The Wraparound has some more rapid-fire looks at NHL free agency, international and women’s hockey news and more.

Where Does Marner Fit In The Golden Knights' Lineup? by The Wraparoundundefined

Here’s what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello and Willie Ramirez discussed in this episode:

1:15: Do the Winnipeg Jets have the weapons to replace Nikolaj Ehlers?

3:36: Which NHL teams must look at next steps after missing out on Ehlers?

7:00: Where does Mitch Marner fit in the Vegas Golden Knights’ forward lineup?  

11:50: Will the Washington Capitals insert more rising prospects into the lineup next season after losing players in free agency? 

14:04: What do you think about what the Capitals have or haven’t done so far in the off-season?

16:30: The Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner wants Hockey Canada to push for a fighting ban across all junior leagues. Agree or disagree? 

22:10: Reacting to women's hockey in North America hitting record numbers: is this growth a result of the PWHL’s visibility?

24:18: Can these rising numbers be attributed to something other than the PWHL? 

28:00: The NHL, NHLPA and IIHF reach an official agreement for NHL player participation in the 2026 Olympics. Does the USA now have an edge, thanks to the 4 Nations experience and the IIHF World Championship victory (its first since 1933)?

29:46: What will this rivalry between the USA and Canada look like at the Olympics next year? 

32:30: The Anaheim Ducks signed Mikael Granlund to three-year, $21-million contract. They had the cap space to do it, but is this an overpay for a middle-six center?

34:16: How is Granlund going to impact the Ducks roster, and what kind of noise will the team make this year? 

Watch the full episode here. 

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It's been six years since the Toronto Maple Leafs traded Nazem Kadri to the Colorado Avalanche.

The expensive addition of John Tavares in 2018 and Kadri's then-average annual value of $4.5 million made the latter an expensive third-line center. His frequent suspensions for undisciplined play in the post-season hastened his departure.

Kadri went on to help the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022 before heading to the Calgary Flames later that summer. He matured along the way, playing a more disciplined style without sacrificing his effectiveness as an agitating point producer. 

Now 34, Kadri is a core player for the Flames. However, their retooling process made him the subject of trade speculation last summer. It reached the point where Kadri told reporters last fall to “pump the brakes” on the trade chatter, insisting that he loved living and playing in Calgary. 

A year later, the speculation has resurfaced, as Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun suggested a possible reunion for Kadri with the Maple Leafs. 

The Maple Leafs still need a top-six forward following the departure of Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights earlier this week. Koshan wondered if Leafs GM Brad Treliving would make a pitch for Kadri. 

While admitting there is nothing to suggest such a deal could happen, Koshan cited an NHL source claiming Kadri wouldn't let his no-movement clause stand in the way of a return to Toronto. However, he also noted that the one-time Leaf hasn't requested a trade, nor has he been asked to waive his NMC.

It's unlikely that the Flames are interested in moving Kadri. He was their leading scorer last season with 35 goals and 67 points, and his presence is crucial to their playoff contention hopes this season.

Even if the Flames were open to trading Kadri, they would want at least a good young NHL forward as part of the return, something the Leafs lack among their limited trade assets. 

Turning to Buffalo, Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram remains a fixture in the rumor mill. The 24-year-old defenseman is an RFA with arbitration rights, prompting conjecture that he could be traded or become a candidate for an offer sheet. 

However, Sabres GM Kevyn Adams told reporters on Wednesday he would match any offer sheet for Byram. Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News speculated a trade could still take place, pointing out the Sabres need to replace top-six right winger JJ Peterka, who was shipped to the Utah Mammoth last week. 

Harrington also corrected a TSN report earlier this week claiming Byram was a year away from UFA eligibility. He is, in fact, two years away.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Los Angeles Kings GM Ken Holland has been one of the busiest GMs in NHL free agency. 

The longtime NHL executive has only been on the job in L.A. since the middle of May, but Holland put his stamp on the Kings extremely quickly. 

That said, after a flurry of signings, has Holland made this team better? And specifically, has he made the Kings better than the team he left in June 2024 – the Edmonton Oilers?

If we’re being honest, we have to question some of Holland’s signings this summer. Re-signing left winger Andrei Kuzmenko to a one-year, $4.3-million extension was a good gamble, given that Kuzmenko produced 11 goals and 37 points in 66 games this past season. The year before that, Kuzmenko posted 22 goals and 46 points in 72 games, and a show-me contract could see him put up even better numbers in 2025-26.

Holland also added two veteran right wingers with former Montreal Canadien Joel Armia and former Oiler Corey Perry. The two new Kings will count for a combined $4.5-million cap hit next season, although Perry’s deal is a performance-bonus-laden pact that could add another $2 million. Still, that’s a total the Kings should be happy to pay out.

The biggest issue for Holland that he failed to address so far is the Kings’ defense corps. L.A.’s group of blueliners took a major hit on July 1 when cornerstone veteran Vladislav Gavrikov left the Kings in favor of the New York Rangers. Gavrikov had a $5.875-million cap hit in Los Angeles for the past two seasons, and Holland had more than enough cap space to match or better the Rangers’ eventual offer of $7 million per campaign for the next seven years.  

However, rather than bring Gavrikov back, Holland opted for two veteran D-men: Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci. 

Dumoulin bounced between four teams since 2022-23 before signing with the Kings on a three-year deal worth $4 million per season. But the most curious signing was Ceci on a four-year deal worth $4.5 million per season.

Since 2021-22, 31-year-old Ceci has played on three different teams – the Oilers, San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars – and his totals on offense have been decidedly unimpressive. In 85 games this past season, Ceci had four goals and 24 points. Ceci is also hardly a defensive shutdown menace. Why did Holland give him a big-money, long-term deal? It’s mind-boggling.

So, when you compare Holland’s new-look Kings to the Oilers, you have to come to the conclusion that Edmonton is, on paper, still a better team than Los Angeles. 

The Oilers have two of the top five forwards in the world in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. They also have terrific depth up front, and their defense corps – with newly-signed star Evan Bouchard, rugged Mattias Ekholm, Darnell Nurse, Brett Kulak and Jake Walman filling out the top-three pairings – is better than the ‘D’ corps of the Kings.

If there is one area where L.A. has an advantage over the Oilers, it’s in net. 

The Kings have Stanley Cup-champion Darcy Kuemper as their starter, and Holland added a decent-enough backup with former Ottawa Senators veteran Anton Forsberg at the relatively cheap rate of $2.25 million. The Oilers, on the other hand, have the tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard – and many expect Edmonton GM Stan Bowman will break up that tandem via trade at some point this summer.

On the whole, though, we have to say we like Holland’s former team as a group more than we like his new-look Kings. But don’t get us wrong – we still see the Kings as a lock to make the playoffs in the relatively weak Pacific Division.

NHL Free Agency 2025: Six Losers So FarThe first day of the NHL’s 2025 free-agent frenzy is now in the books, and as is tradition on THN.com, we’re examining the winners and losers from the beginning of the free-agent period. 

Once again, Edmonton and Los Angeles could be facing each other in the first or second round of the 2026 playoffs. If that happens, and the lineups remain relatively the same as they are on July 3, we see the Kings losing to the Oilers for the fifth straight season. 

Who knows – stranger things could happen, and Holland’s changes could ultimately be enough for L.A. to avenge prior losses to Edmonton. But it’s just as likely, if not more likely, that McDavid and Draisaitl once again overwhelm the Kings’ defense and the Oilers send Los Angeles home for another long summer.

At that point, Holland’s imprint on the Kings should face intense scrutiny.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Get your fill-in on another day of the NHL's off-season with rapid-fire discussion on The Wraparound.

Predicting Connor Bedard's Next Contract With The Chicago Blackhawks by The Wraparoundundefined

Here's what Emma Lingan, Stephen Kerr and Michael Augello discussed in today's episode:

0:00: Predicting Connor Bedard’s next contract with the Chicago Blackhawks

5:52: What to make of the Dallas Stars’ decision to hire Glen Gulutzan as coach

9:50: Was signing Brent Burns a low-risk move for the Colorado Avalanche?

12:06: How will losing Pius Suter affect the Vancouver Canucks?

16:35: Does Don Cherry deserve to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame next year?

20:26: Breaking down Ken Holland’s first free agency with the Los Angeles Kings

24:55: Was Morgan Frost’s extension with the Calgary Flames a good signing?

27:05: Making sense of the Seattle Kraken’s off-season trades and signings

29:49: Could Andrew Mangiapane be re-ignited by playing with the Edmonton Oilers?

33:20: Assessing the San Jose Sharks’ free agency decisions

36:30: Reacting to Nikolaj Ehlers’ contract with the Carolina Hurricanes

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Promo image credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images

The Carolina Hurricanes could have other NHL teams going back to the drawing board after agreeing to terms with Nikolaj Ehlers on a six-year contract worth $8.5 million per season.

One of the NHL's top remaining UFAs leaves the Winnipeg Jets after 10 seasons to join the Hurricanes. The left winger now has the second-highest cap hit on the Hurricanes behind Sebastian Aho's $9.75 million. Some NHL squads will have to look at next steps after missing out on Ehlers, who's now signed through the 2030-31 season.

“Nikolaj was the top free agent available on July 1, and we are proud that he’s chosen to make Carolina his home,” Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky said in a news release. “He’s a highly skilled winger who can really skate and will fit very well with our forward group.”

Ehlers, 29, had 24 goals and 39 assists for 63 points in 69 games with the Jets this past season, adding another seven points in eight playoff contests. His ice time per game has been between 15 and 16 minutes for the past three seasons after logging a career-high 18:04 average in 2021-22.

He's only played at least 70 games in a season four times, either due to shortened campaigns or injuries. That said, he's coming off back-to-back seasons of at least 60 points, which previously occurred in the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.

Of the top UFA forwards left, Ehlers had 24 points than the next-highest scorer, former Hurricanes center Jack Roslovic, who recorded 39 points this past season.

Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic posted to X earlier on Thursday, saying there's a sense that Ehlers' decision could spur trade activity among clubs who missed out.

Mitch Marner, Brock Boeser, Mikael Granlund and Brad Marchand all came off the board either before the market opened or shortly after. Even some middle-six options, such as Jonathan Drouin and Pius Suter, signed with new clubs.

Aside from Roslovic, other remaining UFAs who can play on the wing include Victor Olofsson, Jeff Skinner, Anthony Beauvillier, Joel Kiviranta and Michael Carcone.

There's also the option of going the offer-sheet route and targeting RFAs, which include Kaapo Kakko and Alex Laferriere or centers Gabriel Vilardi, Marco Rossi and Mason McTavish. But those players would have to be willing to leave their current clubs, which can also choose whether to match the offer sheet or not.

A team looking to take away an RFA needs at least its own first-round pick and third-round pick to sign a player for an average annual value of over $4,680,076 when dividing the total salary by the term length or five years, whichever is lower. If the offer sheet AAV is over $7,020,113 but below $9,360,153, the compensation would have to be a first-, second- and third-rounder.

The trade route opens up more possibilities to acquire a top-six winger.

The Pittsburgh Penguins, which finished fourth-last in the Eastern Conference this past season, have two forwards who could be trade bait, according to The Hockey News' Kelsey Surmacz.

Rickard Rakell, 32, has three years left on his contract with a $5-million cap hit and an eight-team no-trade list, according to PuckPedia. He had 35 goals and 70 points for the Penguins this past season, both career highs.

Bryan Rust, 33, is also under contract for three more years at a $5.125-million cap hit. He had 31 goals and 34 assists for 65 points – all career highs – in 71 games.

Dallas Stars left winger Jason Robertson surfaced in trade speculation before NHL free agency, as the Stars faced a cap crunch while trying to re-sign their pending UFAs. The 25-year-old has been one of Dallas' best forwards, recording 80 points in the past two seasons and 109 points in 2022-23 while staying healthy. He has one more year on his contract with a $7.75-million cap hit before becoming an RFA with arbitration rights.

The Stars re-signed Jamie Benn, Matt Duchene, Mavrik Bourque and Nils Lundkvist, among others, and they brought back longtime Stars center Radek Faksa after he played one season with the St. Louis Blues. Dallas has rounded out its roster but sits nearly $1.8 million over the salary cap ceiling. Nevertheless, a trade return for Robertson would have to be so good that Dallas remains a Stanley Cup contender, gains cap space and maintains a high level of scoring.

If Rust, Rakell and Robertson aren't available, then Nashville Predators right winger Jonathan Marchessault has also been a topic of trade speculation after the team finished third-last in the Western Conference in 2024-25. The 34-year-old put up 21 goals and 56 points in 78 games this past season, and he has four years left on his contract with a $5.5-million cap hit and a full no-movement clause.

If it's back to the drawing board for teams that couldn't find what they were looking for in NHL free agency, they at least have options to pursue during summer.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

When Ryan Roobroeck went second overall to Niagara in the 2023 OHL draft, the IceDogs were in a bad spot.

New owner Darren DeDobbelaer, who named himself GM, was suspended from those duties for violating rules surrounding an investigation that led to the OHL kicking Niagara players Landon Cato and Joshua Rosenzweig out of the league under its bullying-and-harassment guidelines. The team was about to hire its third coach in as many years, and now, they’re on their fifth coach in five seasons.

So, in a league where you don’t have to sign with the team that drafts you – trades are common, and the USHL is always an option – Roobroeck could’ve balked. Instead, he saw brighter skies ahead in Niagara.

“I had my interview with them, and there was nothing but great things they were talking about,” he said. “Everything was going in the right direction, so I put my faith in them, and I knew what they could do to send me in the right direction for my career, so I decided to commit.”

The hope around the ‘O’ is Niagara finally stabilizes, but at the least, the IceDogs have a solid young core with a lot of potential – and their big left winger is part of the solution.

Roobroeck, 17, finished as one of Niagara’s top scorers in his rookie year, and thanks to a breakout sophomore season for both him and the IceDogs, he’s looking like a great option after Medicine Hat phenom Gavin McKenna in the 2026 NHL draft.

Roobroeck saw his first OHL playoff action this spring, and while it was only for one round, the timing allowed him to join Team Canada at the U-18 worlds afterward. He ran wild, with nine points in seven games for the gold-medal winners.

“It’s been cool, meeting new guys from different leagues and seeing how they do things,” he said. “And representing your country is special. It’s something very important to me.”

Former NHLer Cory Stillman coached Team Canada at the event, and he was familiar with Roobroeck since Stillman is also the bench boss in OHL Guelph. So he knew how hard it was to handle the kid on the ice.

“He’s a big body (6-foot-4, 190 pounds) who has a tremendous shot, and can make plays down low,” Stillman said. “He made a big jump this year, and he’ll make a bigger jump next year. For anybody like that, you have to be willing to compete against him and take away time and space. For a defenseman, you have to have a good gap because he doesn’t need much time to release his shot, and when he does, it’s a goal-scorer’s shot.”

The Calgary Flames And The League Among The Winners And Losers From The 2025 NHL DraftIt almost feels impossible to designate winners and losers on the day that the NHL draft goes down. The whole point of the NHL draft is to build for the future, and with the inexact science that is the NHL draft, no one really knows who won and lost the day the picks are made. 

Though he was one of the younger players on the team, Roobroeck bought into the Canadian system, something that’s been key to success for the nation at all levels in recent years.

“He’s a great kid,” Stillman said. “When you get to Hockey Canada, roles change. All these kids normally play power play and maybe on the half-wall. Ryan ended up being a net-front guy and sometimes bumper. His attitude there was great. He was willing to do whatever we needed him to do to win.”

That spirit can partially be explained by the fact the IceDogs winger grew up with older brother Dylan Roobroeck, a New York Rangers draftee who just finished his first AHL season in Hartford after playing in the OHL himself. Dylan is 6-foot-7, but Ryan never asked him to go easy when they played together as kids.

“I have nothing but great things to say about him,” Ryan said. “Growing up, I have memories I’ll never forget, and it’s helped me get to where I am right now. Leaning on him, seeing him go through the OHL and being in the ‘A’ right now, it’s huge just having him to talk to, where I can ask him anything. Having him one call away is so important.”

Funny enough, when it comes to NHL mentors, Roobroeck has always loved watching someone known for being one of the best smaller superstars in recent generations.

“Someone I enjoyed watching, and still do, is Patrick Kane,” he said. “Just the way he slows the game down. The vision he has to make everyone on the ice around him better is sick.”

The Next Crop Of Stars: Projected Top 10 NHL Draft Picks For 2026LW, Medicine Hat (WHL)

When the 2025-26 season starts in Niagara, a lot of eyes will be on Roobroeck, and he plans to continue developing all parts of his game.

“There’s no place you’re too good at,” he said. “You have to keep steadily working on everything.”

It hasn’t been ideal in Niagara, but with Roobroeck’s ability to thrive through adversity, it’s not hard to see him being a problem for everyone else in the OHL next season.

---

This article appeared in our 2025 Draft Preview issue. Our cover story focuses on the Erie Otters' star defenseman and top draft prospect Matthew Schaefer, who has excelled despite the personal losses of his past. We also include features on other top prospects, including Michael Misa and more. In addition, we give our list of the top 100 prospects for the 2025 NHL draft.

You can get it in print for free when you subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/Free today. All subscriptions include complete access to more than 76 years of articles at The Hockey News Archive.

The Toronto Maple Leafs haven't yet made any big splashes in this summer's UFA pool. Their most notable move was signing former Montreal Canadiens checking-line forward Michael Pezzetta to a two-year deal. 

Meanwhile, their most notable trade was the sign-and-trade deal that sent right winger Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights on June 30 for Nicolas Roy.

Jonas Siegel of The Athletic believes Marner's departure leaves the Leafs in need of a top-six forward. He suggested they add either a right winger to skate alongside Auston Matthews or John Tavares, or a center who could push Tavares to the wing or centering the third line.

This year's thin free-agent market is tapped out of prime scoring talent.  Sportsnet's Luke Fox thinks GM Brad Treliving will turn to the trade market for a bona fide top-six forward. 

The Hockey News’ David Alter observed that the Maple Leafs have over $4.9 million in cap space for this season. He suggested Treliving could weaponize that space later this summer, targeting cap-strapped teams to acquire a player the Leafs need. 

Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun shares that opinion. He felt Treliving could draw on his glut of affordable bottom-six forwards for trade chips. 

That could include Nick Robertson, an RFA with arbitration rights. The 23-year-old left winger created a stir last summer when he requested a trade, only to sign a one-year deal a week before training camp opened last September.

Meanwhile, the Canadiens have been active in the off-season trade market. Less than a week after their bombshell acquisition of defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders last Friday, they shipped blueliner Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues for middle-six forward Zack Bolduc. 

Both moves received positive reviews, but failed to address their pressing need for a second-line center.  They must also cope with the departures of veteran forwards Joel Armia and Christian Dvorak.

Arpon Basu of The Athletic believes Canadiens GM Kent Hughes is willing to look within the organization to address that issue in the short term. Sportsnet's Eric Engels thinks their best option would be to try Kirby Dach in the second-line center role.

Engels acknowledged that the oft-injured Dach struggled last season before undergoing knee surgery. However, he didn't have wingers like Bolduc and Ivan Demidov as potential linemates. 

Following the acquisition of Dobson, there was speculation that Mike Matheson might be used as a trade chip for a second-line center or winger. The 31-year-old puck-moving defenseman is a year away from UFA eligibility, but Hughes told reporters he's not moving him, citing the big minutes he played last season.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Brent Burns signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche as he gears up for a 22nd career NHL season.

The teamannounced the 40-year-old defenseman's signing on Wednesday evening but didn't reveal an average annual value. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports the contract has a $1-million base salary with the potential to earn another $3 million in games-played bonuses. Burns was a UFA after finishing an eight-year contract with an $8-million cap hit.

This past season with the Carolina Hurricanes, Burns recorded six goals and 23 assists for 29 points in 82 games. He can extend the fourth-longest ironman streak in NHL history, which stands at 925 straight games.

In 1,497 career regular-season NHL games, Burns has 261 goals and 649 assists for 910 points. He's  added another 24 goals and 80 points in 135 playoff games, making the Stanley Cup final with the San Jose Sharks in 2015-16.

Burns won the Norris Trophy as the defenseman of the year in 2016-17 after putting up 76 points, and he was the 2014-15 recipient of the NHL Foundation Player Award.

At 6-foot-5 and 228 pounds, Burns has continued to log many minutes of ice time per game, with 20:57 this past season and a career average of 22:22. He ranked second on the Hurricanes in blocked shots, with 98, and he ranks 19th in the NHL in total blocked shots since his first season in 2006-07, with 1,785.

The Avalanche are Burns' fourth NHL team. Before the Hurricanes and 11 seasons with the Sharks, Burns' first seven campaigns came with the Minnesota Wild, which drafted him 20th overall in 2003.

As a right-shot blueliner, Burns could slot behind Cale Makar and Josh Manson the Avalanche's depth chart. On the left side, Colorado has Devon Toews, Samuel Girard and Sam Malinski. They lost Ryan Lindgren in free agency to the Seattle Kraken, and Erik Johnson and Tucker Poolman became UFAs as well.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Entering the current off-season, many hockey observers were intrigued to see the direction the Pittsburgh Penguins would take. 

After all, this team stubbornly refused to go through a full roster rebuild but has also begun making moves that address its long-term future.

Unfortunately for Penguins fans, Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas’ initial roster moves this summer have not inspired confidence. Instead, there’s a sense that, at best, the Penguins will once again be a “mushy middle” team – not good enough to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs and not bad enough to secure draft picks that will be the foundation for the organization in the years ahead.

The time is now for Dubas to move veterans who will command a sizeable return in a trade – high-impact players, such as star defenseman Erik Karlsson and right wingers Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell. Karlsson has a full no-movement clause, but there’s reportedly a possibility he’ll waive it to go to a Cup contender.Rakell and Rust, meanwhile, don’t have full no-move clauses.

However, Dubas has stubbornly held onto those players so far. He’s instead made low-impact trades, including acquiring third-pair defenseman Connor Clifton from Buffalo in return for depth blueliner Conor Timmins.

In free agency, Dubas has held onto the bulk of Pittsburgh’s cap space – now about $14.9 million – and spent on B-grade players, including wingers Anthony Mantha and Justin Brazeau. He dealt goalie Alex Nedeljkovic to the San Jose Sharks, further muddying the Penguins’ situation in net. Veteran Tristan Jarry was a candidate for a contract buyout but stayed, and youngster Joel Blomqvist will likely be thrown to the wolves behind a defense corps that is hardly a shutdown unit. 

Consequently, the Penguins lack quality depth in important positions and the type of players who can help them contend for a playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division.

It’s true Dubas still has time to effect major change. But if the status quo stays, the Pens will likely miss the playoffs for a fourth straight season – something that is truly hard to fathom for a team with Hockey Hall of Fame-bound icons in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. But with every day that passes without notable change, the Penguins appear destined to disappoint a fan base that not so long ago was accustomed to championship glory.

Dubas is also working with a first-year coach in Dan Muse, who has to be a teacher to Pittsburgh’s youngsters while also pushing to produce acceptable performances from the veterans. Muse’s balancing act carries with it a real danger that there could be more failure on the horizon, and the pressure felt by Dubas and Pens brass could easily trickle down into the roster, causing everyone to squeeze their sticks a little too hard.

It all adds up to a situation in Pittsburgh that’s far from ideal. The Penguins are being pulled in two different directions – toward playoff contention on one end and toward a bigger rebuild on the other end – and the mixed-message reality of the organization is likely to lead to further letdowns.

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The first day of the NHL’s 2025 free-agent frenzy is now in the books, and as is tradition on THN.com, we’re examining the winners and losers from the beginning of the free-agent period. 

On Tuesday, we broke down the five biggest winners, and today, we’re looking at the six teams who, for different reasons, have to be labelled as losers. 

In alphabetical order:

Boston Bruins

The Bruins did a lot of roster shuffling, acquiring role players including former Oilers right winger Viktor Arvidsson, former Blue Jackets left winger Sean Kuraly and former Kings left winger Tanner Jeannot. But there’s a reason those three veterans were available – namely, that their previous teams felt they were expendable. And picking up spare parts and reclamation projects was not the way the Bruins operated in their recent heyday.

Boston GM Don Sweeney had a decent amount of salary cap space heading into the free-agent frenzy, but after spending most of it in the past few days, he can’t expect prognosticators to project that the Bs will be a playoff team next season. At best, they look to be only slightly improved on paper, and in a highly competitive Atlantic Division, they haven’t done enough to be pegged as a Stanley Cup post-season team in 2025-26.

Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres made a handful of moves – most notably, the re-signing of RFA center Ryan McLeod, and the UFA signings of or trades for fringe players including goalie Alex Lyon, defensemen Zac Jones and Conor Timmins, and wingers Josh Doan and Justin Danforth. Meanwhile, the status of RFA star defenseman Bowen Byram is still in limbo, with many expecting he’ll be traded by Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams, but there has been no movement on the trade front as of Wednesday afternoon.

Consequently, these current Sabres roster changes are thoroughly underwhelming. Adams is gambling he’s made the team better by buttressing their bottom two lines of forwards and their bottom defense pairing, but we just don’t see anyone Buffalo has added as being true needle-movers. 

At a time when Buffalo is desperate to get back in the thick of the playoff race in the Atlantic, there’s not enough there to expect the Sabres will end their 14-year streak without post-season hockey.

Chicago Blackhawks

The Hawks have struggled for years to play at a level that is anywhere close to being a playoff contender, and Chicago GM Kyle Davidson changed coaches this summer in an effort to raise the competitive bar for his team. However, other than trading for fourth-liner Sam Lafferty, the Blackhawks have done nothing of consequence. Budding star Connor Bedard needed some high-end talent to elevate his game in 2025-26, but thus far, Davidson has given him nothing different to work with.

Chicago still has approximately $21.3 million in cap space, and it’s possible that Davidson is hanging onto as much of it as possible to spend on the very deep class of UFA stars on course to be available in the summer of 2026. 

But we’re judging this organization based on the here and now, and looking through that prism, you can’t come to any conclusion other than the fact that the Hawks will almost assuredly finish well out of a playoff spot next season. 

Detroit Red Wings

Like the Blackhawks, the Red Wings are an Original Six franchise who have seen better days. Detroit GM Steve Yzerman has been preaching patience with his lineup, but Wings fans are starting to grow tired of seeing him kick the competitive can down the road. And very few moves he’s made in the past few days qualify as legitimate roster improvements.

Yzerman did trade for former Anaheim Ducks star goalie John Gibson, so there’s an upgrade in net. But otherwise, Detroit has only retained aging star winger Patrick Kane, and signed veteran winger James van Riemsdyk and fringe defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker. This is hardly the stuff of Grade-A acquisitions. 

Even if Yzerman’s gamble on internal improvement comes to pass, the Red Wings don’t have the elite talent to compete with other Atlantic teams. So you can’t say they’ve been anything other than losers through the first couple days of free agency.

Edmonton Oilers

Despite nearly winning a Cup this past season, the Oilers weren’t able to persuade key role players to re-sign with the team. Right winger Connor Brown left via free agency for the New Jersey Devils, while right winger Corey Perry departed for the Kings. Those are two losses that will be hard to address.

Edmonton was able to re-sign star defenseman Evan Bouchard to a four-year, $42-million contract extension, and center Trent Frederic also agreed to a long-term extension. But otherwise, their only additions are bottom-six winger Curtis Lazar and mid-tier winger Andrew Mangiapane, the latter of whom hasn’t scored more than 17 goals in any of the past three seasons. 

At best, the Oilers are approximately the same in terms of all-around talent, and that may not be good enough to keep Pacific Division and Western Conference teams at bay next year. That makes them a loser on our list.

Los Angeles Kings

Kings GM Ken Holland had a boatload of cap space heading into free agency and used a whole lot of it, signing Perry away from Edmonton, then inking former Senators backup goalie Anton Forsberg as well as veteran Montreal right winger Joel Armia and former Devils D-man Brian Dumoulin. 

But the most dubious signing, from our point of view, was the four-year, $18-million contract Holland gave to journeyman defenseman Cody Ceci, who is now on his seventh NHL team in eight seasons. Were there really competing teams out there who were offering Ceci anything close to what he wound up getting? Sorry, but we just don’t see it.

Basically, the Kings haven’t done nearly enough to see them as being as improved as their Pacific rivals around them. Holland has quickly left his imprint on the roster, and with approximately $5.99 million in cap space, he may not be done making additions to his group. But as it stands, Los Angeles has become more mediocre than anything else, and this is why we have them as a loser thus far in free agency.

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