There’s a lot of action going on around the NHL right now beyond some hot playoff races. From front office changes (happening and potentially happening) to prospects signing and making debuts, there’s new percolating everywhere.
Usually I’ll try to throw some noteworthy items in my bullets each morning, but there’s enough popping at the end of this week to put together a quick lap around the NHL. Let’s talk offer sheets, college players drawing interest and signing and front offices talking analytics together.
Around the NHL — April 3
Eric Bolte-Imagn Images A lot of noise around the Toronto Maple Leafs looking for a new head of hockey operations, but the Nashville Predators have been in their process for a couple months now since Barry Trotz announced he’s going to step away. On TSN’s “Insider Trading” on Thursday, Pierre LeBrun reported the Predators have started in-person interviews with a shorter list of candidates (he said they held Zoom calls with up to 15 individuals already). Elliotte Friedman put a few names onto that next phase list..@FriedgeHNIC just said on @1025TheGame that he believes three of the Predators’ GM candidates are…Brett Peterson: FLA AGMBill Scott: EDM AGMScott White: DAL AGM
— Adam Vingan (@AdamVingan) April 2, 2026 A nice resource here from the fine folks at PuckPedia, listing the players who do not meet the requirements to be offer sheet eligible this coming summer. A few noteworthy names on the list: Anaheim’s Cutter Guthier, Carolina’s Alexander Nikishin and San Jose’s Collin Graf.To be eligible for offer sheets, players need to meet minimum experience requirements. If not, they're considered a 10.2.c player & ineligible for offer sheets.Here are players not offer sheet eligible this year, including #FlyTogether Cutter Gauthier: t.co/33QJomGBn4 pic.twitter.com/wgtjgVIpDD
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) April 2, 2026 An interesting note here from Marco D’Amico at RG Media on Michigan captain TJ Hughes. He played with Frank Nazar at Michigan a couple years ago and had interest from NHL teams when that group of Wolverines went pro. He’s had a solid college career and is listed at 6-0 and 183 pounds, which is decent for a center. Given the Blackhawks’ center depth, Hughes might be viewed as a luxury and likely wing IF the Hawks were to get into the mix here. But he does check a lot of the boxes the Blackhawks front office likes in a player. Hughes is one of the three finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which were revealed on Thursday. Minnesota-Duluth’s Max Plante and Denver’s Eric Pohlkamp are the other two finalists.Sources indicate NCAA UFA and @umichhockey captain T.J. Hughes will be in high demand once his season ends next week. After turning down NHL offers last spring, he is primed to sign an ELC soon.A couple of Canadian teams expected to be in the mix. t.co/UUO5zq5GZy
— Marco D'Amico (@mndamico) April 2, 2026 Ryan Lin, one of the top right-handed defense prospects in the 2026 NHL Draft class, announced he’ll be skating for the University of Denver next season. I’ve got him slotted in the second tier of defensemen in this year’s class behind Keaton Verhoeff, Chase Reid, Carson Carels, Alberts Šmits and Daxon Rudolph. He could go anywhere between 10-25 in the first round in June. A kinda cool pair of signings by the LA Kings on Thursday. The Kings signed goaltender Hampton Slukynsky to a three-year entry-level contract. They also signed his brother, forward Grant Slukynsky, to a one-year entry-level contract for the 2026-27 season. They played at Western Michigan this past season. Hampton was originally a fourth-round pick (No. 118 overall) by LA in the 2023 NHL Draft. Grant was a 24-year-old undrafted free agent. Their alma mater, Western Michigan, announced they’ll host Michigan in an outdoor game in their football stadium next season. This is awesome!Yes, there really is a hockey game at Waldo.#BroncosReign pic.twitter.com/rhyzwAuWeB
— WMU Hockey (@WMUHockey) April 2, 2026 Finally, this is an interesting read from Pete Jensen at NHL.com on the HALO conference that took place earlier this week in Denver. Lots of analytics talk around the league, which is interesting in how teams are collaborating to use data better — and also something to be mindful of as teams (like Toronto) consider/make front office changes this summer.The @Avalanche held the largest hockey analytics event hosted by an @NHL team on Tuesday, and the momentum was on full display with teams around the League and their bright hockey minds uniting for the greater good of advanced stats. t.co/M0ZfT62aoF
— Pete Jensen ? (@NHLJensen) April 1, 2026Hence then, the article about around the nhl offer sheets gm searches hobey baker finalists data discussed more was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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