The NHL's off-season has arrived, and here at the Sabres team website on THN.com. we're in the midst of a series of columns examining which teams Buffalo could make a notable trade with.

We kicked off the series by looking at the Utah Mammoth, Colorado Avalanche, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers. And in today's file, we're turning our attention to the New Jersey Devils, a team whose GM -- Tom Fitzgerald -- has gone on record as saying his team "won't be coming back with the same group" after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign. Is there a potential trade fit with the Sabres? Read on and find out:

TEAM:  New Jersey Devils

CAP SPACE: $14.3 million

FREE AGENTS:  Justin Dowling, C; Curtis Lazar, C; Daniel Sprong, RW; Nathan Bastien, RW; Cody Glass, C (RFA); Nolan Foote, LW (RFA); Brian Dumoulin, D; Luke Hughes, D (RFA)

NEEDS: Experienced fourth-line forwards; overall change in team chemistry

SABRES FIT? The Devils were drummed out of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs rather easily by the Carolina Hurricanes, falling in five games as they failed to get into the second round for the 12th time in their past 13 seasons. Thus, Fitzgerald made no mistake in suggesting major changes were coming. And that could mean New Jersey chooses to deal away a valuable youngster if it means shaking up the chemistry of the core of the team.

That said, the Devils aren't trading superstar center Jack Hughes, nor are they dealing his brother, defenseman Luke Hughes. The same goes for captain Nico Hischier and most, if not all of New Jersey's defense corps. However, that still leaves one tantalizing possibility for Sabres GM Kevyn Adams to contemplate making a trade pitch for.

The player who does jump to mind in that regard is center/right winger Dawson Mercer. The 23-year-old forward is entering the second year of a three-year contract that pays him $4-million per season, and Mercer has posted at least 17 goals in each of his first four NHL seasons. Mercer also has a career-high of 27 goals and 56 points, which he put up in the 2022-23 campaign. His best days are still ahead of him, and most importantly from Buffalo's point of view, Mercer doesn't have any no-trade or no-move protection right now.

Sabres Potential Trade Partner: New York RangersThe NHL's off-season has arrived, and we're turning our attention in this THN.com series to potential trade partners for the Sabres.

So, the Sabres could swing a deal that sends winger J.J. Peterka to New Jersey in what could be a straight-up, one-asset-for-one-asset trade. If Peterka is looking to be on a playoff-bound team, he could do much worse than the Devils, and in return for him, Adams would bring in an above-average player in Mercer who will only be a restricted free agent when his current contract expires at the end of the 2026-27 season.

That essentially kicks the financial can down the road for the Sabres when it comes to Mercer, and that also provides plenty of motivation for Mercer to play well in Buffalo. And acquiring a still-on-the-rise talent like Mercer could be considered a coup for Adams as he, like Fitzgerald, tries to alter the chemistry of his squad.

Otherwise, there really isn't a good fit between the Devils and Sabres on the trade front. New Jersey's defense corps is one of the deeper groups in the league, and we don't see Fitzgerald messing with it. And the Devils' goaltending is also set with veteran Jacob Markstrom and youngster Nico Daws in place. So unless Bufffalo is intent on sending a third-or-fourth-line forward to New Jersey -- and even then, it's difficult to imagine what the Sabres would want in return -- it's hard to envision a match between the Sabres and Devils.

Sabres Potential Trade Partner: Philadelphia FlyersThe Buffalo Sabres are likely to be active on the trade front this summer. And as part of an ongoing series on THN.com's Sabres site, we're examining potential trade partners for Buffalo.

Still, a Mercer-for-Peterka swap is intriguing. Both players are the same age, both have approximately the same goal-producing ability, and both might benefit from a change in employer. And Adams and Fitzgerald wouldn't need to throw in draft picks or prospects to make the trade work. It's a one-for-one move, and one that could be made well in advance of free agency.

New Jersey would need to sign Peterka to a contract extension, but we don't forsee that being a problem. The chance to play alongside the Hughes Bros. would be highly-appealing to Peterka, and Mercer could go to Buffalo knowing the Sabres are counting on him to be a key cog for many years to come. So yes, a Peterka-for-Mercer move makes a lot of sense for both sides. And no one should be surprised if Buffalo and New Jersey can come together and make it happen.

While official dates for the 2025 Colorado Avalanche Prospect Development Camp have yet to be announced, a quick glance at the uploaded schedule for Family Sports Center, the training facility for the Avalanche, tells us that we can perhaps expect to see the prospects hit the ice at the beginning of July.

FSC has blocked out significant ice time for July 1-3, and while the blocks themselves don't clarify anything more than that the times are designated for the team, conclusions can be drawn that this will be for the upcoming camp.

• Tuesday, July 1st: 8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Mountain Time (Avalanche Rink)
• Wednesday, July 2nd: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Mountain Time (Avalanche Rink)
• Thursday, July 3rd: 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Mountain Time (Avalanche Rink)
• Thursday, July 3rd: 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Mountain Time (Fix It 24/7 Rink)

It's also worth noting that the Avalanche also have ice time booked on the Avalanche Rink on Monday, June 30th, from 1:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m..

Taylor Makar, Oskar Olausson, Marek Hejduk, Cooper Gay, Nikita Prishchepov, and Sean Behrens were among notable attendees at 2024's team development camp. Forward Prishchepov, a 2024 7th-round draft pick, made his NHL debut in November of 2024 with the Avalanche. Forward Makar, brother of Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, debuted in his first professional game with the Colorado Eagles late this past season, following the completion of his season with the University of Maine.

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For the second consecutive season, the Florida Panthers have won the Stanley Cup. It also is the second year that former Minnesota Wild defenseman Dmitry Kulikov has won the Cup. 

Kulikov, 34, played in 80 games during the 2021-22 season for the Wild. He recorded seven goals and 24 points that year and was a plus-23.

The 6-foot-1 defender only played in only two playoff games for the Wild that season and was a minus-4. He was traded to the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations. 

He eventually made his way to the Panthers where he has been the last two seasons. 

Former Wild forward Nico Sturm was traded to the Panthers for their cup run this season. It is the second time in his career that Sturm has won the cup. 

Sturm, 30, spent the first four years of his NHL career with the Wild after going undrafted. He recorded 20 goals, 16 assists, 36 points, and 118 hits in 111 games with the Wild.

The 6-foot-3 center played in eight playoff games for the Panthers this year. He has won two Stanley Cups since the Wild moved on from him in 2022.

On Thursday, the Dallas Stars announced that they extended veteran forward Matt Duchene to a four-year, $18 million deal.

Duchene, 34, scored 30 goals and was at point-per-game last season, and he is very clearly still a key piece of Dallas's win-now competitive window. However, Duchene's signing puts Dallas just $455,000 under the salary cap - as of now - heading into next season with just nine forwards, six defensemen, and two goaltenders signed to their roster.

Dallas is in some serious cap trouble, and they will have to offload some contracts in order to not only sign enough players to fill their roster, but also to bring back more pending-unrestricted and restricted free agents that they are interested in keeping.

Enter the Pittsburgh Penguins.  

Penguins' GM and POHO Kyle Dubas mentioned in his season-ending press conference that he would, potentially, look to the RFA trade-then-sign market - as well as just the trade market in general - to acquire young talent. 

Pittsburgh has some trade assets to surrender. And Dallas may have a few players who fit the bill.

The most obvious candidate here is 23-year-old up-and-coming center Mavrik Bourque.

Should The Penguins Target Dallas Stars' RFA Forward?Ahead of the NHL Draft and free agency, the

A first-round pick (30th overall) by Dallas in 2020, Bourque registered 11 goals and 25 points in 73 games last season - which was his rookie year - in a limited role. Prior to cracking the NHL roster, Bourque had a fantastic 2023-24 campaign with the AHL's Texas Stars, putting up 26 goals and 77 points in 71 games. In two full seasons with Texas, he recorded 46 goals and 124 points.

Bourque is the exact kind of player that the Penguins should be seeking out to build out youth on their roster - especially because they need center depth. He's a playmaker by nature, is a good passer, and has a sneaky good shot that should lead to consistent production at the NHL level.

Because of the Stars' cap situation, Bourque could become a casualty to a team like the Penguins, who may be willing to take on a salary dump - someone like defenseman Matt Dumba - if Bourque is part of the return. In addition, bringing back somewhat of a wild card in Bourque - who was a healthy scratch for most of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs - would simply occupy precious cap space, even if only a little, that the Stars simply don't have.

Stars in Tough Cap Situation After Signing Veteran ForwardThe

This is a realistic target for Dubas and the Penguins, and they should pursue Bourque pretty aggressively. The Penguins also are in desperate need of bodies on their blue line, so taking on Dumba would actually benefit them roster-wise.

But if the Penguins want to shoot even bigger? If he does, indeed, become available on the market, Dubas should be doing everything he can to take a swing at star forward Jason Robertson.

Robertson, 25, has been one of the league's premiere goal-scorers for the past several years. His best season came in 2022-23, when he notched 46 goals and 109 points to go along with a plus-37. He is dangerous on the power play, he has high-end puck skills, he has a deceptive release, and he is a bigger body at 6-foot-3 - which are all things the Penguins will be looking to add.

With Robertson's Name Out There, Could Penguins Swing Blockbuster Trade?With both the NHL Draft and free agency on the horizon, trade speculation is running rampant in hockey circles at the moment.

He is a pending-RFA in 2026, so the challenge for the Penguins - should they somehow land him - would be to sell the rebuild-on-the-fly in order to extend him long-term. Many would argue that the Penguins are not in the right position to be targeting guys like Robertson right now, and - while that's generally true - he's not a player any team, even Pittsburgh, should pass on given the chance to acquire him.

In order to land Robertson, of course, there would be a steep price. This likely starts with winger Rickard Rakell - who matched Robertson's goal total last season - as well as a first-round pick and a higher-end, near-NHL-ready prospect.

But it's a price they should be willing to pay if they truly want to execute a rebuild on-the-fly and have someone long-term who can help bridge the contention gap.

Whether they go the very realistic route of trying to acquire Bourque or try to swing big if Robertson truly becomes available, Dallas is a team that Dubas should have on speed dial in the coming days and weeks.

Report: Penguins, Kings Having Trade ConversationsIt has been abundantly clear for quite a while now that three

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Featured image credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Florida Panthers have won the Stanley Cup, again.

Isn’t it interesting that The Hockey Show has been around for two NHL seasons, and during its existence, only one team has won the Stanley Cup.

Not too shabby for co-hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork, who grew up in South Florida rooting for the Panthers while growing their love of hockey.

On Tuesday night, after Florida clinched their second consecutive Stanley Cup title on home ice, Roy and Dave were there once again.

Just like last year, the final THS postgame video comes from the ice at Amerant Bank Arena, with Panthers players, employees and family members celebrating in the background.

You can check out the video below:

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Initial discussions have begun between the New Jersey Devils and Cody Glass.

The 26-year-old's agent, Murray Koontz of WD Sports & Entertainment, told The Hockey News that nothing has been finalized but that conversations between him and Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald are ongoing.

Glass was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins with Jonathan Gruden for Chase Stillman, Max Graham, and a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft on Mar. 7, 2025.

The Winnipeg native is one of three restricted free agents (RFAs), along with Luke Hughes and Nolan Foote. 

In 14 games with the Devils, Glass earned seven points (two goals, five assists). He is coming off a two-year, $5 million contract that he signed with the Nashville Predators in 2023. 

"(He adds) size and speed," Fitzgerald said of Glass. "You know, he has played wing and center and gives us optionality. We want to be bigger. We want to be faster, and he gives us that."

The 6-foot-3, 201-pound forward earned a single-season career-high 35 points in 72 games with the Predators in 2022-23. One area of his game that has improved over the past couple of seasons is his face-off win percentage, which reached 51.2% in the 2024-25 campaign. 

“Pure style points, Biz.” - NJDevils Cody Glass

pic.twitter.com/WdkHByfln5

— Kristy Flannery (@InStilettos_NHL) March 9, 2025

The Devils parted ways with depth center Erik Haula on Wednesday in a trade with the Predators. Another depth center, Justin Dowling, will likely not return, per his agent. New Jersey needs to solidify its center depth to take some of the pressure off of captain Nico Hischier, who took the second-most draws in the NHL at 1,777. 

It is still early, as the Stanley Cup was awarded just a few days ago. The Devils have multiple decisions to make in addition to their RFAs, as Curtis Lazar, Nathan Bastian, Daniel Sprong, Brian Dumoulin, and Jake Allen are unrestricted free agents.  

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for the latest news and updates this offseason. 

The Mental Side of the Game: Devils Players & Mental Skills Coach Andy Swärd Take You Behind the Scenes

Hischier's Manager Patrick Fischer: 'He's Driven to Succeed, but Not Easily Satisfied'

The Chicago Blackhawks finished in 31st place in 2024-25. Whenever a season ends like that, whether by design or not, changes to the roster are on the horizon. 

A handful of veterans will be retained in Chicago, and some talent may be brought in over the summer. For the most part, however, this will be a team mostly built on youth. 

There is the possibility that player buy-outs are there to escape Chicago from any player that they want to remove from their books. It comes at a price, but teams do it all the time to make room. Sometimes, it is money-driven. In other cases, it is because the player no longer fits in from a hockey perspective. 

The buyout window opens on Friday, June 20th. Plenty of teams are going to shed some salary from their overall cap. 

Chicago is leading the way with TJ Brodie. He is the face of the buyout window this year, as many expect him to be bought out right away. The Blackhawks have plenty of cap room, and they are going to have even more following this move. 

If Brodie were bought out, the Blackhawks would have two years of buyout penalty. The first year would be $3.23 million, and the second would be $258K. If they kept him, they'd have him for one more year at $3.75 million

It is also clear that there is not a hockey need for Brodie anymore. On defense, young talents like Artyom Levshunov, Louis Crevier, Alex Vlasic, Ethan Del Mastro, Nolan Allan, Sam Rinzel, and Kevin Korchinski all played at different points during the season.

They also have a veteran like Connor Murphy still there, and more youth on the way. It's a good problem to have for an NHL team, but they may even need to trade a young asset to make room. 

Despite the tough season in Chicago, Brodie should be able to find work if he does get bought out. There will be teams looking for defensemen all across the league. At worst, he will get a two-way contract or a PTO during training camp. 

The only other Blackhawks player that may make sense to buy out is Joe Veleno. His buyout wouldn't be as harsh because of his age/salary, which makes it possible, but they do need players to have in the lineup come opening night. 

The buyout penalty for Veleno would be for two years. Year one would be $796K, and the second year would be $296K. Whether or not a move like this should happen is debatable, but only Kyle Davidson knows exactly how he wants the team to line up in 2025-26. 

When the window opens, a handful of teams will make moves. Will the Blackhawks consider any of the players let go? That will depend on the player, his position, and the philosophy of the organization going into the summer. 

Brodie, as mentioned before, became unplayable by the end of the season. Letting him go is worth it for that reason alone, which is why he is the top 2025 buyout candidate in the NHL. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

Coming out of the NHL Scouting Combine earlier this month, the Buffalo Sabres got the lowdown on a number of prospects that could be their with the ninth selection at the 2025 Draft in Los Angeles later this month, but barring a trade up they will have to rely on the player they want slipping through the cracks.  

The NY Islanders are likely to select defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the top overall pick, but there is no accurate read on how the remaining seven picks will break. That seems to be reflected in various mock drafts that have emerged since the combine. After Schaefer, names like Michael Misa, Caleb Desnoyers, and rising star Anton Frondell are likely to go in the top five, but at that point, any of a number of players could be there for the Sabres at #9.  

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Swedish forward Victor Eklund is listed on most mock drafts as a top-10 pick at the 2025 NHL Draft later this month after scoring 19 goals for Djurgardens in the second-level Allsvenskan last season and six points at the 2025 IIHF World Junior last January. The Sabres have been quite willing to select players out of the SHL the last few seasons, as they have chosen Isak Rosen and Noah Ostlund in the first round of the 2021 and 2022 Drafts and Anton Wahlberg in the second round of the 2023 Draft. 

According to the Hockey News Draft Preview, Eklund is a high-energy forward who, along with linemate and 2025 first-round prospect Frondell, helped Djurgardens win elevation back to the SHL last season. His size (5’11”, 161 lb.) isn’t ideal, but the 18-year-old winger has NHL pedigree as the younger brother of San Jose Sharks forward William Eklund, which could make some teams overlook his lack of size. 

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The Vegas Golden Knights currently head into the offseason with Adin Hill and Akira Schmid under contract as Ilya Samsonov prepares for his second offseason as an unrestricted free agent. 

Samsonov was unimpressive in his first season with the Golden Knights, posting a .891 SP and a 2.82 GAA in 29 starts. He posted a positive record, going 16-9-4, but when he was in the crease, the Golden Knights lacked the security they grew accustomed to receiving from Logan Thompson.

Coincidentally, they felt that security when Schmid was in between the pipes. In five games, the 25-year-old posted a .944 SP and a 1.26 GAA, starting three of those five games and winning two. His success in the NHL came as a surprise. When the Golden Knights acquired Schmid and Alexander Holtz from the New Jersey Devils, they planned on playing him in the AHL. Schmid played most of the season with the Henderson Silver Knights, throwing up unenthusiastic numbers. His .886 SP and 3.58 GAA in 30 games were well off the numbers that top goaltending prospect Carl Lindbom registered. 

It's difficult to draw conclusions about a goaltender after just one season, but Schmid, at times, has shown he can be a dependable goaltender. In the 2022-23 season, Schmid recorded a .922 SP in 18 games.

The Golden Knights are hoping to make a splash in the offseason and need to cut costs in several areas. One way to do so is to bank on players earning cost-efficient contracts like Schmid. He's under contract for the 2025-26 season at just $875,000 and will remain a restricted free agent when the contract expires. 

With a 6'5 frame, Schmid has the physical tools for a modern-day NHL goaltender, but putting it all together consistently has been the issue, similar to what's been said about Samsonov throughout his career. Utilizing Schmid as a backup goaltender has its benefits. It allows the organization more freedom in free agency, and it grants Lindbom, as well as Cameron Whitehead, the freedom to serve as the goaltender tandem in the AHL.

It does come with its fair share of risks. If Schmid struggles and Hill suffers an injury, the Golden Knights will be left in an unfavorable situation. If the Golden Knights are serious about their pursuit of Mitch Marner, utilizing Schmid as the backup goaltender is well worth the risk. 

A classic high-risk, high-reward situation. 

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Mitch Marner and Golden Knights Situation Becoming Clearer As Free Agent Window ApproachesMitch Marner becomes eligible to sign with any team on July. 1 and as the free agency window approaches, the situation revolving around the most sought-after free agent and the Vegas Golden Knights has become clearer.