Ben Pope

Byram is now slated to be the highest-paid defenseman in the NHL in 2027-28 when this extension kicks in, per reports, although realistically he won't hold that title by the time that season arrives.

Smith profiles as a replacement for Ilya Mikheyev, who signed with the Lightning, whereas Cole likely completes the Hawks' defensive corps.

It looks like another summer will pass without general manager Kyle Davidson acquiring an established top-six winger. He's instead betting on internal candidates to ascend into those roles.

A video of the incident shows Bedard skating off in pain, similarly to how he did after injuring his right shoulder last December in St. Louis.

High-profile RFAs Bedard, Carlsson and Adam Fantilli had been waiting for each other to set the market.

Nestrasil earned plenty of praise at development camp this week. Sacha Boisvert's weight gain, Mason West's transition to full-time hockey and Adam Gajan's transition to pro hockey were also notable.

Commesso's deal carries an $875,000 salary-cap hit and leaves Connor Bedard, Kevin Korchinski and Ethan Del Mastro as the Hawks' remaining RFAs.

Bedard had surgery on his left shoulder Wednesday after injuring it last week. The Blackhawks' planned step toward playoff contention in 2026-27 has already hit a massive snag.

Davidson's bold Bowen Byram trade and 2025 trade-up for Mason West reveal a tendency Davidson isn't afraid to admit: “There is a lot of value just getting your guy.”

The government is rewriting the default position on where growth is acceptable with its brownfield passport approach, and it could enhance the deliverability of settlement-edge sites, writes Ben Pope.