martone Sets Sights on Early NHL DebutJust one day into on-ice activities at development camp, the hype around top

Veteran Anton Forsberg, who signed with Los Angeles for two years at $2.25 million a year, was 11-12-3 last season with a 2.72 GAA, a .901 save percentage, and three shutouts. He was also the only goalie, other than Vladar, to pull in a cap hit north of $1.5 million.

Vladar was comparatively similar but slightly worse, going 12-11-6 with a 2.80 GAA, a .898 save percentage, and two shutouts.

Vladar is 27 and younger than the 32-year-old Forsberg, but does that make up the $1 million difference in cap hit? And, if Vladar isn't a long-term option as a starter or backup, does the age matter at all?

Indeed, much of this is insignificant with the Flyers being a fringe playoff team at best next season, but what is significant is that they have $4.6 million to find a solution to re-sign Cam York, be it a long-term deal or short.

The Flyers insist on not using LTIR to create emergency cap space for themselves, but with Tyson Foerster's status up in the air for opening night, they are pushing the envelope to the fullest, especially in the event further injuries occur during the season.

Speaking of defensemen, journeymen Noah Juulsen and Dennis Gilbert give the Flyers, including York and excluding Rasmus Ristolainen, eight defensemen on the active roster.

One of those eight won't make the roster, and this doesn't account for someone like Helge Grans or Oliver Bonk, who will both be pushing for spots to fill in for Ristolainen.

Looking ahead, the Flyers have one retention slot open to hold onto some salary, with Andrei Kuzmenko off their books and Kevin Hayes and Scott Laughton still on for one more year.

If they want to use that slot to its maximum potential, either in a three-team deal (i.e. Noah Hanifin trade) or retaining salary on one of their own players, they'll have to manage the salary cap extra carefully until Foerster and/or Ristolainen return.

And just imagine how complicated things would have been if they landed Maxim Shabanov.

These free agency signings all address the needs to the Flyers sought out to address, but the relatively poor value of these signings puts the Flyers at high risk of finding themselves in adverse positions for what they want to do later in the season.

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues picked up middle of the lineup center they were hoping to get.

Multiple reports had the Blues signing Pius Suter to a two-year contract worth $8.25 million ($4.125 million average annual value). The team confirmed the signing.

The 29-year-old, who set career highs in goals (25) and points (46) with the Vancouver Canucks last season in 81 games, will fill a void the Blues obviously needed in the middle of the lineup as a 2C/3C with Brayden Schenn. He is an exceptional defensive center with excellent penalty kill skills who just so happened to create offense off his defense a season ago and parlayed them into scoring chances, thus setting career highs in goals and points:

Pius Suter, signed 2x$4M by STL, is an intelligent shut-down scoring centre who transcends his lack of size and especially speed to prevent chances against. Creates a lot of goals and scoring chances by getting to the slot and finding space. #STLBluespic.twitter.com/MNJpPix0AH

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 2, 2025

With the addition of Suter, the Blues now have Robert Thomas, Schenn, Suter, Oskar Sundqvist and Nick Bjugstad, who St. Louis signed to a two-year, $3.5 million ($1.75 million AAV) free agent contract on Tuesday from the Utah Mammoth, to utilize down the middle of the ice.

Remember last season, when Suter scored a third-period hat trick against the Blues? And look where he scored those goals: around the net and slot area. Blues coach Jim Montgomery is going to love this.

It was no secret that the Blues were in the market for a middle man, and when Sam Bennett came off the board and re-signed with the Florida Panthers and Mikael Granlund signed a three-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks for $7 million AAV, it was apparent the Blues were not going to get to those numbers.

But this is a low-risk, high-reward contract the Blues could fit into their salary cap, and they'll be fine when they place Torey Krug ($6.5 million AAV) on long-term injured-reserve and once Nick Leddy ($4 million AAV) either is picked up or clears waivers Thursday.