NHL Hockey Player News

The Dallas Stars were reportedly interested in bringing Granlund back after meshing with the team after joining before the trade deadline. However, the Stars were not able to match the $7 million AAV, three-year contract from the Anaheim Ducks. Granlund provides some depth at the center position after losing Trevor Zegras in a trade last week. The 33-year-old Granlund had 66 points (22G / 44A) in 80 games last season.

Lundmark was the 51st overall pick of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft but has yet to play an NHL game. He has spent the previous four seasons in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose, including scoring 14 points (4G / 10A) in 66 games last season.

Holmberg was a sixth-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. The 26-year-old had spent his entire career with the Maple Leafs organization, including scoring 49 points (19G / 30A) in 159 career games. He joins the Tampa Bay Lightning on a two-year deal worth $1.55 million AAV and will add some depth to their bottom-six forward group.

Tomasino was the Nashville Predator's 24th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft but was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins early in the 2024-25 season. He scored 23 points (11G / 12A) in 50 games with the Penguins, earning himself a one-year contract extension worth $1.75 million.

Eller will enter his 17th NHL season with a new team, the sixth of his career, after signing a one-year contract worth $1.25 million with the Senators. The 36-year-old Eller split the 2024-25 season between the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring 22 points (10G / 12A) in 80 games.

Dowling played a career-high 52 games with the New Jersey Devils last season, scoring seven points (2G / 5A). The 34-year-old forward has played 152 career games and will likely continue his role as a depth forward, battling for lineup deployment with the Rangers.

Kozak made his NHL debut with the Sabres last season, scoring five points (3G / 2A) in 21 games. The 22-year-old Kozak was drafted in the seventh round in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft by the Sabres. He remains with the team on a three-year deal worth $775K AAV.

Danforth is an undrafted 32-year-old forward who did not make his NHL debut until the 2021-22 season, playing most of the three seasons since at the NHL level with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He scored 21 points (9G / 12A) in 61 games last season with the Blue Jackets.

Sturm joined the Florida Panthers before the trade deadline last season and played eight games in the postseason en route to a Stanley Cup. The 29-year-old Sturm has 92 points (46G / 46A) in 331 career games and will return to the Minnesota Wild after playing four seasons with them to begin his career.

After not playing professional hockey for over a year due to injuries, Klingberg signed with the Edmonton Oilers late in the 2024-25 campaign. He recorded four points (1G / 3A) in 11 games with the Oilers and four points (1G / 3A) in 19 postseason games. The 32-year-old Klingberg isn't far removed from being one of the league's elite powerplay quarterbacks. He scored a career-high 67 points (8G / 59A) in 82 games with the Dallas Stars in the 2017-18 season.

After five seasons in Chicago, Philipp Kurashev has joined the San Jose Sharks on a one-year, $1.2 million contract. The 25-year-old Swish center broke out in 2023-24 with 18 goals and 54 points but regressed to his career norms in 2024-25 with only seven goals and 14 points in 51 games played.

Buffalo made its first move of Free Agency on Tuesday by bringing in backup goaltender Alex Lyon on a two-year, $3 million contract ($1.5 million AAV). The 32-year-old undrafted netminder had spent the last two seasons in Detroit, appearing in 70 games combined and had a 14-9-1 record, 2.81 GAA and .896 SV% last season.

Pittsburgh will bring back a familiar face on Day 1 of free agency by signing Connor Dewar to a one-year contract extension. The 26-year-old forward came to Pittsburgh at last year's trade deadline and finished the season with four goals and 10 points in 48 games played between Toronto and Pittsburgh. He is expected to fill a bottom-six role much like he did last season after being acquired.

Seattle has added a third netminder to their goaltending carousel after signing Matt Murray to a one-year, $1 million contract. Murray, 31, was once a Conn Smythe winner with Pittsburgh in 2015-16 but has since gone through multiple surgeries. He struggled while appearing in only two games for Toronto in 2024-25 but excelled in the AHL with the Marlies, posting a .934 Sv%, 1.72 GAA and 10-5-6 record.

After four seasons in Boston's minor league system, Brandon Bussi has decided to sign a one-year, two-way contract in Florida to provide some goaltending depth for the Panthers. The 27-year-old appeared in 33 games for Providence in 2024-25, posting a 15-14-4 record with a .907 SV% and 2.77 GAA. He is expected to start the season in Charlotte (AHL) in 2025-26.

After three successful seasons with the Toronto Marlies (AHL), Nick Abruzzese has signed a one-year, two-way contract in Tampa Bay. The 26-year-old left-winger has appeared in 11 games (3 Pts) with the Maple Leafs since 2022-23 but spent the majority of his professional career in the AHL where he averaged nearly 50 Pts a season across three years.

Detroit added to its minor league depth on Tuesday by signing John Leonard to a one-year, $775,000 contract. The 26-year-old winger finished in goals across the AHL with 36 and 61 points in 72 games played with Charlotte (AHL) in 2024-25. He should compete for a bottom-six spot on the Red Wings this season.

After a successful bounce-back campaign with Vegas in 2024-25, Tanner Pearson has signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Winnipeg Jets. The 33-year-old left-winger is entering his 13th NHL season with his 6th different team after picking up 12 goals and 27 points in 78 games played with the Golden Knights in 2024-25.

Dallas has signed their 2024 5th round draft pick (158th overall), Niilopekka Muhonen to a three-year, entry-level contract on Tuesday. The 19-year-old Finnish defenseman spent 2024-25 in Medicine Hat (WHL) after being selected in 1st round of the CHL import draft and had four goals, 17 points and a +20 plus/minus in 60 games played.

Before playing his first career game in the KHL, Kirill Gerasimyuk signed a two-year, entry-level contract with Florida. The 21-year-old goaltender was Florida's 2021 5th-round pick (152nd overall) and excelled in the VHL last season posting a SV% above .930 between Yugra Khanty-Manisysk and SKA-Neva.