The Flyers are still swinging for the fences, and Darren Dreger says the target is the kind of player who changes the look of a lineup.
Philadelphia, according to Dreger on TSN, is “big game hunting” and trying to land a star. As he put it, “They’re looking for a star forward or a star defenceman, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.”
That pursuit doesn’t appear to be tied to Matvei Michkov. Kevin Kurz reported that Flyers general manager Danny Briere said the team had “some talks” with Michkov’s agents about a contract extension before Tuesday’s deadline, but Briere didn’t have much more to offer on the subject.
The New York Rangers, meanwhile, didn’t sound especially rattled by Tuesday’s CBA deadline. When asked whether he had spoken with Gabriel Perreault or any other extension-eligible young players about a long-term deal before the agreement expired, GM Chris Drury kept it close to the vest.
“As you all know, I’m not going to get into contract negotiations publicly. All or any conversations I have with players or agents, keep that private.
We’re happy with where we’re at. We’re happy with where our roster is at.
We’re happy with our cap projections going into this year and in the future. We’re excited to see Gabe and other young players continue to grow, take on more responsibility, earn more responsibility here and have good productive years for us.”
Peter Baugh also noted that he was told on Monday there hadn’t been any extension talks with Gabe Perreault.
In Winnipeg, Josh Morrissey said he found out about Connor Hellebuyck’s trade request the same way everybody else did. He made clear he doesn’t know what comes next, but he’s still holding out hope Hellebuyck returns to the Jets’ lineup.
“But I don’t know what that’s going to look like. Nobody knows if he’s going to be here or not or what a trade would look like, so I can’t say it makes us worse or whatever.
That’s speculation. Obviously, we hope he’s back at some point and playing for us for a long time.”
Morrissey, who has two years left on his contract with a $6.25 million cap hit, also said his feelings about Winnipeg haven’t changed.
“At the end of the day, I love being here. I love being a Jet,” he said. “That’s how I’ve always felt, and so that doesn’t change because of somebody else’s decision.”
In Other News...
Rangers May Open With An Unusual Goalie Decision Behind Shesterkin
A shortened preseason has pushed the Rangers into an unusual early-season roster conversation, one that starts with Igor Shesterkin in the crease and branches into a messier question behind him. Joonas Korpisalo and Dylan Garand are both in the mix for the backup role, and the organization is weighing whether the safest way to get through the opening stretch is to keep three goalies around instead of making an early cut.
Mike Sullivan has acknowledged the idea as a practical short-term fix, even if it would not be the preferred long-term setup. The wrinkle is that the Rangers do not want to rush into a decision and risk losing Garand on waivers before the season even begins, which leaves the club trying to balance roster flexibility against the possibility of losing a young goaltender for nothing. [Read more 🡒]
Former Rangers First Rounder Just Took The Next Step Away From New York
Brennan Othmanns path away from the Rangers took another step this week, with Calgary signing the restricted free agent forward to a one-year, two-way deal for the 2026-27 season. Othmann finished last season with the Flames after arriving in March 2026 and got into two NHL games down the stretch, giving Calgary a closer look at a player New York once viewed as part of its future.
Now he is expected to be in the Flames training camp this fall, with a spot on the NHL roster still to be earned. If he does not win one, the likely fallback is another stint with the AHL Wranglers, a reminder that the former Rangers first-rounder is still trying to turn promise into a permanent place in the league. [Read more 🡒]
Chris Kreider Is Already Getting A Role Rangers Fans Know Well
Chris Kreiders next chapter has taken shape quickly after his exit from New York, with the veteran forward landing in Montreal and stepping into a situation that looks designed to lean on his experience right away. The Canadiens have been looking to add some veteran presence as they get ready for the upcoming season, and Kreiders arrival gives them a proven body who has spent years in the kind of high-pressure role Rangers fans know well.
Early camp usage has already offered a clue to how Montreal sees him fitting in, with Kreider being asked to work in ways that fit his old strengths rather than easing into something new. For a player who went from the Rangers to Anaheim and then onto waivers after one season, the chance to reestablish himself on a team trying to grow up around its young core could be exactly the kind of reset he needs, even if the exact job description is still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]