The 2026 NHL Off-Season Thread: More Fools And Their Cap Space, Soon Parted

[Beerz]

The Skinner buyout makes the Sabres making a big splash impossible. I already expected them to take a step back this year. But the fact that they can’t actually add anyone sucks.

They can.. if they have the balls.

 

[Beerz]

Can't help but feel like the Caps overpaid here.

That is wildly over paying


Blues are gonna acquire the entire 1st round

 

[MarkusKetterer]

They can.. if they have the balls.

There’s players I’d trade. But they haven’t been in discussions here.

 

[TommyDangles]

Prices seem really high

9th++ for Eklund
16th++ for Kyrou
2 firsts+ for Nemec

 

[Club]

Prices seem really high

9th++ for Eklund
16th++ for Kyrou
2 firsts+ for Nemec

Even during the trade deadline there's always overpayment

 

[truthbluth]

Prices seem really high

9th++ for Eklund
16th++ for Kyrou
2 firsts+ for Nemec

Of course prices are high, the Sabres are buying in a sellers market, after years of trying to sell in buyers markets

 

[Zman5778]

Prices seem really high

9th++ for Eklund
16th++ for Kyrou
2 firsts+ for Nemec

The ++ is on the wrong side of the Eklund deal. And that Ottawa got a relatively decent prospect out of San Jose is the only reason that trade isn't an out-and-out steal by San Jose.

I think the price for Nemec is fair, just like the price for Brady was fair.

 

[HaNotsri]

Prices seem really high

9th++ for Eklund
16th++ for Kyrou
2 firsts+ for Nemec

Kesselring for 7 draft spots

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

As someone on the mains posted, I wish all this action would have happened on draft day. Hearing Bettman booed mercilessly while approaching the podium and then responding to the cheers when he announces a trade has occurred with "oh, you like me now" is a treasured tradition.

 

[Jetskiis]

The ++ is on the wrong side of the Eklund deal. And that Ottawa got a relatively decent prospect out of San Jose is the only reason that trade isn't an out-and-out steal by San Jose.

I think the price for Nemec is fair, just like the price for Brady was fair.

Halttunen isn't nothing he is definitely a nice add.

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

 

[Dingo44]

Hasn't the Rocket's owner been outwardly antagonistic towards hockey?

That was the last owner. The new one is on record as being open to a team and was at one time looking to own one.

U.S. billionaire Friedkin emerges as potential NHL ownership option in Houston

American billionaire Dan Friedkin has emerged as a strong ownership option to bring the NHL to Houston, sources told ESPN.

www.espn.com

Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta previously had conversations with the NHL about the possibility of owning a hockey team, however it appears Friedkin's group emerged as a more viable option.

 

[Ehran]

3.5 hours approx to Dallas.

3 hours to Houston.

75 minutes to San Antonio

(depending on where in Austin you start from. Traffic sucks)

Just for those curious. Austin / Dallas / Houston / San Antonio triangle. Along with where NASA is located as well as SpaceX testing facilities. (SpaceX, X, Tesla, etc HQs are about 20 miles east of Austin).

 

[Jetskiis]

But. if SJ fans were willing to give Eklund + #27 for Byram. That means Byram is worth >> #9

That was the last owner. The new one is on record as being open to a team and was at one time looking to own one.

U.S. billionaire Friedkin emerges as potential NHL ownership option in Houston

American billionaire Dan Friedkin has emerged as a strong ownership option to bring the NHL to Houston, sources told ESPN.

www.espn.com

Fertitta was complaining about the expansion fee that it was too expensive

 

[Jetskiis]

Prices seem really high

9th++ for Eklund
16th++ for Kyrou
2 firsts+ for Nemec

On this scale
7+ for Byram
seems reasonable.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Prices seem really high

9th++ for Eklund
16th++ for Kyrou
2 firsts+ for Nemec

Which means Byram should have enough value to get us half way to a 1C. Especially if Nemec went for 2 firsts.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Austin would be a viable option to Houston (apart from not having an NHL rink!). It ticks all the boxes.

No NBA competition. Smallish city, but still a decent sized metro. Strong and growing local economy. High-tech hub. Sunbelt location. No state income tax. Primo smoked brisket.

Welcome the Austin Elons to the NHL!

 

[LiseL]

Jesus Christ Botts. What the hell you doing?

As for Florida.....they loading up on assets to go get someone? Helle? Brady??

Very prophetic. I'm a fan of both the Sabres and the Sens and didn't see the Brady trade happening so quicky but good riddance. He was mailing it in and would've been a big distraction going forward.

 

[LiseL]

Some of that ammo comes from the Seattle overpayment. We can bitch about palm trees and taxes but some managers just get things done.

Ottawa is likely out of playoff contention for a while. Sucks that Toronto and Florida are making huge improvements.

I wouldn't be so quick to write the Sens off. Brady was injured for a good portion of last season and the team did just fine until goaltending went off the rails. He also wasn't playing very well after the Olympics and they still managed to make the playoffs. He's also a slow skater, cheats for offense and is terrible in the D zone. I'm sure Staois will use some of that draft capital to get at least one winger. Brady's numbers may look decent but if you watched his play last season, it was obvious he had checked out. Rumblings that the locker room doesn't mind that he's leaving. Now he will play like gang busters in Florida, but he's becoming a little injury prone lately so who knows how impactful he'll be?

 

[LiseL]

Agree. They’ve got 12 forwards and 6 D with that $8M.

Assume Zito can get three $1m deals to get them to 14/7. That’s $5M for the goalies.

If Bobrovsky takes a team friendly deal around $4m per year to keep the band together, then it works.

If not, their best asset not under trade protection is Lundell. I don’t see that happening, as he’s also their youngest player and he’s good. It’s a similar situation to Cirelli all these years. Florida has no reason to trade him.

So it’s either Rodrigues or Luostarinen. I think it’s Luostarinen since he’s younger.

Many insiders think it'll be Rodrigues. His name was being bandied around last year when they were facing a cap crunch. Barkov got injured so there was no need to do it.

 

[LiseL]

The 9th pick this year seems pretty good when I look at rankings. Also solves a leadership issue, now they can get a captain from Canada or Europe. Seems more stable long term.

At least in Sweden it's a culture thing that if you accept the role as captain you don't really leave (unless forced to). Going to another team just to win would be considered pretty disgusting. I sort of understand it NA context where teams can tank tough and intentionally lose for large periods of time.
Leaving a team trying to win? Disgusting.

It's probably between Chabot, Stutzle or Sanderson. Chabot only has 2 years left on his deal, Stutzle is a very emotional player and Sanderson is American although his parents are Canadian and he was born in Calgary. It wouldn't surprise me if they wait a year before naming a captain. I would like to see Sanderson, very much like Alfredsson (not a big talker, leads by example).

 

[LiseL]

The 9th pick this year seems pretty good when I look at rankings. Also solves a leadership issue, now they can get a captain from Canada or Europe. Seems more stable long term.

At least in Sweden it's a culture thing that if you accept the role as captain you don't really leave (unless forced to). Going to another team just to win would be considered pretty disgusting. I sort of understand it NA context where teams can tank tough and intentionally lose for large periods of time.
Leaving a team trying to win? Disgusting.

I think this has more to do with playing with his brother and being annoyed with the Canada/U.S. political sideshow.

 

[LiseL]

1 premium asset and 3 fliers (good fliers, but fliers nonetheless). so easy to dislike those two nincompoops, and it just got even easier.

i suspect that ottawa purposefully did not take a player back because they want roster and cap flexibility for a "refresh" rather than because florida refused to give them a player. i'm sure florida was very interested in sending some salary back, even if it was a pretty good player.

Florida refused to give up Lundell, Verboghe (I think that's how his name is spelled) has NTC.

 

[LiseL]

Ottawa may be trading for or just OS'ing Robertson -

I think the odds of Robertson extending with the Sens are very low. Would be disappointed is Steve Staois blew all his capital for one year of Robertson. He should pursue MacTavish, Peterka, Lafreniere, even Debrusk first IMO. He could make a run at Tuch but don't know if Tuch would want to stay east with a Canadian team.

 

[LiseL]

We've yet to see how this shakes out though.

Toronto had a giant hole to try to fill and threw money at the issue. Will Raddysh and Andrea be enough to overcome the lack of skill on their blueline to get the puck up the ice? They didn't yet address their depth issues either.

Ottawa? They have a crap ton of picks but have just shipped out their captain for nothing yet on the ice.

Tampa? We heard their fans lamenting about the state of their blueline and they just lost their top point producer who vibed so well with Kucherov on the PP and haven't replaced him... nor is there really anyone out their free to replace him on the market.

Florida? Sure... got beefier and gave up more of their near-term draft capital but still have no goalies.

Boston? Haven't heard a peep and they're not in on any of the UFA talk as of yet on a roster that looked like it overachieved. Montreal hasn't done anything yet.

Detroit? They still have the Larkin situation out there and it seems like poison to a team that again collapsed late in the year.

The division is in serious flux.

Read somewhere that Tampa will be pursuing Carlson. Even though he's 36, he is still playing well. I expect Brisebois will find some other gems and Cooper will find a way to make it work.