NHL Articles - Page 31

After a few rough seasons, 2024-25 was a brighter one for the Montreal Canadiens. Under the guidance of head coach Martin St. Louis and his staff, the Canadiens notched a 40-31-11 record, good enough to clinch the Eastern Conference’s final Wild Card spot. Although the top-seeded Washington Capitals beat Montreal in the first round, there’s […]

The Chicago Blackhawks got one of their two young star forwards locked up for the long haul earlier this week, signing Frank Nazar to a seven-year, $46.2 million contract extension. It’s a historic deal for the sophomore, the largest contract ever inked by a player with his level of experience. Nazar has played in just […]

Through his first two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, Connor Bedard hasn’t come close to winning. The Blackhawks have finished with the NHL’s second-worst record in back-to-back years. While the team has stalled, Bedard has shown steady progress amid the expected growing pains. However, questions are now arising in Chicago as their future star has […]

The Florida Panthers have added a depth piece in the wake of the Matthew Tkachuk surgery news, signing forward Luke Kunin to a one-year, league minimum contract worth $775,000, the team announced. “Luke is a physical and highly competitive forward who possesses excellent leadership abilities and strong character,” general manager and president of hockey operations […]

Matthew Tkachuk wasn’t at 100 percent when the Florida Panthers won their second consecutive Stanley Cup. He still made an impact, but it wasn’t quite as significant as the one he made the first time around. The lack of production stemmed from an adductor injury he suffered at the 4 Nations Face-Off, and the Panthers […]

The St. Louis Blues took some massive steps forward in 2024-25 after hiring former Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery. The Blues hit a lull with their offense under Drew Bannister, and Montgomery’s attacking approach was a breath of fresh air. The 2025-26 season looks like it could be another step in the right direction […]

The New York Rangers did not have the best on-ice performance in 2024-25. Through the first 20 or so games, they seemed like Stanley Cup contenders. However, once the season went along, the team crumbled. Drama filled the air on and off the ice on Broadway. And it led to a number of changes to […]

The Minnesota Wild made the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2025, successfully rebounding from a disappointing campaign. Minnesota was expected to compete for the postseason in 2024. However, they did not have a great season, and missed altogether. This changed in 2025, as players like Marco Rossi and Filip Gustavsson stepped up in a major way. […]

The Chicago Blackhawks had a horrific 2024-25 campaign that left many around the league disappointed. Connor Bedard is expected to be the next leader of a Golden Age of Blackhawks hockey. However, they stumbled hard this past season, and that has thrown the status of their rebuild into some doubt. Chicago has made some intriguing […]

The Nashville Predators took a massive risk last summer. The Predators were eliminated by the Vancouver Canucks in the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. And in NHL Free Agency, they signed Jonathan Marchessault, Steven Stamkos, and Brady Skjei with the idea of contending for a Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, this expensive gamble did […]

The stalemate is over in Minnesota as the Wild and Marco Rossi have agreed to a three-year, $15 million contract extension. The deal secures a major part of the future for the club, while also being a solid deal for both sides. The summer for Bill Guerin has seen a major back-and-forth between the franchise […]

After a third consecutive loss in the Western Conference Final, the Dallas Stars will again be looking to get over the hump in 2025-26. A healthy Roope Hintz will be a critical component of that, and the 28-year-old shared a positive update on Friday. “I’m feeling good. My foot is fine, and I’ve been able […]

The Toronto Maple Leafs lost one of the biggest names to move teams this NHL offseason. Mitch Marner is on the Vegas Golden Knights, and Toronto has exited the Core Four era. But three of those players are still with the Leafs, including William Nylander. Nylander spoke with Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com about Marner’s focus […]

The Minnesota Wild just made the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six seasons, but have yet to progress out of the first round. While they have become a consistent postseason contender, the next step for the franchise is to become a legitimate threat in the playoffs. The Wild made some solid moves […]

The Minnesota Wild have had an interesting offseason with a big question looming overhead. Kirill Kaprizov is eligible for an extension, which both sides are committed to getting done. But could they keep the core around him and still give him the big contract? The Wild answered that question in part by signing Marco Rossi […]

While the Seattle Kraken missed the postseason last year, there is reason for optimism moving forward. The Kraken hired former New York Islanders coach Lane Lambert as the full-time replacement for Dan Bylsma, who was dismissed after just one season, while former Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment is now a Kraken forward after being acquired […]

The Columbus Blue Jackets took a major step forward in 2024-25. While they did not make the playoffs for a fifth straight year, they finished fourth in the Metropolitan Division and battled until the end. The Blue Jackets made some great moves in the NHL offseason and look to contend for a postseason slot in […]

The New York Rangers missed the postseason in 2024-25, a disappointing finish after a Presidents’ Trophy win the year before. While the Stanley Cup Final has evaded this core on Broadway, they have talented players to put together another strong regular season. But if things go awry again, Chris Drury should be looking to rebuild […]

Anze Kopitar is one of the most important players in the history of the Los Angeles Kings’ franchise, captaining the team to two Stanley Cup championships in 2012 and 2014. But the Slovenian’s contract expires at the end of the 2025-26 season — and it could signal his last campaign in California. As Daily Faceoff’s […]

The Tampa Bay Lightning are in a weird place. First, they are a few years removed from winning their last Stanley Cup. The Bolts are caught between possibly contending or potentially falling out of the race. Because of that, Lightning trade rumors will increase as the squad attempts to increase cap space. There are three […]

The Chicago Blackhawks had a quiet offseason, hoping their young talent will push them forward in 2025-26. Connor Bedard is coming off a poor second season, dealing with some injuries. The Blackhawks did get a stellar first season out of center Frank Nazar and rewarded him with a contract extension. Was it too much for […]

The 2025-26 NHL season is just a few months away, but some teams should already be looking at in-season trades. With the expanded salary cap, there should be more action at the trade deadline for contending teams. And there will be basement-dwellers on the other end of those moves. The Seattle Kraken should be sellers, […]

The Minnesota Wild are still dealing with an offseason saga involving forward Marco Rossi, who remains without a contract amid his restricted free agent status heading into the 2025-26 NHL season. Rumors of trade interest from other clubs, namely the Vancouver Canucks and the Seattle Kraken, continue to swirl, but according to Minnesota beat writer […]

The New York Rangers can’t wait for the 2025-26 season to begin. That’s because they are ready to put the nightmare they went through last year behind them. Much was expected of the Rangers when they started the season and several observers expected them to become a prime Stanley Cup contender. However, the Rangers did […]

Alex Ovechkin has had a full offseason to contemplate his massive achievement of becoming the NHL’s all-time goal scorer and what the future holds. Ovechkin has 897 goals to his credit and he will turn 40 years old in September, but he is not ready to retire at this time. He intends to score more […]

Life is still good in the Lone Star State as the Dallas Stars hope to take the next step. After the Stars lost to the Edmonton Oilers, there is optimism that they can finally take the next step. While most hockey fans know about the established stars on this roster, there is a lot of […]

The Chicago Blackhawks have locked up a key piece of their future. With multiple players on the Blackhawks primed for a breakout, they have taken care of one of those future stars. The front office signed Frank Nazar to a seven-year contract extension worth just under $6.6 million AAV, per hockey insider Frank Seravalli. The […]

The Colorado Avalanche took one of the better remaining free agents off the board on Wednesday, signing forward Victor Olofsson to a one-year, $1.575 million contract, the team announced. It’s the second consecutive one-year deal for the Swede, who suited up in 56 contests with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2024-25, chipping in 15 goals […]

The Toronto Maple Leafs have not won the Stanley Cup since 1967. Not only has no player on the roster seen the Leafs lift the Cup in their lifetime, but general manager Brad Treliving was not alive, and their head coach, Craig Berube, was under two years old. This does not mean they have not […]

Things are looking promising in Orange County after the Anaheim Ducks hired Joel Quenneville as their new head coach. Now, there is some rising talent to look at. This could be the year that the NHL sees three breakout stars on the Ducks. With the 2025-26 NHL season around the corner, there are three players […]

The Buffalo Sabres are breaking records, but for all the wrong reasons. They just missed the playoffs for a 14th straight season, an NHL record by four full years. The Sabres did not make many impactful moves in NHL Free Agency. With the moves Buffalo made, if they are going to snap their playoff drought, […]

The Marco Rossi saga continues to drag on in the State of Hockey, and the young RFA forward remains without a new contract from the Minnesota Wild in the dog days of summer. Wild general manager Bill Guerin provided a non-update on contract negotiations with the 23-year-old earlier this week, and it’s clear the sides […]

It was a step back in 2024-25 for the Seattle Kraken, as they finished seventh in the Pacific Division. The front office brought in some solid new pieces this summer, such as the Kraken trading for Mason Marchment and signing Ryan Lindgren. Still, if the club is going to take the next step, they need […]

The Dallas Stars made the Western Conference Final for a third consecutive season this spring. This is quite the impressive feat, especially for a team in the West. It’s been over a decade since a team from the West made three straight trips to the Conference Finals. It was the Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles […]

After the departure of his longtime teammate Mitch Marner, who joined the Vegas Golden Knights, Auston Matthews, captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, broke his silence. The Leafs center made his first public remarks during the Hockey Night in Brampton charity event on Wednesday, recognizing how important Marner was to him and to the team. […]

After being accused of failing to report on the start date of his mandatory military service, Mikko Rantanen of the Dallas Stars is facing a legal issue in Finland that could cost him nearly $100,000. The Finnish right wing is at risk of a significant fine due to his absence. Rantanen, 28, was scheduled to […]

The New Jersey Devils fell in the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. New Jersey believed it had the roster needed to contend for the Stanley Cup this past season. However, injuries helped derail a promising season that ended in defeat at the hands of their division rival, the Carolina Hurricanes. The Devils […]

The Anaheim Ducks have had an eventful offseason and are preparing for the 2025-26 season. Now, they look to contend for a playoff spot. Even still, there is a possibility the Ducks trade more players during the 2025-26 NHL season. With the 2025-26 season around the corner, there are still several Ducks trade candidates to […]

The Montreal Canadiens returned to the playoffs for the first time since losing in the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. They would fall to the Washington Capitals in the first round. The Canadiens still have a young core of players, led by Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. Now, they look to make the next step […]