NHL Hockey Player News

After scoring a career-high 61 points (22G / 39A) in the 2021-22 season with the Colorado Avalanche, Burakovsky has struggled to recapture that offensive touch, bouncing around and ultimately joining the Ottawa Senators, his fourth team in the past six seasons. The 31-year-old forward averaged 16:25 time-on-ice and scored just 33 points (11G / 22A) last season while recording a career-worst -32 plus/minus in 75 games with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Wahlberg was drafted 39th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, but has yet to make his NHL debut. The 20-year-old Swedish forward spent the 2025-26 campaign in the AHL, where he scored 38 points (9G / 29A) in 68 games with the Rochester Americans.

Zellweger was drafted 34th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and had an impressive 2025-26 season with the Ducks, scoring 22 points (7G / 15A) and averaging 16:59 time-on-ice in 76 games. With Bowen Byram's recent departure from Buffalo, the 22-year-old Zellweger looks poised to see an elevated role in 2026-27 with his new team.

Burns is just 57 games away from tying Phil Kessel's iron-man streak and will get a chance to break that record after signing a one-year, $850,000 contract extension with Colorado on Friday. The deal includes $2 million in performance bonuses. Burns is entering his 23rd NHL season after an impressive first year with the Avalanche in 2025-26, where he picked up 12 goals and 35 points in 82 games played.

Kulak was acquired from Pittsburgh prior to last season's trade deadline and will remain with Colorado for five more seasons after signing a five-year, $4.5 million AAV contract extension. ($22.5M total) on Friday. The 32-year-old appeared in a league high 83 games in 2025-26, picking up a goal, 12 points and a -4 plus/minus throughout games with Pittsburgh, Edmonton and Colorado.

Just a week after being dealt from Philadelphia to Toronto, Ottawa has acquired the rights of goaltender Samuel Ersson for a 2027 5th round pick. The 26-year-old had informed Toronto he did not intend to sign with the Maple Leafs on Friday. He struggled in 2025-26, with an ugly .870 SV%, 3.12 GAA and 14-11-5 record.

DeAngelo was expected to be the Islanders' power play quarterback in the 2025-26 season, but the emergence of rookie Matthew Schaefer sent him to a lesser role. That said, the 30-year-old DeAngelo managed to impress, earning himself some security with a two-year contract extension worth $9 million. DeAngelo averaged 19:08 time-on-ice and scored 35 points (5G / 30A) in 76 games with the Islanders last season.

Samuel Bolduc will remain in Ottawa's organization for at least one more season after it was announced on Friday the 25-year-old defensemen had signed a one-year, two-way contract extension. Bolduc was acquired at last year's trade deadline and excelled after arriving in Belleville (AHL), with one goal and 10 points in 12 games played.

Ottawa secured some defensive depth for Belleville (AHL) on Friday after it announced they had signed Djibril Toure to a to a one-year, two-way contract extension. The 23-year-old defensemen spent 2025-26 between Belleville and Allen (ECHL), appearing in 43 combined games and picking up 129 PIMs.

Ottawa has secured some blueline depth on Friday after the team announced they had signed Jordan Spence to a four-year, $5 million AAV contract extension ($20M total). The 25-year-old Australian defender is entering his sixth NHL campaign and second with Ottawa after putting up career highs in nearly all statistical categories in 2025-26 (Goals, Pts, PIMs, SOG and TOI).

After two seasons spent between the Rangers and Hartford (AHL), New York has traded Brett Berard to Montreal for William Trudeau. Bedard appeared in 13 games with the Rangers in 2025-26, but failed to pick up a point while collecting six PIMs. He is expected to compete for a bottom-six role in Montreal this upcoming season.

Trudeau's time in Montreal is done after four minor league seasons with Laval (AHL) after the 23-year-old defensemen was traded to New York for Brett Berard on Friday. Trudeau was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft (113th overall) and put up a combined 90 points across four seasons in the AHL. He is expected to compete for one of New York's final defensive spots out of training camp.

With four NHL games under his belt, Calgary has signed Sam Morton to a one-year, two-way contract extension on Friday. The 26-year-old undrafted forward is expected to compete for a spot on Calgary's roster out of training camp after a successful second campaign with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL), which saw him put up 17 goals and 38 points in 68 games played.

Calgary cleaned up some in house signings on Friday after it was announced the team had signed AHL standout Rory Kerins to a one-year, two-way contract extension. The 24-year-old forward has been the Wranglers (AHL) most productive player for the better part of two seasons, picking up 22 goals and 57 points in 56 games in 2025-26 and finishing 25th in AHL scoring. He is expected to compete for a bottom-six role in Calgary this upcoming season.

Detroit has locked up some defensive depth on Thursday after the team announced they had signed 23-year-old William Wallinder to a two-year, two-way contract extension. The 23-year-old was Detroit's 2020 2nd round pick (32nd overall) but has yet to make his NHL debut after spending the last three seasons in Grand Rapids (AHL). He is expected to start 2026-27 with Grand Rapids but could make an NHL appearance with strong play early on.