The Toronto Maple Leafs are heading into free agency with a pretty clear target in mind: get deeper.
GM John Chayka said the focus early on will be building out the roster rather than chasing only the biggest names. “Depth, for the most part.
There’s a few holes we have, but we’re going to be focused on the depth early & see if we can round out the roster. There’s some bigger swings that we’ll take and look at some things, but it’s a two-sided marketplace.”
In Chicago, the Blackhawks sound open for business as well. GM Kyle Davidson said the team is still exploring the market and isn’t closing the door on more movement. “We’re definitely looking to make some stuff happen.”
That includes the blue line. Davidson was asked whether the Blackhawks might add there, and he made it clear they’re not locked into one path.
“If we rolled this group into the season, we’d be fine. But we’re still going to look at what’s available to us, as well.”
Around the league, John Carlson’s name continues to loom large. The Carolina Hurricanes acquired the pending UFA defenseman without any contract extension already lined up, giving themselves the first shot to speak with him before other teams get involved.
And the price tag, if Carlson reaches July 1, is already taking shape. Pierre LeBrun reported the minimum would be a two-year deal at $10 million per season.
Interest in Carlson would not stop there, either. The Hurricanes are believed to be one of four or five teams in the mix, with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, and Philadelphia Flyers also mentioned as possible suitors if he gets to free agency.
As for Carolina’s other pending free agent situation, GM Eric Tulsky said there have been no contract talks yet with defenseman Alexander Nikishin. Tulsky said the Hurricanes are giving themselves a little time after a busy stretch with the season just ending and the draft and free agency coming quickly.
“It’s easy to punt for a little bit and let the dust settle and take care of the things that are pressing and then figure out where we go from there.”
In Other News...
Blackhawks Fans Finally Get A Real Look At The Pipeline
The Blackhawks are about to give fans a much better look at the future. Chicago announced a 19-player roster for its upcoming Development Camp, and this years version will finally return to on-ice work at the Blackhawks Ice Center after the event had shifted to an off-ice format in 2023. The camp runs Tuesday through Thursday, with a mix of top prospects and recent draft picks set to take part as the organization starts putting its pipeline on display again.
There is plenty of intrigue in the group, too, with names such as Sacha Boisvert, Marek Vanacker, Vaclav Nestrasil and Mason West among those expected on the ice. Four of the Blackhawks five 2026 NHL Draft selections are also scheduled to attend, giving the team a chance to evaluate a broad slice of its prospect pool in one setting. Media availability is lined up during the week as well, offering a closer look at the players, coaches and management shaping what comes next. [Read more 🡒]