The Maple Leafs stirred up a little weekend noise with a familiar face, but the James van Riemsdyk chatter didn’t go anywhere. Toronto posted a highlight of the unsigned former forward with the caption “Don’t blink”, and fans immediately started reading into it.
There’s no deal there. The same kind of throwback treatment also showed up for Tyler Bozak and Justin Holl, and those posts were just that - nostalgia, not news.
What is still worth watching in Toronto is Morgan Rielly. Chris Johnston said on the season finale episode of “The Chris Johnston’s Show” that the expectation around a possible trade hasn’t really changed, and he still believes the Maple Leafs are trying to find a way to move the defenseman.
“I’m still curious to see what happens with Rielly,” Johnston said. “I continue to hear that the expectation is ‘You will still be moved before next season,’ but you know, as I mentioned in our previous trade discussions, some of the steam sometimes goes out of those talks when we get a little deeper into the summer.”
He added, “I still think that they’ll be looking at ways to change and shape the roster, so this is probably the one busiest offseason for the Leafs I can remember.”
In Chicago, the Bowen Byram move may have done more than just strengthen the blue line. The Blackhawks’ trade for Byram reportedly helped with Connor Bedard’s extension, since the two have a long-standing connection and Bedard reacted positively to the addition. Chicago’s front office saw Byram as more than a top defenseman; his relationship with Bedard mattered too, and it helped push along a deal that was already heading toward completion.
Dallas has its own contract issue to solve, and it’s not getting any cleaner. Jason Robertson’s talks with the Stars are still unresolved, and the situation needs to be sorted out before his July 25 arbitration hearing.
Robertson doesn’t appear likely to budge from his ask, especially with the new deals for Carlsson and Bedard in the picture. Dallas is trying to make the math work, but if the talks drag on, trade conversations will have to pick up.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a team to watch.
And Jack Campbell has moved on from the crease. The former Oilers, Leafs, and Kings goaltender announced his retirement from professional hockey at 34 and revealed a new career path as an identity and performance coach. In an Instagram bio update and video, Campbell said he is now becoming a life coach, writing:
“Walking away from hockey wasn’t easy. It gave me more than I could have ever imagined.
But over the last few years, I realized the work that brought me the most fulfillment wasn’t stopping pucks-it was helping people become who they’re capable of becoming. I’m incredibly grateful to begin this next chapter as a coach with @novus.global.
I can’t wait to walk alongside athletes, leaders, and high performers as they create bigger visions for their lives and become the people those visions require.”
In Other News...
What Really Helped Convince Connor Bedard The Blackhawks Are Serious
Connor Bedards long-term future in Chicago came into sharper focus after the Blackhawks made a move that signaled they are trying to build something more than just a promising young core. The addition of Bowen Byram gave the organization another proven piece to pair with its rising talent, and it did not go unnoticed by the franchise center as contract talks moved toward an extension.
What stood out most was how the deal seemed to reinforce the message the Blackhawks have been trying to send: this is not a rebuild stuck in neutral. Bedard has been looking for signs that the team is serious about winning sooner rather than later, and the Byram trade appears to have helped answer at least part of that question, even if the full story behind the extension is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
Connor Bedard Just Added Fuel To Patrick Kane Buzz
Connor Bedards new long-term deal with the Blackhawks locked in the face of the franchise, but it also gave Chicago another reminder of how much star power still matters around this rebuild. With Patrick Kane still on the market, Bedard made it clear he would welcome the chance to share the ice with the former Blackhawks icon again, adding a little more intrigue to a name that never really leaves the conversation in Chicago.
For a team trying to turn promise into something bigger, the idea of Kane coming back carries obvious appeal beyond nostalgia. Bedards comments only sharpened that buzz, since a reunion would give the Blackhawks a proven veteran presence and one of the leagues most recognizable returning storylines, even as the final landing spot for Kane remains unresolved. [Read more 🡒]