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New York Times
29 minutes ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Sabres extend Jack Quinn for 2 years: What it means for Buffalo's lineup and cap situation
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Hours before the start of the first round of the NHL Draft, the Buffalo Sabres announced they signed 23-year-old forward Jack Quinn to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3.375 million. Quinn, Buffalo's 2020 first-round pick, was set to become a restricted free agent on July 1. Advertisement Quinn is coming off a season in which he had 15 goals, 24 assists and 39 points. It was considered a disappointing season for Quinn, who didn't score a goal against a goalie until Dec. 15 — he had one empty-net goal before then. He's had bad injury luck early in his career. During summer training in 2023, he tore his Achilles. He returned to Buffalo's lineup in December of that year and played only 17 games before he broke his leg and missed another two months. Two more years for Quinner ⚔️ We have signed Jack Quinn to a two-year contract with an AAV of $3.375 million. Details → — Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) June 27, 2025 This season, Quinn was expected to take a big step forward for Buffalo. He started the season on the second line and got a steady dose of power-play time throughout the season on the second unit. But he didn't find any sort of offensive rhythm until late in the season. He had 15 points in his final 16 games, but the Sabres were well out of the playoff picture at that point. Of his 39 points, 13 came on the power play. Quinn also struggled defensively and was a healthy scratch at times in Lindy Ruff's first year as head coach. The Sabres had only 45 percent of the expected goals when Quinn was on the ice at five-on-five this season, the third-worst mark among Sabres forwards. This contract is a bet that Quinn can bounce back to the form he had before the injury, when he had 14 goals and 23 assists as a rookie. Now that Quinn has a cap hit north of $3 million, it's likely he has an everyday spot in Buffalo's lineup on the top three lines. But it's not easy finding an obvious fit for him as the roster stands right now. This is a rough sketch of Buffalo's forward lines after the team traded away JJ Peterka and added Josh Doan. Advertisement Zach Benson – Josh Norris – Tage Thompson Jason Zucker – Jiri Kulich – Alex Tuch Jack Quinn – Ryan McLeod (restricted free agent) – Josh Doan Beck Malenstyn – Peyton Krebs – Jordan Greenway If Quinn takes a major step forward, he could theoretically play in the top six in place of one of Benson or Zucker. But that's a big gamble considering how much he struggled last season. He's not an ideal fit on the fourth line, either, given his playing style. But for what the Sabres are paying him, Quinn will get a chance at a top-nine role. This number feels a bit high for Quinn after the season he had. AFP Analytics projected Quinn to get a one-year deal worth around $1.5 million. That seemed like an appropriate value and would have given Quinn a chance to prove himself with a bounce-back season. This is a riskier bet than that. Even with the salary cap going up, it's tough to say Quinn has earned the salary the Sabres gave him. If the Sabres wanted to make a bet on Quinn's long-term potential, they could have gotten more term on the deal. He will now be a restricted free agent again when the salary cap ceiling is projected to be $113.5 million. According to PuckPedia, the Sabres now have roughly $17.5 million in salary-cap space with 19 players under contract. They still have Bowen Byram, Ryan McLeod, Jacob Bernard-Docker, Devon Levi and Tyson Kozak as restricted free agents. The Quinn signing should not prevent the Sabres from adding another winger capable of playing in the top six. While Quinn has shown flashes of potential over the last three years, there's still a need for more proven scoring. But with Quinn's cap number and the expected value of their restricted free agents, the Sabres will need to move out another player to make room for another significant addition to the forward group.
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Sport
- Time of India
NHL Trade Rumors: Insider drops hint Aaron Ekblad may soon be playing for Columbus blue jackets
NHL Trade Rumors: Insider drops hint Aaron Ekblad may soon be playing for Columbus blue jackets (Image via getty) An interesting trade might be coming for Aaron Ekblad. On the latest DFO Rundown, NHL insider Frank Seravalli hinted that the Florida Panthers star defenseman 'could end up in Columbus. ' The idea has fans talking and raises big questions about Ekblad's next move. Aaron Ekblad linked to Columbus by Frank Seravalli On June 26, 2025, Frank Seravalli spoke during the Daily Faceoff Rundown that Aaron Ekblad 'could end up in Columbus.' Ekblad, 29, is a top‑four right‑shot defenseman and as a two‑time Stanley Cup winner, he remains a hot prospect. With Ekblad's contract likely to expire July 1, Seravalli said multiple teams are watching him closely, including the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Jackets currently have around $40 million in cap space, which gives them room to make a major signing or trade in free agency . Ekblad spent his entire NHL career with the Florida Panthers since being the first overall pick in 2014. Last season he scored 33 points in 56 games and helped lead Florida to back‑to‑back Stanley Cup wins in 2024 and 2025 (). He missed 20 games recently due to a PED suspension, but remains highly regarded for his size, skill, and experience . by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like After Losing Weight Kevin James Looks Like A Model 33 Bridges Undo Aaron Ekblad deal talk sparks debate over long term fit Talk of Ekblad possibly ending up in Columbus has stirred conversation among fans and experts. Some believe his offensive game and championship pedigree would boost the Blue Jackets' defence. Others worry about his $7.8 million AAV cap hit and potential injury history. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic flagged Ekblad as likely headed to free agency and noted the Panthers may struggle to match his expected value. Meanwhile, Sports Journalist Cole Shelton at said, 'I think everyone has spent a lot of time wondering what Aaron Ekblad might look like in a Toronto Maple Leafs uniform,' s howing how multiple teams are weighing in. Also Read: NHL Trade Rumors: Connor McDavid Not Expected To Commit Long Term To Oilers After 2026 With Ekblad's no‑trade protection ending in July and Columbus holding enough space to make a strong offer, this could be one of the most watched free agent signings of the summer. If it happens, it would make a big splash for both Ekblad's future and Columbus's defense lineup. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
New York Times
35 minutes ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Panthers re-sign Sam Bennett to 8-year, $8 million AAV contract extension: Source
Sam Bennett has re-signed with the Florida Panthers. His contract is for eight seasons with an $8 million AAV, according to a league source. A pivotal player for the Panthers' back-to-back Stanley Cup championship teams, Bennett won the 2025 Conn Smythe Trophy as postseason MVP on the strength of 15 goals, including 13 on the road. He scored five goals in the Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers. EIGHT MORE YEARS. 📝 » — Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) June 27, 2025 Bennett has scored 27 goals for the Panthers on their runs to the Cup Final each of the last three postseasons. Bennett, 29, has scored 95 goals and 196 points in 289 regular-season games with the Panthers, who acquired him in a trade with the Calgary Flames in April 2021. Each of his four seasons with at least 20 goals has come in Florida. His previous contract, a four-year deal worth $4.425 million annually, was inked in summer 2021, soon after he joined Florida.
Winnipeg Free Press
37 minutes ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
New York Islanders poised to make top pick in NHL draft, and they have several good options
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The New York Islanders are poised to make the top selection in an NHL draft that is packed with talent while missing a few staples of recent drafts. For starters, there is no absolute lock of a No. 1 pick in this field, although the Isles are expected to take gifted defenseman Matthew Schaefer of the OHL's Erie Otters. This draft also lacks the centralized structure that has long been a staple of this annual exercise. The 32 teams' various executives are mostly at home, not strewn across the draft floor at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles. But the teenagers chosen in the first round Friday still will take the stage to cheers from their families and hockey fans before they begin their careers. This draft could be more unpredictable than some in recent years, and many teams are openly contemplating a trade down from their top pick. Even the second and third picks contain intrigue: Michael Misa is thought by many to be a cut above the rest of the forward class, but Swedish prospect Anton Frondell has surged up draft boards in recent weeks. San Jose has the No. 2 overall pick, while the Chicago Blackhawks are third. The Utah Mammoth and the Nashville Predators round out the top five. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. ___ AP NHL:
Fox Sports
39 minutes ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Playoff MVP Sam Bennett agrees on 8-year, $64 million contract to stay with Florida Panthers
Associated Press SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Sam Bennett walked to the front of the stage at the Florida Panthers' latest Stanley Cup championship parade, and before he could even speak the crowd began serenading him with their request. 'Eight more years! Eight more years!' they chanted, over and over. They got their wish. Bennett — who led the NHL with 15 goals in this year's playoffs and became the first Panthers player ever to score that many in a single postseason — is staying with the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. He and Florida agreed Friday to a new eight-year contract worth $64 million, or $8 million per season. 'Sam is a special player who has mastered a unique blend of skill and physicality in his game, becoming one of the most impactful postseason performers of his generation,' Panthers general manager and hockey operations president Bill Zito said. 'He played an integral role in our two Stanley Cup championships, earning the franchise's first Conn Smythe trophy and is a dedicated contributor to our South Florida community off the ice. We are thrilled that he will continue his career with the Panthers.' Bennett was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as MVP of the playoffs, the first Florida player to ever win that award. The last time a Conn Smythe winner didn't open the following season with the same team he had that playoff run with was 1997, when goaltender Mike Vernon helped Detroit win that year's Cup — and then the Red Wings traded him to San Jose that summer. It is the first of three big decisions that the Panthers have been waiting on heading into free agency, the others being what forward Brad Marchand — a trade deadline pickup who became an enormous part of the run to this Cup — and defenseman Aaron Ekblad will do going forward. The Bennett signing is another huge move by general manager and hockey operations president Bill Zito, who now has eight players — all of them key parts of the team — under contract with the Panthers through at least the 2029-30 season. Bennett joins Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Anton Lundell, Seth Jones and Gustav Forsling on that list. The raise is a massive one for Bennett, who just finished the final year of a four-year contract that paid him just under $18 million. He had a postseason like almost none other; the only other player to have at least 15 goals and 48 penalty minutes in the same playoff run was Pittsburgh's Kevin Stevens in 1991. He had given indications throughout this offseason process — including at a nightclub during the Panthers' days-long initial Cup celebration — that he intended to remain in Florida, but nothing got officially done until Friday. Bennett is coming off perhaps his finest season, with 25 goals and 26 assists in the regular season for a career-best 51 points. ___ AP NHL:
