Five storylines already dominating the 2026 NHL offseason

The Carolina Hurricanes have put their tarps back on after lifting the Stanley Cup. The NHL draft is days away.

And the offseason scramble to improve for next season is instantly a chaotic one, thanks to the Ottawa Senators' shocking trade of Brady Tkachuk to join his brother Matthew with the Florida Panthers.

Here are five storylines that are already defining the NHL offseason, from trade demands to free agent drama to big changes in front offices.

Trade demands

The NHL is in an age of player empowerment. That's manifested in star players having input on coach hirings (see: Edmonton), spiking trades with their non-movement clauses (see: Mitch Marner) and taking anything but a hometown discount ahead of free agency (see: Kirill Kaprizov). But mostly it's manifested in the way players are using pressure points to force trades to desired destinations.

Jack Eichel might have started the trend in 2021, when the Buffalo Sabres granted a long-gestating trade request so he could get the surgery he wanted with the Vegas Golden Knights (and win the Stanley Cup).

Matthew Tkachuk informed the Calgary Flames he wouldn't be committing long-term, leading to his trade to the Panthers (to win two Stanley Cups). Tkachuk was a restricted free agent in July 2022. When Quinn Hughes followed that blueprint last season in Vancouver, he had another year on his contract before unrestricted free agency. The Canucks maximized his value and sent their captain to the Minnesota Wild.

Brady Tkachuk added his name to that list on Sunday, as the Ottawa Senators shipped their captain to the Panthers, who we imagine are building an elaborate podcasting studio as we speak for the Brothers Tkachuk.

Some reports claim the Senators wanted him gone after he had the temerity to win an Olympic gold medal, but there have been rumblings about Tkachuk seeking an exit from Ottawa for a while. Pierre LeBrun notes that Tkachuk, with a full no-movement clause, had a limited number of teams to which he would accept a trade, and the Senators spoke with Vegas and Carolina. But seeing as how those clubs have 100% fewer of his brothers than Florida, the outcome for Brady was predictable.

Please note that the last three examples provided here featured American-born players leaving Canadian markets to play in the U.S. It's officially a trend. Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews has so far bucked the trend, despite some noise about his discontentment earlier in the offseason. U.S. Olympic hero Connor Hellebuyck has been rumored to want a change in scenery from Winnipeg, however Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson seem pretty happy in Montreal. But that Team USA group chat must be an interesting read.

Dylan Larkin, another U.S. Olympian, was already playing for an American team -- the Detroit Red Wings, an Original Six franchise no less -- when he shocked the NHL with a trade demand. What makes this scenario different is that he's already locked into a long-term contract, signed through 2030-31. But sometimes, a player just needs a fresh start after years of service to one organization -- such asEdmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, who also requested a trade this offseason.

One assumes these won't be the last trade demands made this year ...

More mega-extensions on the way?

From players leaving to players sticking around: This summer is also going to see some blockbuster contract extensions, many of them on or around July 1.

One of the most highly anticipated is Colorado Avalanche star defenseman Cale Makar. The Avalanche have been setting themselves up for this windfall for years, going back as far as their decision not to extend Mikko Rantanen. GM Joe Sakic said he expects Makar will sign a deal this summer despite having one more year left on his current deal ($9 million AAV). "Cale is going to finish his career here," Sakic said.

The highest paid defenseman in terms of the NHL salary cap remains Pittsburgh's Erik Karlsson at $11.5 million next season. The highest paid player in the NHL next season is Minnesota winger Kirill Kaprizov at $17 million AAV. His total salary in Year 1 of his megadeal is $19.1 million, with $1 million in base salary and $18.1 million in signing bonus.

Also up for an early extension is Quinn Hughes. GM Bill Guerin said that signing Hughes is "priority one" for Minnesota this offseason. If he does extend with the Wild, the question is for how long: A three-year extension would bring Quinn and Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils to free agency together in 2030.

Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov, fresh off his second Hart Trophy win for NHL MVP, is eligible for an extension on July 1. Next season, the 33-year-old will be in the last year of a deal with a $9.5 million AAV. GM Julien BriseBois said Kucherov wants to stay and the Lightning want him to stay ... which is one reason they couldn't match the $8.5 million defenseman Darren Raddysh got from the Maple Leafs. "I foresee him staying in our organization for a very long time, hopefully till the end of his career," BriseBois said of Kucherov.

Other players under contract for next season that can sign extension on July 1: Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby, New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier, and perhaps most intriguingly San Jose Sharks sensations Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. Sharks GM Mike Grier said "it's not the end of the world" if they don't sign long-term deals this offseason, but the expectation is that they will.

Also set for blockbuster contracts are several restricted free agents, including Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard (20 years old), Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (21) and 26-year-old Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson, the subject of many trade rumors as the team and their goal-scoring ace are reportedly a good distance apart in contract talks.

A thin free agent pool

As usual, there are hockey daydreams about restricted free agents getting massive offer sheets from teams desperate to acquire young, highly talented players with their draft capital.

The St. Louis Blues' raid on the Oilers in 2024, netting them defenseman Philip Broberg and forward Dylan Holloway, was a tantalizing tease. But outside of the spiteful offer sheet duel between Montreal and Carolina -- the Canadiens signed Sebastian Aho in 2019, which Carolina matched; Carolina signed Jesperi Kotkaniemi in 2021, and the Canadiens did not match -- those were the only two offer sheets since 2013.

But one of the reasons offer sheets are getting attention is that the unrestricted free agent pool is a puddle. The NHL salary cap is climbing to $104 million next season -- an $8.5 million increase -- which means more teams are able to retain their players rather than having them price themselves out of town. That means fewer impact players reaching UFA status.

The top forward is expected to be Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch, who has scored 30-plus goals in three of the past four seasons. While the Sabres would like to keep him, Tuch has talked about "the endless amounts of possibilities and options for a guy going into free agency." Anaheim Ducks defenseman John Carlson is expected to hit the open market and is the top offensive option among unrestricted blueliners.

Of course, the unrestricted free agent market does offer one legendary name: Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin, the NHL's all-time leading goal-scorer (929). Will he return to play for the Capitals, as Ovechkin said he would "probably not" play for another NHL team if he didn't return to Washington? Will he retire quietly in the offseason?

All that's known is that Ovechkin's decision should be coming in July, and he said of last season's finale "I'm pretty sure it's not my last game."

How much will the goalie carousel spin?

Goalie Brandon Bussi just went from the waiver wire last October to skating the Stanley Cup last week. It was a reminder that there are options beyond the big names and diamonds in the rough ... of course, it does help to have the Hurricanes in front of the crease and Rod Brind'Amour behind the bench.

The goalie carousel could be spinning again this offseason:

• Bussi's teammate Frederik Andersen, who turns 37 in October, could be at an end with the Hurricanes.


• Two-time Vezina winner Sergei Bobrovsky might be priced out of Florida.


• Three-time Vezina winner Connor Hellebuyck might want out of Winnipeg.


• The Blues could finally move goalie Jordan Binnington as he enters the final year of his contract.


• Rumors are swirling that the Devils want to move on from Jacob Markstrom.

Then there are the teams looking to change up their goaltending, like the Oilers (again).

New GMs making an impact

It's not often the NHL gets five new general managers in the two months after the season ends.

The Devils started the changes by hiring Panthers assistant GM Sunny Mehta to replace Tom Fitzgerald. The Canucks and Maple Leafs both had regime change, with a new GM and former star players taking over: Assistant GM Ryan Johnson and the Sedin twins for the Canucks, with former Arizona GM John Chayka and Mats Sundin taking over in Toronto.

Finally, Chris MacFarland left the Avalanche to take over the Nashville Predators. Joe Sakic, the guy who moved upstairs so MacFarland could become Avalanche GM, moved back down to become the Colorado GM for the time being.

They each have their own specific pressures. Johnson must clear out contracts like that of Elias Pettersson; MacFarland has his own decisions to make on veteran players that the previous GM Barry Trotz brought in. Mehta must turn the Devils back into a playoff team. Sakic must find a way to get the Avalanche back into the Stanley Cup Final.

Chayka, meanwhile, hit the ground running by trading goalie Joseph Woll to the Flyers and acquiring defenseman Darren Raddysh from Tampa Bay in a big sign-and-trade. Chayka said the latter move was "not without risk" but one "we felt was worth pursing" given where the Leafs. Which is, apparently, "win now."

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