After three successful seasons in Minnesota, Jake Middleton has signed a four-year contract extension worth $17.4 million ($4.35M AAV). The 28-year-old had career highs in almost all statistical categories in 2023-24, with seven goals, 25 points, 77 PIMs and a -15 plus/minus through 80 games played.
After making his NHL debut at the ripe age of 27 in 2023-24, Devin Cooley has earned himself a two-year, $1.55M contract ($775K AAV) from the Calgary Flames. The Californian netminder appeared in six games for San Jose at the end of the 2023-24 season, posting a 2-3-1 record, 4.98 GAA and a .870 SV%.
Sharangovich will remain in Calgary after signing a five-year contract extension worth $28.75 million ($5,750,000 AAV) on Monday. The 26-year-old had an incredibly successful first season in Calgary in 2023-24 after spending three seasons in New Jersey, with 31 goals, 59 points and a -29 plus/minus through 82 games played.
Calgary and New Jersey made the first big trade of the offseason on Wednesday as they traded Jacob Markstrom (31.25% salary retained) for Kevin Bahl and a 2025 1st-round pick. The 23-year-old towering defender in Bahl appeared in all 82 games for New Jersey in 2023-24, picking up a goal, 10 assists, 82 PIMs and 63 SOG.
Tsyplakov just finished his seventh season with Spartak Moskva (KHL) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the New York Islanders with an AAV of $950,000. The 25-year-old undrafted free agent was a hot ticket on the free agent market this off-season after scoring 31 goals and 47 points in 65 games played with Spartak in 2023-24.
Whitecloud was a healthy scratch in Game 5 but will replace Ben Hutton in the lineup for Game 6. Whitecloud has no points, a minus-1 rating, two shots on goal, three blocked shots and six hits in four games this series.
Whitecloud will be a healthy scratch for the first time in the playoffs for Game 5 on Wednesday as he is replaced by Ben Hutton in Vegas' lineup. The 27-year-old has averaged 15:51 TOI/GP in the playoffs thus far, but has yet to pick up a point alongside his two shots on goal.
Hunt will sit out the Flames' regular season finale on Thursday to make room for the return of Blake Coleman. Hunt will finish the 2023-24 season with three goals and five assists in 28 games.
The Sharks will roll with Cooley between the pipes on Thursday despite a forgettable showing in his last outing. Cooley allowed eight goals on 22 shots (.636 SV%) on Monday in a 9-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, snapping a two-game winning streak where he allowed only three goals combined. The Sharks enter action as +229 road underdogs on Thursday against the Calgary Flames.
The Flames will end the 2023-24 season having started Wolf in three of their last four games. Despite allowing five goals on 35 shots (.857 SV%) in his last outing, Wolf is riding a three-game winning streak that began with an impressive 20-save performance (.909 SV%) in a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. The Flames enter action on Thursday as -262 home favourites against the Sharks.
Ilya Solovyov will draw into the lineup on Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks, replacing Okhotiuk. The 23-year-old Okhotiuk has nine points (1G / 8A) and 147 hits in 52 games this season.
Walker Duehr will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Klapka to re-enter the lineup. Klapka has played four games with the Flames this season but has spent most of the 2023-24 campaign with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL), scoring 45 points (21G / 24A) in 64 games.
The Sharks will turn to Cooley in the crease for the third time in the last six games on Monday against the Edmonton Oilers. Cooley has been tremendous in his last two starts, allowing two or fewer goals in each, including a sensational performance in his most recent outing, saving 49 of 50 shots (.980 SV%) in a 3-1 win over the Seattle Kraken. That said, the Sharks enter action as significant +428 road underdogs.
Ignatjew is an undrafted 24-year-old goalie from Finland. He has spent the last two seasons with Mora IK (Swe-1) and was terrific in the 2023-24 campaign, posting a 2.16 GAA and .918 SV% in 12 games (6-6-0).
Klapka played four games for the Flames earlier this season but has spent most of the 2023-24 campaign with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL). The undrafted 23-year-old has 45 points (21G / 24A) in 64 games with the Wranglers.
Okhotiuk will draw into the lineup as the Flames opt to get some fresh legs into their lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Ilya Solovyov will draw out of the lineup.
Hunt will draw into the lineup as the Flames opt to get some fresh legs into their lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. A.J. Greer will draw out of the lineup.
The Flames will turn to Wolf for the tail-end of their back-to-back on Friday after Jacob Markstrom got the nod in Los Angeles on Thursday. Wolf picked up the victory his last time out, allowing two goals on 22 shots as the Flames edged the Sharks 3-2 in overtime. Wolf has made 14 appearances on the year, posting a 4-7-1 record and an .896 SV%. He's got a great chance of securing back-to-back victories for just the second time in his young career with the Flames being -140 favourites over the Ducks on Friday.
Okhotiuk had an assist in 16:45 TOI in San Jose on Tuesday but will come back out of the lineup in Los Angeles with Oliver Kylington returning to the lineup. Okhotiuk has one assist in seven games since being traded to Calgary.
