Steve Yzerman "failing up?" Spot on. Rangers returning to the playoffs? Not so much.

Topics in this edition of the PHR Mailbag include Chicago’s offseason, early winners and losers, Cutter Gauthier’s situation, and more.

Unrestricted free agent goaltender Hunter Shepard has signed a one-year contract with Barys Astana of the KHL.

Unrestricted free agent forward Patrik Laine has had a seemingly quiet market this summer, and he remains unsigned as the calendar inches closer to August. With so much of free agency already in the rearview mirror, it’s not only unclear where in the NHL Laine will land for 2026-27, but also what kind of contract he’ll […]

Goaltender Dmitri Ivchenko, a Vancouver Canucks prospect who was selected No. 78 overall in this year’s NHL draft, has signed a three-year contract extension with his KHL club, Avangard Omsk. The deal will keep the 18-year-old netminder in Russia through the end of the 2028-29 KHL campaign. A sizable netminder who stands 6’3″, 180 pounds, […]

The Charlotte Checkers, AHL affiliates of the Florida Panthers, announced that two forwards have been signed to AHL deals: Riley Hughes and Philip Tresca. Hughes, 26, is a 2018 seventh-round pick of the New York Rangers and a 6’2″, 194-pound forward. His signing marks a return to Charlotte, having spent almost his entire professional career […]

The Columbus Blue Jackets have avoided arbitration with one of their most important remaining restricted free agents. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Blue Jackets have signed Cole Sillinger to a three-year, $13.875MM ($4.625MM AAV) contract. A few hours after the announcement, PuckPedia revealed the year-by-year breakdown of Sillinger’s new contract: Year NHL Salary Signing […]

Notes from the Pacific including news from Anaheim's AHL affiliate, the Canucks are down an assistant GM, and more.

Anaheim Ducks restricted free agent Vyacheslav Buteyets has signed in the KHL.

Notes from the Metropolitan including an update on Adam Fantilli, a Flyers prospect makes his college commitment, and more.

Unrestricted free agent winger Nathan Legare signed a one-year deal in the KHL.

Although many expected him to retire after coaching the Vegas Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final, John Tortorella wants another crack at things if afforded the opportunity. In an interview with Joe Smith of The Athletic, Tortorella said, “Oh, I want to coach. I want to coach now. I’m not sure if that happens, […]

The last arbitration case of the offseason has been settled. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Florida Panthers have signed netminder Akira Schmid to a two-year, $4MM ($2MM AAV) contract. The two sides were scheduled for an arbitration hearing on August 1st. Schmid, 26, is a key part of Florida’s revamped goaltending room heading into […]

There’s no doubt that the Detroit Red Wings have the most question marks heading into the 2026-27 season. They are searching for a new General Manager, have an ongoing trade request from their captain, Dylan Larkin, a looming extension negotiation with Alex DeBrincat, and a new contract is needed for defenseman Simon Edvinsson. Despite having […]

July 24th: Agozzino won’t take much of a break away from hockey, or any at all. According to an announcement from the Mammoth, Agozzino will join the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners as an assistant coach for the 2026-27 season. July 21st: Long-time AHL forward Andrew Agozzino, who was set to play overseas next season after signing […]

2018 first-round pick Grigori Denisenko will remain in the KHL for at least another season, as he has signed a one-year contract extension with his current club, Ak Bars Kazan. The deal runs through the 2026-27 season. Although Denisenko was unable to live up to his former top prospect billing at the NHL level, he […]

Philadelphia Flyers forward Nikita Grebenkin is expected to be “fully ready” and healthy for the team’s training camp in September, reports PHLY Sports’ Charlie O’Connor. Grebenkin suffered an upper-body injury in late March, one that ended his 2025-26 season prematurely. In May, Flyers GM Danny Briere told the media, including O’Connor, that Grebenkin was at […]

The New York Islanders have avoided arbitration with RFA forward Alex Jefferies, signing him to a one-year contract extension, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. According to Friedman, the deal carries a league-minimum $850K NHL salary, $100K AHL salary, and $150K total guarantee. Jefferies, 24, was a fourth-round pick of the Islanders at the 2020 draft. […]

The Carolina Hurricanes’ AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, have signed forward Chase Wheatcroft to a one-year AHL contract. Wheatcroft, 24, became an unrestricted free agent this summer after his former club, the Dallas Stars, elected not to extend him a qualifying offer. The three-year entry-level contract Wheatcroft signed with Dallas in March 2023 expired earlier […]

The AHL’s Providence Bruins are zeroing in on Trent Whitfield as their new head coach, reported by Mark Divver, NHL.com contributor. Somebody who has ties to the organization across multiple levels, the 49-year-old was a former team captain who played in Providence from 2009-2013. Retiring soon after, Whitfield has served as an assistant coach for […]

Despite August soon approaching, 10 NHL clubs currently find themselves without a captain. It’s ground unheard of, thought to be the most vacancies at one time in NHL history, as raised yesterday by The Athletic’s Julian McKenzie. The Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, […]

The Chicago Blackhawks took care of a major piece of summer business this past weekend, signing franchise star forward Connor Bedard to a five-year, $75MM contract extension, solidifying his place with the team for the next half-decade. The move quieted any potential offer sheet talk and set Chicago up to start planning how to build […]

Former Columbus Blue Jackets top-three draft pick Jack Johnson is exploring new avenues in his retirement. The veteran of 1,228 NHL games has joined The Ohio State University women’s hockey team as an associate head coach. He will take over the position held by former Blue Jackets teammate James Wisniewski, who has left Ohio State […]

The Carolina Hurricanes won’t have to go to arbitration with defenseman Ronan Seeley. The two sides have agreed on a one-year contract extension that pays $850K at the NHL level and $100K at the AHL level, with $160K guaranteed, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Seeley made his NHL debut in the final game of Carolina’s regular […]