John Matisz

Welcome to NHL Inbox, a monthly forum in which readers can ask me anything hockey related and I try my best to deliver an insightful answer.Note: the questions below were lightly edited for clarity and brevity. Tyler Tate / Getty ImagesT.J. asks: Will the NHL ever return to the 1-8 seeding playoff format? I feel that the divisional playoff format is stale, as watching the same matchups each year gets repetitive. Teams are missing out on rivalries outside of their division.I've received a bunch of questions similar to this one. Fans seem ready for a change after 12 years of the NHL trying to manufacture regional rivalries.The current format (three seeds per division, two wild cards per conference) has led to too many repeat matchups over a short period and too many excellent teams being eliminated in Rounds 1 and 2. Reverting to the 1-versus-8 format, which the NHL used from 1994 through 2013, would give the 82-game regular season extra weight and lessen the likelihood of a division winner facing off against a strong opponent in the opening round. Reseeding after each round is another exciting and equitable feature of the 1-versus-8 setup.Commissioner Gary Bettman has been consistent on this topic, saying he sees no issues with the format and doesn't like the idea of a play-in round. "Best team to win the (Stanley) Cup has got to get through the best teams," Bettman told reporters in March. "And you know what? Having great matchups in the first round, that's terrific. That's not a problem, that's a great thing."Bettman, 73, hasn't revealed his timeline for retirement, but he won't be running the league forever. If his successor is looking for some early public relations victories, reimagining the playoff format would be a good start.The worst part of the current setup is that Round 3 tends to feature two teams who deserve to be there and two who have technically earned their spots but also probably benefited from the rigid bracket setup. Case in point: 2021 was the last time a conference final series required all seven games. Nic Antaya / Getty Imageswingsfan13 asks: Do you believe in the Yzerplan/GM Steve Yzerman? Lots of solid draft picks, but most of the free-agent signings have been disastrous. Vladimir Tarasenko, Andrew Copp, J.T. Compher, Justin Holl, Erik Gustafsson, and Ville Husso are the obvious ones, and I think everyone's still confused about the Jake Walman trade. And now Yzerman's on coach No. 2. What grade would you give Yzerman's tenure?Former general manager Ken Holland left Yzerman with a mess of a roster in April 2019. Yzerman's made progress over the past six years through the so-called "Yzerplan," yet sustained on-ice success still feels like a pipe dream.Let's start with drafting and developing. Cornerstone pieces Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond, Simon Edvinsson, and Marco Kasper are all first-round success stories. But Detroit's turned only a few players selected beyond the opening round into everyday NHLers despite averaging 9.8 picks per draft.The GM also fumbled the blue-line construction by betting on the wrong veterans - 2022 signees Ben Chiarot and Olli Maatta, 2023 signee Holl, 2023 trade acquisition Jeff Petry, and 2024 signee Gustafsson. Oh, and that aforementioned Walman swap? Yzerman traded the top-four defenseman and a second-round pick to San Jose for literally nothing. Massive misread.Yzerman hasn't found an answer between the pipes and disappointed captain Dylan Larkin by not adding talent ahead of the most recent trade deadline. The team regressed from 91 points in 2023-24 to 86 in 2024-25. The flip side to the conservatism: Detroit has mountains of cap space moving forward.My main take is that Yzerman would be on the hot seat if he were somebody else. Ownership trusts him six years into a mediocre rebuild more than it should because he's a franchise icon. The overall grade here is C-minus. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesSlinger92 asks: Do you think the NHL will ever start assessing penalties or disallowing goals if a player isn't wearing his mouth guard properly? I haven't seen Matthew Tkachuk score a goal without his mouth guard hanging out.Fun question, especially with Tkachuk scoring twice in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday night, but the answer is no. The mouth guard isn't a mandatory piece of equipment, so players like Tkachuk aren't violating a rule.I do find it comical that grown men turn the mouth guard into an adult soother or chew toy, defeating its protective qualities. To each their own, I guess!? Dennis Pajot / Getty Imagesahawthorne56812 asks: The days of Patrick Roy and Carey Price are gone, and Jordan Binnington is NOT Olympic-starter quality. What Canadian prospects can bring back the days of those Hall of Fame-caliber goalies?I hate to break it to you, but there isn't a single Canadian goalie in the NHL now or in the pipeline who fits that lofty description. Canada has fallen way behind Russia, the United States, and Sweden in the elite netminder category, and a course correction could take a decade or longer.That said, we're talking about the unpredictable world of goaltending here. A B-level prospect could blossom into a star NHL starter by the 2030 Olympics.Here are three names to watch:Mackenzie Blackwood, Avalanche: Goalie experts love Blackwood, believing the 28-year-old still has upside. A physical freak, the muscular 6-foot-4 netminder is extremely athletic for his size. Projecting him as a future Hall of Famer would be crazy, but there's a decent chance he someday surpasses Binnington's tier of goalie and earns Vezina Trophy consideration.Sebastian Cossa, AHL Grand Rapids: The 2021 first-round pick has shown flashes of brilliance for the Red Wings' top affiliate, posting a .909 save percentage in 84 games over the past three seasons. While the hype train from his draft year has slowed, Cossa remains on an NHL starter's trajectory. He's 22, large (6-foot-6, 209 pounds), technically sound, and agile between the pipes.Joshua Ravensbergen, WHL Prince George: Ravensbergen, 18, is a late bloomer expected to go in the first round of June's draft. The 6-foot-5 right-catching goalie is best known for his elite puck tracking. He's at least a few years away from NHL duty, yet undoubtedly one of the most promising netminding prospects out of Canada since Price (drafted fifth overall in 2005). Dave Sandford / Getty ImagesLance A. asks: I believe in soccer, only the players on the pitch at the end of extra time are allowed to participate in the shootout. Are NHL teams allowed to switch goalies for the shootout? Are there any specific rules? Do you know if any team has done it in the past? What were the reasons for the change?A team is indeed allowed to switch goalies before the shootout.The NHL rule book states, "All players are eligible to participate in the shootout unless they are serving a 10-minute misconduct or have been assessed a game misconduct or match penalty." One wrinkle: A team can't replace a goalie in the middle of a shootout for performance reasons. The netminder must be injured.According to the NHL's stats and research department, a team has called upon a cold goalie just seven times in the 20-season history of the shootout, although four were because of injury:!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}(); Former Leafs coach Ron Wilson told reporters in 2008 that he was "playing the percentages" by replacing Vesa Toskala with Curtis Joseph after 65 minutes."I'm not going to hesitate to do that until we get Tosk a little more practice - a different way of thinking on stopping the other team in shootouts," Wilson said of Toskala's 2-9 shootout record at the time. "I had nothing to lose." Jamie Sabau / Getty ImagesChris M. asks: Suggestion: If a team scores while up six-on-five because of a delayed penalty, it should still get a power play. Thoughts? This could possibly increase scoring and be a momentum changer.I don't love it. The six-on-five time created by a delayed penalty is an extension of the upcoming power play and should thus be treated as such.Two related thoughts: The NHL should adopt the "jailbreak" rule introduced by the PWHL, where a shorthanded goal frees the player from the penalty box. I like the idea of teams being rewarded for shorties, and in theory, more aggressive penalty kills lead to defensive breakdowns and power-play goals. As far as juicing scoring-chance numbers, it's a win-win. Also, the shorthanded team shouldn't be allowed to ice the puck. This rule has never made sense to me, and it confuses new fans. Killers shouldn't get a free pass. What do you want to know, hockey fans?There are three ways to submit a question for future NHL Inbox editions: Comment on this article in theScore app Email senior NHL writer John Matisz at john.matisz@thescoreSend John a message on Twitter/X (@matiszjohn)

With 6:49 left in the third period Tuesday, Connor McDavid accepted the puck on the half boards. The Oilers superstar, desperate to generate something, was immediately swarmed by the stick and body positioning of Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling, who forced a McDavid dump-in.Forsling's partner, Aaron Ekblad, won a battle in the corner and sent the puck back up the strong-side wall. Winger Carter Verhaeghe made a breakout pass, and a few seconds later, center Aleksander Barkov found Sam Reinhart across the neutral zone. The Florida Man of the night deposited the puck into an open Edmonton net to make it 4-0 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.Amerant Bank Arena erupted. Hats and plastic rats rained down for Reinhart's third tally. McDavid slumped on the Oilers bench. The Panthers knew then that the final six-plus minutes were a formality. The 2025 Cup was theirs - a second consecutive championship, fully and completely earned. Icon Sportswire / Getty Images"Just as good as the first one," Reinhart, who finished with four goals on four shots in the 5-1 clincher, said as his teammates hoisted the Cup around him.Like that surgically executed empty-net goal, the Panthers put on a masterclass in team-first hockey throughout their 23-game playoff run. In defeating Tampa Bay in five games, Toronto in seven, Carolina in five, and Edmonton in six, they became only the 10th team to repeat as champions.It was the club's third straight Cup Final appearance, putting it in dynasty territory. It's notable that both Cups came against a generational player, and that Florida demoralized teams, going 23-2 when leading after one period and 33-1 when leading after two in the playoffs since 2023. Florida also dominated on the road on this third run, winning 10 of 13 games. In the final specifically, the Panthers held the lead for a record 255:49 to the Oilers' 33:51.The 2024-25 Panthers were, in a word, inevitable."This is way harder than I thought it would be. To win twice, we put so much work into this. I'm so proud of this group," Sam Bennett said. The second-line center with ordinary regular-season numbers bagged 15 goals - including a record 13 on the road - in 23 brilliant games. Florida's No. 1 hitter collected 11 of 18 first-place votes to claim the Conn Smythe Trophy.The Panthers dressed 22 skaters in the playoffs, none of them weak links - 19 scored at least once while six reached 20 points. The line-by-line results are outrageous. Barkov, the top-line center, was on the ice for 19 goals for and 15 against at five-on-five despite facing the stiffest possible competition. Bennett finished at 17-11, Anton Lundell 24-8, and Tomas Nosek 5-1.Lundell, Brad Marchand, and Eetu Luostarinen were magical together. The trio will go down as arguably the most effective third line of the salary-cap era. Icon Sportswire / Getty Images Christian Petersen / Getty ImagesThe enviable depth provided cover. Someone like Verhaeghe could go quiet for a stretch and it didn't put a dent into the operation. The clutch shooter would then snap out of it to pot the winning goal in a game in which one of the Panthers' other top nine forwards were having an off night.The depth also showed on defense (2.43 goals against per game, 86.4% penalty kill rate). The lineup featured the Selke Trophy winner in Barkov; a Selke finalist in Reinhart; other ultra-responsible forwards like Matthew Tkachuk, Marchand, Lundell, and Luostarinen; a large, rangy, and mobile defense corps; and a Hall of Fame-bound goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky.Not a single soul cares about Barkov's eight-game goal drought after he and Forsling limited McDavid to two points in the final four games."Their forecheck was great and they tilted the rink," McDavid told reporters. "They were able to stay on top of us all over the place. We were never really able to generate any momentum up the ice. We kept trying the same thing over and over again, just banging our heads against the wall."Credit to them. They played well."Rival fan bases can pout all they want about the weather and tax advantages enjoyed by Florida-based teams. Those advantages are real (if not overblown) yet also completely irrelevant if the organization's poorly run. The Panthers wandered in the wilderness for two decades.The current juggernaut roster is the product of pro scouting excellence. Only four of the 23 players to see playoff action were drafted by the Panthers (Barkov, Ekblad, Lundell, and Mackie Samoskevich). The rest were signed through free agency (11), acquired via trade (seven), or picked up on waivers (Forsling).General manager Bill Zito, a finalist or winner of the NHL's executive of the year award four of his five seasons in Florida, has taken a ton of risks - he won't make a first-round pick between 2022 and 2027 due to aggressive trades. But those picks matter little considering the 2025-2027 firsts turned into irreplaceable contributors Tkachuk, Seth Jones, and Marchand."That guy is the biggest dawg I think I've ever played with. He's incredible," Bennett said of Marchand, who was acquired with Jones in separate trades ahead of March's deadline."The best leader. He leads by example, he speaks up. He's fearless out there," Bennett added about 37-year-old Marchand, who looked fantastic in a third-line role, posting 20 points. "I have been telling him this whole playoffs, 'We're following you.' And we followed him this whole playoff run." Brian Babineau / Getty Images Eliot J. Schechter / Getty ImagesZito turned over more than a third of last year's lineup. And he made that many changes and felt confident there wouldn't be too many issues - if any - because of head coach Paul Maurice. While Maurice's system isn't easy for players to adjust to, it can be liberating once a player settles in. Panthers hockey is smothering hockey, and it requires full buy-in from everyone."Can't give the coaching staff enough credit. They did a lot of video with me when I got here. Completely different system than what I'm used to," Jones, a champion at 30, said. "But they said at the end of the day, everyone here has to trust their instincts. Be aggressive in what you do. And that's what we did. Each guy trusts each other and they trust the system.""Bill Zito believed in me and gave me a chance," he added. "This is (the) best day of my life." Brian Babineau / Getty ImagesThe Panthers paced themselves, looking unmotivated at times in the regular season. They finished third in the Atlantic Division, then beat a higher-seeded team every round. They showed resilience in games and series, most notably beating Toronto after falling behind 2-0 in the series and 2-0 midway through the first period of Game 3, and bouncing back following a Game 1 overtime loss to Edmonton.From a purely vibes and culture perspective, the Panthers check off several dynastic boxes. The leadership group - from the loquacious Maurice to heart-and-soul assistant captain Tkachuk to introverted captain Barkov - is diverse and focused on the right things. High standards. Consistency. Respect from everybody and to everybody on the roster, from the stars to the role players.The Cup handoff order spoke volumes. Barkov lifted the Cup first, as is tradition. It then went to first-time winners like Nate Schmidt, Jones, Nosek, Vitek Vanecek, and A.J. Greer. Bennett, the playoff MVP, was the 17th guy to raise it. No big deal. "We really love each other as a group," Bennett said.The Panthers' trajectory changed once Maurice and Tkachuk arrived in the summer of 2022. Neither move was a guaranteed home run at the time but both ultimately led to a legendary celebration at the famous Elbo Room beach bar in Fort Lauderdale last June. How about now, a year later? I’m in https://t.co/p8UK4wsvEB— Matthew Tkachuk (@TKACHUKycheese_) June 18, 2025 "We've gotta be a dynasty now," said Tkachuk, who fought through significant injuries during the run. "Three finals in a row, two championships. This team is so special. 'Stanley Cup champion.' This never gets old."John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore).

Senior NHL writer John Matisz offers his insights on the most interesting picks and notable moves Friday night during the opening round of the NHL draft.

Senior NHL writer John Matisz offers his insights on the most interesting picks and notable moves Friday night during the opening round of the NHL draft.

Capitals assistant general manager Ross Mahoney dropped some knowledge earlier this week, informing D.C.-based reporters that, on average, about 52 players from every draft enjoy meaningful NHL careers (minimum 250 games).The 2025 class "could be a little bit lighter" on NHLers, Mahoney noted. In the next breath, the longtime scout added that sometimes, a class surprises talent evaluators. A stacked group of prospects can look ordinary five years later while a so-called weak one can look extraordinary in due time.What tends to determine the quality of a draft class' depth? The players chosen in Rounds 2-7.Below is a cheat sheet for Day 2 of the 2025 draft in Los Angeles, which begins at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday and will be broadcast on NHL Network/ESPN+ in the United States and Sportsnet/Sportsnet One in Canada.4 intriguing players Getty ImagesJack Ivankovic: The Mississauga, Ontario, native checks off a lot of boxes for a modern goalie - efficient skater, extremely athletic, highly competitive, nice hands. Each trait was on display in May at the Under-18 worlds, where Ivankovic's tournament-best netminding helped lead Canada to a gold medal.Ivankovic didn't hear his name called Friday mostly because he's 5-foot-11. That may seem silly, but the Predators' Juuse Saros was the only sub-6-footer among the 103 goalies who dressed in an NHL game last season. Ivankovic told theScore he's well on his way to pass the 6-foot mark: He's grown half an inch since May, he has big feet and hands, and he's got tall-man genes (a 6-foot-5 father).Ivankovic is headed to the University of Michigan in the fall following two seasons with the OHL's Brampton Steelheads. He's making the jump to face stiffer competition, spend more time in the gym, and learn from goalie coach Kevin Reiter, who's worked with NHLers like Jeremy Swayman and Jake Oettinger. The deal was sealed by a promise of starter's minutes in his freshman year."I couldn't turn it down," said Ivankovic, who looks up to 5-foot-11 Saros and 6-foot-1 Rangers star Igor Shesterkin."Their skating and hockey IQ are really next level. Those are two things I really look at in my game," he said. "They're playing in the NHL and doing really well and are a similar height, so why can't I do the same one day?" Bill Wippert / Getty ImagesSimon Wang: There might not be anyone in the 2025 class who fits the description "raw prospect" better than Wang. He's a tremendous skater in general, and that's extra impressive considering he's a gigantic defenseman (6-foot-6 and 220 pounds with the longest wingspan measured at the combine at 82.25 inches). Wang is lauded for his agility and competitive streak. However, his questionable hockey sense throws a wrench into an otherwise lofty projection.Born in Beijing, Wang started playing hockey at 4 years old. He moved to Toronto at 12 to continue his development and has been on an upward trajectory ever since. He went in the fifth round of the 2023 OHL Draft, split 2024-25 between Jr. A and the OHL, and is off to Boston University in the fall.It's very possible Wang makes history Saturday. He's expected to pass Kevin He (109th overall to the Jets in 2024) as the highest Chinese-born draft pick.L.J. Mooney: In a few years, Mooney will either be a feel-good story who's starting to prove his doubters wrong or a forgettable prospect whose flaws have been exposed at the pro level.Mooney is a diminutive winger out of the U.S. National Team Development Program. He boasts elite skating, standout puck skills, and above-average smarts. There's a fearlessness to his game that reminds scouts of Canucks forward Conor Garland. But there are significant concerns over his build (5-foot-7, 157 pounds), recent injuries relating to that build, and bouts of inconsistency.In other words, Mooney's a low-floor, high-ceiling player - boom or bust. He's worth a flier in the back half of the draft but he may ultimately go undrafted.Malcolm Spence: It's easy to envision Spence developing into a middle-six winger for 15 NHL seasons. His attention to detail is excellent, he forechecks and backchecks with a vengeance, and he doesn't hurt for size and strength (6-foot-2, 201 pounds). The knock against him? Limited dynamic skill.Spence was projected to go in the first round by most pundits, and he'll make some team super happy Saturday. He screams "future Carolina Hurricane," so the easy money's on the Canes selecting him with the second pick of Round 2.4 teams to watch Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesMontreal Canadiens: Led by president Jeff Gorton and GM Kent Hughes, the Habs entered Friday with a league-high 12 selections. They packaged their two first-rounders (Nos. 16 and 17) to acquire impact blue-liner Noah Dobson from the Islanders in the afternoon. It was a win-now move worth pulling the trigger on. The Canadiens still own No. 41 for helping Pittsburgh facilitate the 2023 Erik Karlsson trade and also hold a second top-50 pick with their own second-rounder (49). Montreal's prospect pipeline is deep and diverse. Expect the Canadiens to select the best player available with each Day 2 pick.Pittsburgh Penguins: GM Kyle Dubas has a mediocre record through seven years of drafting in Toronto and Pittsburgh. His work Friday was a mixed bag. Day 2 offers eight picks, including 73rd, 84th, and 85th, to bring the top-100 total to six. As the Pens transition between eras, they have a middling farm system but a whopping 30 selections spread across 2025, 2026, and 2027.Carolina Hurricanes: The Canes never fall in line. Take last year's draft weekend: They swapped picks three times, flipping a first to Chicago for two seconds, then a second to Columbus for a third and fifth, then a third to Chicago (2024) for another third (2025). Carolina used six of its 10 selections on Russian players despite many teams shying away from Russians due to a lack of live viewings and signability concerns. They also aren't afraid of undersized forwards, with four of their five forward picks listed below 6 feet.Anaheim Ducks: Ducks assistant GM Martin Madden has led or co-led the club's draft since 2008, and boy, does he have an eye for defensemen. Jake Gardiner, Justin Schultz, Sami Vatanen, Cam Fowler, Josh Manson, Hampus Lindholm, Shea Theodore, Marcus Pettersson, Brandon Montour, and Josh Mahura are all Martin-era picks, and they've all played at least 250 NHL games. Jackson LaCombe, Henry Thrun, Jamie Drysdale, Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov, Tristan Luneau, and Stian Solberg are all trending to hit 250 as well. The Ducks have nine Day 2 picks; surely one will become an everyday D-man.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore).

The NHL salary cap will increase to $95.5 million in 2025-26, marking the biggest year-to-year jump ($7.5 million) since the cap arrived two decades ago.This means most clubs have ample cap space to make a splash when free agency officially opens at 12 p.m. ET Tuesday. One issue: a lot of the high-profile pending unrestricted free agents - most notably Sam Bennett, John Tavares, and Matt Duchene - recently re-signed with their current teams."Anybody can go and look at the list of potential (impact) free agents and see there aren't that many," Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman told reporters Saturday.Nevertheless, with seemingly every franchise in the league but the Penguins looking to improve and names like Mitch Marner, Brad Marchand, and Aaron Eklbad still available, there will be drama. Here are three teams to watch: Jonathan Kozub / Getty ImagesGolden Knights: Vegas and Toronto are reportedly discussing a sign-and-trade deal that could send pending UFA and superstar winger Marner to Sin City. The Golden Knights have only $5.6 million in cap space next season, according to PuckPedia, so GM Kelly McCrimmon has to jump through some financial hoops. Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo may end up on long-term injured reserve, while defenseman Nic Hague and center Nick Roy are among several players potentially on the move. If Vegas strikes out with Marner, don't be surprised if it pivots to Marchand or fellow winger Nikolaj Ehlers. Coach Bruce Cassidy desperately needs an offensive catalyst (or two) on the wings.Hurricanes: Carolina has made the playoffs in each of Rod Brind'Amour's seven years behind the bench, yet has never advanced to the Stanley Cup Final. The club acquired a game-breaking forward midseason in back-to-back years, but both Jake Guentzel and Mikko Rantanen were gone before the next campaign. GM Eric Tulsky is armed with $26.7 million in cap space - a luxury for a Cup contender. While Marner is the only pending UFA of the superstar variety, Ehlers would be an OK consolation prize. Mikael Granlund could make sense at second-line center. The Canes are the type of team that won't hesitate to offer a restricted free agent an offer sheet (Marco Rossi? Mason McTavish?) or pull off a massive trade. They're a highly motivated group.Ducks: GM Pat Verbeek has stated publicly that he wants to be aggressive in an attempt to make the 2026 playoffs. He's reshaped a chunk of the roster over the past seven months, swapping out Trevor Zegras, John Gibson, Cam Fowler, and Brian Dumoulin for Chris Kreider, Jacob Trouba, and Ryan Poehling. Marner (if still available), Ehlers, and sniping winger Brock Boeser are obvious targets to upgrade what remains a below-average forward group. Ekblad would be an interesting addition to the right side of a blue line that already has Trouba and Radko Gudas. Anaheim has a whopping $36 million in cap space but must be careful with a bunch of key extensions on the horizon.Goalie trade market heating up? Debora Robinson / Getty ImagesYzerman finally put an end to Gibson's years-long residency in the rumor mill Saturday, acquiring the American goalie from the Ducks in exchange for veteran backup Petr Mrazek and two draft picks."We think John has a lot of good hockey in him," Yzerman said of a 31-year-old who peaked in his 20s and earns $6.4 million a year through 2026-27.Also on Saturday, the Blues avoided a potential offer sheet by inking promising youngster and pending RFA Joel Hofer to a two-year deal.Edmonton, Philadelphia, Carolina, Utah, and San Jose are among the teams that need (or surely could use) an upgrade at either starter or backup. Yet the big UFA prize is ... 34-year-old Jake Allen. Other intriguing but ultimately middling options include Anton Forsberg, Alex Lyon, and Dan Vladar (if he doesn't re-sign with Calgary). The second tier of UFAs - James Reimer, Alexandar Georgiev, Vitek Vanecek, Ilya Samsonov, etc. - offers little hope. Jeff Vinnick / Getty ImagesPerhaps the Gibson deal is a wink toward further trade activity. Vancouver's Thatcher Demko and Arturs Silovs, the Islanders' Semyon Varlamov, Columbus' Elvis Merzlikins, Pittsburgh's Alex Nedeljkovic, and Chicago's Arvid Soderblom all leap off the page as trade candidates this summer.Demko, who's proven himself to be a top-10 NHL goalie when healthy, is the most desirable. The Canucks re-upped Kevin Lankinen through 2029-30 in February and have the developing Silovs under contract for another year. One of Vancouver's three goalies is surely on the move at some point this offseason, and Demko would yield by far the biggest return. The American has a season and $5 million left on a deal that leads him to 2026 free agency.Varlamov is old but reliable, boasting a .916 save percentage in 621 career games. The 37-year-old is stuck behind star Ilya Sorokin on the depth chart of a team in transition on Long Island. His $2.75 million cap hit through 2026-27 is palatable, although he has some power with a 16-team no-trade list.5 team-related draft trendsBlackhawks: Chicago left Day 1 with Anton Frondell, Vaclav Nestrasil, and Mason West - three large forwards with high upside. The Blackhawks doubled down on size in Rounds 2-7, with all five picks listed at 6-foot-2 or taller. The club asked prospects at the scouting combine to name the toughest draft-eligible player in their respective league. WHLers said defenseman Ashton Cumby, so the Hawks spent the 162nd pick on the soon-to-be 20-year-old fighter."We felt the need to get a little bit harder, tougher, to protect some of our skilled guys," director of amateur scouting Mike Doneghey told reporters. Dennis Pajot / Getty ImagesStars: Dallas didn't make a selection until the third-last pick of the third round. The Stars used No. 94 on 5-foot-8, 160-pound goal-scoring winger Cameron Schmidt. It wasn't a reach (some scouts view the fast, highly skilled Schmidt as a first-round talent), but it certainly creates a tidy narrative about Stars GM Jim Nill and his belief in a specific type of player. Nill selected 5-foot-8, 170-pound goal-scoring winger Logan Stankoven 47th overall in 2021. Stankoven is, of course, now a member of the Hurricanes thanks to the Rantanen trade.Kings: Four of Los Angeles' nine picks were in their second year of eligibility - Kristian Epperson (88th overall), Caeden Herrington (120th), Petteri Rimpinen (152nd), and Brendan McMorrow (196th). The Kings have a history of drafting late bloomers, most notably selecting future NHLers Tanner Pearson and Wayne Simmonds as re-entries. Older prospects are often closer to the finished product, which, depending on the player, can be seen as a positive. Jeff Vinnick / Getty ImagesHurricanes: As I mentioned in my Day 2 cheat sheet, Carolina can be counted on to do three things at the draft: trade down, pick undersized, skilled forwards, and select multiple Russians. The Hurricanes didn't disappoint over the weekend, trading out of the first round Friday and then making two more pick-swap deals Saturday. They selected tiny Swedish forward Viggo Nordlund in the sixth round and used four of their seven picks on Russian players. Third-rounder Kurban Limatov - a 6-foot-4 blue-liner from Moscow - could be one of the steals of the draft. Pundits had him pegged as an early second-round talent."If other teams are afraid to draft a player from a certain country, that's really out of our control," assistant GM Darren Yorke told theScore after last year's draft, which included six Russian picks. "It's very simple: We're just trying to get the best hockey players as we can, irrespective of where they're born."Penguins: Kyle Dubas' obsession with current and former Soo Greyhounds players continues. The Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, native and ex-GM of the storied OHL franchise picked Soo forwards Travis Hayes and Jordan Charron at Nos. 105 and 154. Michael Bunting, Conor Timmins, Jared McCann, Jack Campbell, Rasmus Sandin, Nick Ritchie, Matt Murray, and Joe Thornton are among the many Greyhounds players who've played for or been drafted to Dubas' teams in Toronto and Pittsburgh. Dubas has also hired plenty of staff with Soo connections, including former Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe.7 league-related draft notes Juan Ocampo / Getty ImagesFriday's first round was unique, with almost two-thirds of the selections made by just eight teams. Chicago, Nashville, Pittsburgh, and the Islanders each made three picks, while Columbus, Calgary, Philadelphia, and San Jose had two apiece.The class featured a disproportionate number of massive humans. Fifteen draftees, including 11 skaters, are listed at 6-foot-6 or taller. There was a run on huge defensemen to start Round 2, with Simon Wang (6-6), Jacob Rombach (6-7), Blake Fiddler (6-5), Carter Amico (6-6), and Peyton Kettles (6-6) all going within the first seven picks.It was a rough year for Finland - only nine Finnish-born draftees, with the lone first-rounder (Sascha Boumedienne) actually playing for Sweden internationally.The WHL showed extremely well, finishing second to the OHL in draftees produced (38-33). Both Canadian junior leagues had nine first-round players.The U.S. National Team Development Program had a down year. No active NTDP players were selected in Round 1 for the first time since 2008. That said, first-rounders James Hagens, Logan Hensler, William Horcoff, and Cullen Potter all spent time at the NTDP before moving on to the NCAA. Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty ImagesMeanwhile, with the Kings picking Henry Brzustewicz at No. 31, the OHL's London Knights again had a presence in the first round. The perennial NHL talent factory has produced at least one first-rounder in nine of the past 11 drafts.Lastly, a big-picture take on the 2025 class from Mark Dennehy. The Devils' chief amateur scout called it "a bit of a crazy draft" with the high number of pick swaps and so little consensus on late-round players. He pointed out how the draftees were 12 or 13 years old when the pandemic hit in 2020, causing them to lose valuable development time during a crucial age due to league shutdowns."They could skate, they could shoot pucks, they could stickhandle (on their own), but there was a time when nobody was playing (games) because we couldn't," Dennehy said. "How much effect that's had on this group, I don't know. But I'm sure there are (late-round) players who will pop because their development has been somewhat stunted by that lack of competition."John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore).

The NHL's annual free-agent frenzy started a day early this year, with reports of multiple impact signings across the league filtering out Monday afternoon.

The NHL's annual free-agent frenzy is underway. The action started a day early this year, with reports of multiple impact signings across the league filtering out Monday.

1 quick thought on all 32 NHL teams as offseason activity slows

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