The biggest headline out of the NHL’s latest wave of moves came in Detroit, where Steve Yzerman is stepping out of the general manager chair.
Frank Seravalli reported that the Red Wings announced this morning that Yzerman is moving into an advisor role and will no longer serve as their GM. Owner Chris Illitch will now look both inside and outside the organization for the next person to run the hockey operations side.
New Jersey also made a notable move, locking up Anthony Mantha on a two-year deal with a $4.75 million cap hit. Jim Biringer reported the signing, and Mantha’s production last season helps explain the interest: 33 goals and 31 assists. Puck Pedia laid out the salary structure as well, with Mantha set to earn $1 million in salary and a $4.4 million signing bonus in 2026-27, followed by $1 million in salary and a $3.1 million signing bonus in 2027-28.
The Devils’ roster picture still comes with a familiar warning sign, though: New Jersey needs Jack Hughes to stay healthy.
Pittsburgh also got in on the action by re-signing Nicholas Robertson. Puck Pedia reported the Penguins gave the restricted free agent forward a two-year contract carrying a $3.25 million cap hit.
Robertson will make $3.25 million in each season of the deal, and he’ll remain an RFA when it expires, with one year left before UFA status. His qualifying offer will be $3.25 million.
A few teams continued to move quickly on their 2026 draft picks. Winnipeg signed 2026 first-rounder Viggo Bjorck, taken eighth overall, to a three-year entry-level contract.
Puck Pedia reported the deal carries a $1.075 million cap hit and a $2.075 million AAV. The breakdown includes NHL salary, signing bonus, A’ performance bonuses, and minor-league money in each year of the contract.
The Islanders followed by signing their own 2026 first-round pick, defenseman Malte Gustafsson, who went 13th overall. Washington then announced a three-year entry-level deal for 2026 first-round pick Oliver Suvanto, the 18th overall selection. The Capitals said he is expected to be loaned to Tappara of Liiga (Finland-1) for next season, and the contract carries a $1.075 AAV with $85,000 in the AHL.
Minnesota added another young player to the fold as well, signing 2026 fifth-round pick Filip Ruzicka, a goaltender taken 137th overall, to a three-year entry-level deal. Puck Pedia reported the contract comes with a $987,500 cap hit and AAV, along with yearly salary and signing-bonus figures that rise over the life of the deal.
There’s still arbitration business to sort out across the league, too. Puck Pedia noted that 15 players filed for salary arbitration, with four already re-signing. The remaining dates on the calendar include Jamie Drysdale and Cole Perfetti on Monday, July 20; Trevor Zegras on Wednesday, July 22; Jet Greaves on Thursday, July 23; Connor McMichael and Jason Robertson on Saturday, July 25; Cole Sillinger on Monday, July 27; Ronan Seeley on Wednesday, July 29; Alex Jefferies and Kirby Dach on Thursday, July 30; and Akira Schmid on Saturday, August 1.
In Other News...
Islanders Prospect System Suddenly Looks Better Than Anyone Expected
The Islanders prospect picture has taken a noticeable turn, and Scott Wheelers latest 2026 Top 100 NHL prospects list is a big reason why. Malte Gustafsson sits at No. 34 overall as the highest-ranked player in the organizations pipeline, a sign that the system is drawing far more respect than it did in recent years. New York also placed five players in Wheelers top 100, with Calum Ritchie, Victor Eklund, Kashawn Aitcheson and Cole Eiserman joining Gustafsson on the list.
For an organization that has spent plenty of time hearing about its shallow pipeline, that kind of representation matters. Ritchie, acquired from Colorado in the Brock Nelson trade, gives the group another high-end piece, while Eiserman remains one of the more intriguing names because his long-term value will depend on whether he can grow beyond being known mainly as a shooter. Wheelers rankings do not solve anything for the Islanders in the short term, but they do suggest the talent base is deeper and more interesting than it has been for a while. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Just Reignited The Noah Dobson Debate Islanders Fans Know Well
The Canadiens contract picture for 2026-27 has a familiar name sitting right in the middle of the debate for Islanders fans. Noah Dobson remains the kind of player whose value is easy to argue over because his deal and his usage invite the same question from two different angles: what a defenseman of his profile should cost, and how much he should be asked to do. For a player who once drew so much of his appeal from his role on the power play, the discussion around him in Montreal has become a useful reminder of how quickly the context around a defenseman can change.
Mike Matheson is part of that same conversation, and his situation only sharpens the contrast. His five-year extension has pushed him into more of a shutdown role, even as the offense has cooled, which is the sort of tradeoff teams live with when they believe the rest of the package still works. Josh Anderson and Phillip Danault also factor into the broader evaluation, but for Islanders readers, the real hook is the way Dobsons name keeps surfacing whenever Montreals roster math turns into a referendum on value, usage, and what a team thinks it is actually buying. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Schedule Has A Few Dates Fans Will Circle Immediately
The Islanders 2026-27 schedule gives fans plenty to mark down before the puck even drops, starting with a Sept. 30 opener in Toronto and a home opener three days later against the Devils. From there, the calendar is packed with the usual Metro grind, including four meetings with the Rangers, plus a slate that mixes later start times, back-to-backs and the kind of road/home rhythm that can quietly shape a season long before spring arrives.
There are also a few dates that stand out for reasons beyond standings math, especially the first look at former captain Anders Lee and the games that come with it. Add in matchups against teams coached by Pete DeBoer, and the schedule has the feel of one that will keep Islanders fans checking the calendar as much as the box scores, with a handful of nights carrying a little more weight than the rest. [Read more 🡒]