One of my buddies called Monday while I was sending texts, making calls and watching the Blue Jays beat the Yankees.
“Really looking forward to your boring show tomorrow,” then started laughing.
Many of 2025’s sexiest free agents are off the board, finding dance partners well before your favourite song ends the prom. Let’s review Monday and preview Tuesday:
• It won’t be official until the morning, but Mitch Marner is a Golden Knight. He signed an eight-year, $12M AAV contract with the Maple Leafs, before being shipped to Vegas for Nic Roy. Initially, I thought he’d sign for four seasons. Apparently Marner decided one of these free-agent processes was enough, he didn’t need a second so soon.
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Hockey-wise, it’s a perfect fit. The Knights weren’t dangerous enough off the wing last season; his arrival addresses that. He will thrive in Nevada, rise to another level.
Time’s up for Marner and the Maple Leafs, both need to try something fresh. Nick Kypreos, who knows him as well as anyone in media, said earlier this year the worst-case scenario was Toronto’s season ending poorly with the player taking a ton of criticism. That’s exactly what happened. Marner should have finished his career as the greatest Toronto-born Maple Leaf ever. But that’s over.
No one player can replace Marner. Preparing for this inevitability, Toronto made strong moves — excellent-value extension of Matthew Knies and John Tavares. Roy’s a nice fit; Matias Maccelli a good gamble. When the Maple Leafs talked about changing their DNA, one of the ideas was making more players feel important — especially at forward. That theory will be tested right away.
• The Golden Knights clarified Alex Pietrangelo’s status, saying the future Hall-of-Famer chose to “remove the intensity of hockey to see if he…can return to a normal quality of life.” It is confirmation of what had been rumoured: even if he had the major surgery necessary to return to play, it might take most of the two years remaining on his contract to recover. In addition to being an elite player, Pietrangelo commanded enormous respect as a teammate, a mentor to other players, and a generally thoughtful person. Would love to see him go into media.
• Two weeks ago, the Florida Panthers celebrated their second consecutive Stanley Cup. As the champagne flowed, GM Bill Zito said he was going to try and keep all three of Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand.
Don’t know how many people outside South Florida believed it. I’m not sure Zito believed it himself. Can’t call him a liar. In a lot of ways, keeping these three bandmates together is emblematic of their success: the players compromised, the front-office found a path, ownership stepped up. Never doubted Bennett would sign, although Zito moved about $1M per season to close the deal. Fully believed Marchand wanted to stay, although a six-year deal signed through age 43? I don’t believe there’s ever been another contract like that.
The tough one was always Ekblad, because the way he played in the post-season pushed his free-agent value to a place the Panthers previously showed zero desire to get near. It would be interesting to compare what he signed for ($48.8M) to what he was offered one year ago around this time.
During their on-ice victory party, a few of the Panthers talked about a three-peat. If anyone doubted they were serious, that’s over.
• Edmonton signed Evan Bouchard to a four-year, $10.5M AAV extension. It’s believed the Oilers posted both four and eight-year offers. The eight-year number was too high. But, there was urgency. A few sources believe Bouchard was a legitimate offer-sheet candidate, possibly by Carolina. When the two teams discussed Mikko Rantanen before the trade deadline, the Hurricanes indicated interest in the high-scoring defender. Edmonton never forgot that.
Carolina’s used offer sheets before, and wouldn’t be afraid of doing it again.
• The top remaining player is Nikolaj Ehlers. He’s indicated he’s prepared to take a few days to make an informed decision. Carolina’s been my pick, since they’ve tried to trade for him at least twice before. There will be many pursuers, but I’ve heard Washington wants to make its pitch, hoping to “win” the meeting like prime Don Draper.
• Among expected extensions: Thatcher Demko and Conor Garland (6x$6M AVV) in Vancouver; Martin Fehervary (7x$6M) Washington.
• Minnesota GM Bill Guerin remains confident Kirill Kaprizov will get done, but I don’t think it will be today. Also not ready: Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Kyle Connor, Connor Bedard, Lane Hutson, Thomas Harley, Adrian Kempe, Jason Robertson. Plenty of time.
• Other offer-sheet targets: There’s noise around Will Cuylle and Jack McBain, although the Mammoth were confident they’d get their centre signed.
• The sudden collapse of the market has me less confident predicting other outcomes. I’m really not sure where a lot of things are going to land. Don’t hold these against me if I’m wrong:
Vladislav Gavrikov: went down to the wire in LA, expected NYR.
Brock Boeser: One player joked, “He’s the only guy not afraid of the cold.” Some possibilities: Winnipeg, Edmonton (if the Oilers can create room), Boston. San Jose needs players and to hit the salary floor. Someone’s going to benefit. Could be Boeser.
Mikael Granlund: A lot of St. Louis noise.
Viktor Arvidsson: Traded in next few days.
Corey Perry: Philadelphia believed to have interest, not sure of likelihood.
Cody Ceci: Los Angeles.
Joel Hanley: stays in Calgary.
Alex Lyon: Buffalo.
• Tampering: I was reminded that Toronto was investigated when it signed John Tavares in 2018. The Islanders did not complain to the NHL; the league launched the action on its own (the Maple Leafs were cleared). One person, who shall remain nameless, asked if I seriously thought the league would chase anyone for tampering.
There are several GMs who believe the NHL wants to make an example out of someone. So I said, “We’ll find out if they are seriousness or toothless.”
This person then sent me a photo of a man with no teeth.
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