Bill Guerin announced Saturday that Jonas Brodin is expected to miss the start of the 2025-26 season after undergoing successful upper-body surgery. The 31-year-old defender missed 32 games in 2024-25 due to injury but still managed to put up an impressive four goals, 20 points, and +10 plus/minus in his 50 games played. His return date remains up in the air until we get closer to the 2025-26 regular season.
Toronto can take a key item off their off-season "to-do" list after signing restricted free agent Matthew Knies to a six-year, $46.5 million contract extension ($7.75 million AAV). The 22-year-old left-winger took a massive step forward in 2024-25, occupying Toronto's top-six throughout the season while putting up 29 goals, 58 points and a +7 plus/minus in 78 games played.
Ottawa will be bringing back a familiar veteran presence in 2025-26 after announcing it has signed Claude Giroux to a one-year, $2 million extension, with the possibility of earning up to $4.75 million in bonuses. The 37-year-old is entering his 19th NHL season and his fourth with Ottawa after putting up a modest 15 goals and 50 points in 81 games played in 2024-25.
Despite Anaheim acquiring Petr Mrazek on Saturday in a deal that shipped John Gibson out of town, Anaheim continued to add to their goaltending depth for the 2025-26 season after signing Ville Husso to a two-year, $4.4 million contract extension ($2.2 million AAV). The 30-year-old was acquired at last year's trade deadline from Detroit and posted a 2-6-3 record with a 3.47 GAA and .890 SV% between the Ducks and Red Wings last season.
Boston will keep one of its defensive depth pieces after it announced on Sunday that the Bruins had re-signed Michael Callahan to a one-year, two-way contract extension. The 25-year-old appeared in 17 games with the Bruins in 2024-25, picking up a goal, nine SOG and a -5 plus/minus. He is expected to fight for one of Boston's final defence spots in training camp.
Acquired at the 2024-25 trade deadline, Marat Khusnutdinov will remain in Boston for at least two more seasons after signing a two-year, $1.85 million contract extension on Sunday. The 22-year-old former 3rd round pick started his career with 11 points in 73 games with Minnesota, but caught his footing after his trade to Boston, where he had three goals and five points in 18 games played after the trade.
July 1st free agency will be without one of its bigger defensive targets after Columbus signed Dante Fabbro to a four-year, $16.5 million contract extension on Sunday. The 27-year-old first came to Columbus off waivers in November of 2024 and excelled almost immediately, putting up nine goals, 26 points and a +23 plus/minus in 62 games played while averaging 21:39 TOI.
After appearing in just one game for the Islanders in 2024-25, Julien Gauthier has earned himself a one-year, two-way contract extension to remain in Long Island. The 27-year-old right-winger will provide some offensive depth after putting up three goals and eight points in nine games with Bridgeport (AHL) last season.
Former 18th overall pick Liam Foudy has been signed to a one-year, two-way contract extension to provide New York with some offensive depth for the upcoming 2025-26 season. The 25-year-old appeared in two games for the Islanders in 2024-25 but failed to pick up a point, instead spending the majority of his season with Bridgeport (AHL), where he had 20 goals and 45 points.
San Jose shored up their minor league goaltending on Sunday after signing Gariel Carriere to a one-year, two-way contract extension. The 24-year-old undrafted goaltender appeared in 47 games combined between the AHL and ECHL last season and will hope to remain with the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) this upcoming season.
After being acquired from Chicago earlier in the week (for Andre Burakovsky), Joe Veleno has been placed on unconditional waivers by Seattle for the purposes of a buyout. The 25-year-old forward is in the 2nd year of a 2-year, $4.55 million contract and will incur a hit of $2,275,000 AAV in the 2025-26 season.
