Latest news with #PiusSuter
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
New Blues Forward Should Be Perfect Fit
Earlier this off-season, the St. Louis Blues signed forward Pius Suter to a two-year, $8.25 million contract. This was after the 29-year-old recorded new career highs with 25 goals, 21 assists, and 46 points in 81 games with the Vancouver Canucks during the 2024-25 season.
New York Times
16-07-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Five free agents for the Vancouver Canucks to consider as value signings
The free-agent bargain bin has been a key source of talent for the Vancouver Canucks during the Jim Rutherford and Patrik Allvin era. In the summer of 2023, the Canucks signed Pius Suter to a two-year, $3.2 million contract ($1.6 million annual average value) in mid-August. Suter, perpetually undervalued by the industry due to his complete lack of traits, fell through the cracks in unrestricted free agency before the Canucks pounced on the opportunity to sign him to a two-year deal. Advertisement The Swiss-born forward went on to produce 75 points in 148 regular-season games across his two Vancouver campaigns. He pitched in everywhere in the lineup (and on the penalty kill) and played top-six minutes during the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, during which he scored the series-winning goal against the Nashville Predators. Suter might not have seemed like a needle-moving signing on the day the Canucks announced the deal, but he helped them outscore their opponents and win games in a depth role. Finding real hockey value in the free-agent bargain bin isn't a simple task for NHL talent evaluators, but it's a fishing hole that Vancouver has used regularly in recent seasons. Suter is the most prominent example, but the Canucks also signed Kevin Lankinen to a one-year contract in September 2024, and he helped carry them for months on end, ultimately earning a five-year extension from the team. And, of course, the Canucks have also swung and missed in this marketplace. Daniel Sprong was brought in on an affordable one-year deal to give them a right-handed power-play option and punch up the team's speed and depth scoring, but he never earned the trust of Canucks coaches and was traded for future considerations after just nine appearances. This summer, there are very few potential impact players that remain unsigned, but the NHL's cap system is also awash in unused space. It's an unusual dynamic given what we've become accustomed to observing across the past five years. As a result, while the flow of signings has slowed significantly, there's still a chance that some of the top remaining names on the market will be able to demand more than the league minimum — veteran winger Jeff Skinner, for example, signed on July 11 with the San Jose Sharks and still netted a $3 million contract — despite their apparent lack of leverage. Advertisement From what I can gather in discussing offseason plans with senior team sources, there are a couple of names the Canucks are still monitoring in unrestricted free agency. They, however, are capped out and would need to first send out cap dollars in order to consider rolling the dice on a value unrestricted free agent. Based on what I'm hearing, the Canucks are more than open to that possibility. In fact, they're actively exploring their options to do just that on the trade market. We'll see where this goes, but in the meantime, let's look over some of the free agents that remain unsigned and could add some depth to Vancouver's forward group as value adds in the second wave of unrestricted free agency. Jack Roslovic is the biggest name that remains unsigned, and that's somewhat surprising given his profile. He's a 28-year-old right-handed forward who is coming off a 39-point season with the Carolina Hurricanes, with the versatility to pitch in at both centre and on the wing, and whose faceoff win rate spiked last season. Roslovic has produced at least 30 points in five consecutive seasons, is a high-end skater and has appeared in 25 playoff games across the past two seasons. Vancouver has had interest in Roslovic in the past, dating back to his days with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Canucks also expected to be priced out on Roslovic heading into free agency, as we previously reported, which suggests strongly that they may be as surprised as we are that Roslovic remains unsigned as of July 16. Vancouver could use a centre-capable forward, especially in the wake of Suter's departure for the St. Louis Blues this summer. Even if Roslovic is best used on the wing, he'd give the Canucks an additional right-handed power-play option and an additional player who can at least pitch in at centre. There's an argument to be made that Roslovic would just flat out be an upgrade for Vancouver in a top-nine role. The Athletic's in-house Net Rating model, views Roslovic as a third-line calibre forward. In fact, the Net Rating model would project Roslovic to be the eighth-most valuable forward on the roster if he were to join the Canucks today. Given his evident fit from a stylistic standpoint and his ability to help the club patch over their significant centre needs, if the Canucks were able to find a way to shed a cap liability (or two) and then turn around and land Roslovic on an affordable one- or two-year contract, that would represent a very nice maneuver for Vancouver. Advertisement Hailing from Örnsköldsvik, Sweden — the hometown of Henrik and Daniel Sedin — Victor Olofsson is a crafty depth scoring winger who will turn 30 this weekend. Olofsson was a useful piece for the Vegas Golden Knights last season, even pitching in on their first power-play unit during the playoffs. Of note, he had some especially strong performances against the Canucks last season. Ultimately, however, it wasn't the answer for a Golden Knights club that attempted to make it work with fill-in pieces on the wings while relying on their centres to drive the offence last season, and Vegas has now pivoted by bringing in Mitch Marner to flesh out its attack. While Olofsson would be an interesting potential add for the Canucks, as a player that the Net Rating model views as a solid two-way option capable of providing fringe second-line value, it's worth noting that the fit isn't ideal. Olofsson is a player who's best suited to threatening in stationary attacking situations and capitalizing by finding the quiet areas of the ice during extended offensive zone shifts. He's best deployed alongside a playmaking centre at five-on-five, and he's a legitimate option on the right flank with the man advantage. The Canucks, however, very clearly would prefer to play a quicker brand of north-south, stress-based hockey, which isn't an ideal environment for Olofsson, who is both undersized and has below-average skating speed for a scoring winger. Vancouver is lacking in the sorts of playmaking centres capable of maximizing Olofsson's skills as a finisher, and with Elias Pettersson in the fold, has limited use for a power-play specialist best calibrated to manning the right flank. Despite those fit concerns, adding Olofsson would still be a meaningful boost for a team that sorely requires additional forward talent. Advertisement Max Pacioretty still has some game, especially offensively. The 36-year-old scoring forward — who, as a younger winger, was once one of the NHL's most consistent 30-goal scorers, and a lanky, disruptive demon of a forechecker — has obviously lost a step as he's aged and dealt with a variety of lower-body injuries. The diminishment of Pacioretty's speed has sapped his two-way value to some extent, but he's still a clever attacking player and demonstrated in the playoffs, when he had eight points in 11 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs, that he's still got the stomach to elevate his game in big moments. The fit issue for the Canucks with Pacioretty in mind is that the veteran forward has a somewhat similar profile to incoming winger Evander Kane, although Kane is obviously a higher-calibre contributor at this stage of their respective careers. Namely, Pacioretty is an offence-first winger with some gaps in his two-way value who struggles to stay out of the penalty box at this stage of his career. Pacioretty could add some depth to the Canucks' lineup, but given the Kane addition, he'd feel like something of a redundant piece for this Vancouver team. Hudson Fasching is a worthwhile depth gamble for a team in need of a fourth-line winger who can defend and skate at a high level. The 29-year-old stands 6-foot-3, 210 pounds and is long and disruptive as a checking forward. I'm not sure I watched any other forward cut off the top and take time and space away from Quinn Hughes as effectively last season as Fasching did playing for the Islanders, and that's just about the most difficult defensive assignment that you can task a winger with handling these days. Fasching has spent at least some time in the AHL in each of the past three seasons, and profiles more like a Quad-A player type than a full-time NHLer. Given that the Canucks are intent on promoting several contributors from the Calder Cup champion Abbotsford Canucks this upcoming season, it isn't easy to see how Fasching would fit into this Vancouver lineup. Advertisement As a depth winger, however, with legitimate two-way ability, Fasching would be an interesting add on a two-way deal. Klim Kostin is a 6-foot-4, 230-pound winger. He's probably a pure fourth-liner at this stage of his career, and it's concerning that he wasn't able to make more of a meal of his opportunity with a moribund San Jose Sharks side last season. Still, he's an impressive one-shot goal-scoring threat who has typically produced goals at an efficient per-minute clip. Given that Kostin's standout trait — absolutely ripping the puck and beating set goaltenders at the NHL level — is one of the most difficult skills to find in hockey, and that Kostin combines that ability with a high motor and a massive frame, he's a depth forward that's worth adding to just about any lineup. (Photo of Jack Roslovic: Katherine Gawlik / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
New York Times
07-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Vancouver Canucks mailbag, part 1: Strategic paths to contender status tiers
The meat of the NHL offseason is in the books. That doesn't mean it's the dog days of summer yet, however. There are still some interesting unrestricted free agents who are just beginning to fall through the cracks and drop their respective prices. The Canucks have signed a value free agent midsummer in consecutive years — Pius Suter in 2023, Daniel Sprong in 2024 — and are scouring the market for such options again. We could see a move like that occur in the next three to five weeks. Advertisement Meanwhile, there is some industry expectation that, as the logic of the cap growth era really sets in, we may see more late summer trade activity than we're used to. That must be music to the ears of Canucks hockey operations leadership, especially given the unfinished feeling of this roster at the moment. As we wait to see what comes next, we wanted to open up the offseason reaction mailbag. We got nearly 150 submissions over the weekend, and we'll pick through the most interesting of those questions to deliver you some answers to your pressing Canucks questions in our two part, post-July 1 edition of the VIP only mailbag. Note: Submitted questions may be edited for clarity and style. Can you provide a tiered list of the strategic paths management could take to turn the Canucks into a contender? — Patrick F. Thanks for the question, Patrick, and kudos for framing it so irresistibly. As you well know, I can't resist a tiered list! OK, here goes nothing … The most likely to deliver the next great Canucks team tier The rebuild over a multiyear time horizon plan In my view, the Canucks' most likely path to bringing a Stanley Cup to Vancouver in the not-too-distant future is going to require a more dramatic reset than anything they seem to be prepared to even consider. It's unfortunate because the Canucks mined some super elite top-end talent from their last, fitful, quasi-intentional rebuilding phase from 2014 through 2019, but poor cap allocation, organizational ineptitude, pandemic-related budgetary tightfistedness, poor contractual decisions and, ultimately, interpersonal conflicts in the dressing room have submarined the potential of the Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes era. Now that's not to say that whatever remains of this era is hopeless. The team, as currently constructed, could congeal under Adam Foote, Pettersson could bounce back, Thatcher Demko could stay healthy and they could very plausibly make the playoffs this year and next. They could maybe even find a solid level as a playoff-calibre team, with a shot to go deep, provided they get a near-perfect run out and make a couple of savvy in-season swings. Advertisement If we're being ruthlessly honest about the true talent level of this team, however, and compare it to what we see out of Florida, Edmonton, Carolina, Vegas and Dallas, there's probably just too much distance to travel. The Canucks are probably shy of what those top-five contender tier teams have by at least an additional elite player, and an additional top-line calibre player beyond that. And, of course, there are levels to this. Just entering that discussion doesn't put you on par with a Panthers team that seems to have eight bona fide top-line calibre forwards, is keeping the band back together and ran roughshod over four of the top-10 true talent teams on their way to a second consecutive Stanley Cup. If the goal is to win a championship, the Canucks shouldn't be fearful of rebuilding, though I'll acknowledge that the timing to begin at the moment is completely suboptimal given the handful of recent extensions and the Hughes contract timeline. Nonetheless, being willing to take a step back on paper and chase more volatile profiles to accumulate value, amassing draft picks, being disciplined about pouncing on sell windows when players 'pop' (as, for example, Brock Boeser did during his 40-goal performance in the 2023-24 campaign) and even trying to maximize your lottery odds with Gavin McKenna and Landon DuPont in mind, would all be worthwhile steps to take given how stubbornly the Canucks appear to be stuck in the mushy middle. Obviously it's a painful step to have to take, and you'd face a tall task attempting to sell the vision to Hughes (much less Canucks ownership). I simply don't know how Vancouver gets to the top of the ladder without trying to use the natural gravity of the NHL system — even if the weight of that gravity is about to be restrained by the cap growth era — to slingshot back up the standings, in the fashion that the Montreal Canadiens have managed. Advertisement The maybe it could work, but it's on a knife's edge tier The get Quinn Hughes extended and get lucky plan This is the plan that the Canucks are more or less attempting to execute, and if they can execute it, it's a credible one, even if it's not as likely — in my opinion — to succeed. It calls for the Canucks pushing at least some chips into the centre of the table to remain competitive in the short term. The goal is to win enough to remain an appealing destination for their captain so as to minimize the risk of his departure, either as an unrestricted free agent in 2027 or as a pre-agent willing to use his leverage in 2026. Even if that plan is successful, however, and I wouldn't necessarily say the Canucks executed on it this summer given that they were unable to move their draft picks or trade their second tier prospects for win-now difference-makers that could upgrade the middle of their forward group, it's a difficult one to pull off because it's still going to require them to be supremely efficient in one volatile area or another. As great as Hughes is, the Canucks will still require more talent beyond the most impactful two-way defender in the sport. So, whether it's by nailing a draft class in the transformative style of the Dallas Stars in 2019 (the Stars won the draft lottery and selected Miro Heiskanen at No. 3, then added Jake Oettinger and Jason Robertson in the same draft class). Or by seizing on multiple unique opportunities in which star-level players shake loose and you're able to hit on a run of hugely valuable trades in bulk (like the Panthers did in landing Eetu Luostarinen, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Evan Rodrigues, Seth Jones and Brad Marchand), Vancouver will still need something extra to occur to more fundamentally change its trajectory in order to join the ranks of the NHL elite. The one I fear we're seeing The just get in and anything can happen plan My concern when I look at this Canucks offseason so far is that they're attempting to build a team that can punch above its weight in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Advertisement Obviously, we know that the game changes in the postseason, but attempting to reverse-engineer a Cinderella playoff run is the path that the Canadiens were on under Marc Bergevin. And it's a path that regularly made the Canadiens a reasonably difficult out come playoff time and helped them reach the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, where they were overmatched and summarily dispatched in five games by the Tampa Bay Lightning. The problem for the Bergevin era Habs, of course, was that they didn't have a championship ceiling. So while they were tough to eliminate once they made it to the playoffs, they only had a high enough level to even make it there about half the time. When I think about what Evander Kane brings to the Canucks, and when he's at his most impactful (when the games are heaviest come playoff time), or when I consider why this team would be willing to invest $13 million in goal beyond this upcoming season, my greatest concern is that the organization is attempting to build a plucky playoff team, as opposed to constructing a team with a greater level of ambition in mind. Doing so in an NHL era in which parity is virtually non-existent feels like a very unlikely path to a Stanley Cup victory. Marco Rossi? It just makes so much sense. Wild don't want to pay him. Canucks have surplus on wings and need at C. What's a realistic trade offer, and are the Canucks still in on it? Is there a 'Ballard, Raymond and a second' type offer that isn't a joke? — Joel T. Yeah, I can't shake the thought that this is a hypothetical deal that we'll be talking about long into the dog days of summer. Whether or not it actually happens, however, is another matter entirely. Rossi wouldn't be the first restricted free agent to undergo contentious second-contract negotiations with their team, only to re-sign and ultimately remain in place until a much later date (Martin Necas and Cole Perfetti are a couple of similar situations that come to mind). Clearly, the Wild have a bit of a problem on their hands with Rossi, and it's one of their own making. This isn't just a dollars-and-cents issue, either. Rossi was upset about his playoff usage and said as much. Advertisement The Canucks, of course, have an even more significant problem on their hands. The Wild's issue is repairing a relationship with a promising young player who felt underutilized and untrusted in the playoffs; Vancouver's issue is that it doesn't have a promising young centre who's a candidate to fill a hole on the second line who is nearly on Rossi's level. Which brings us to the reason that we'll keep monitoring this one. The Wild have a problem, and the Canucks have a problem. The two organizations are very closely linked, not solely because Wild general manager Bill Guerin was Jim Rutherford's assistant general manager in Pittsburgh, but also because Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin and Guerin are very close personal friends with an exceptional working relationship. Guerin, in fact, attempted to hire Allvin when he departed the Penguins organization for Minnesota, and was rebuffed. When it comes to creative cooperative problem solving, it's usually easiest to pull it off with someone you like, trust and respect. The Wild and the Canucks have that going for them at the hockey operations leadership level. We'll see if that matters. At this point in the offseason, I'd expect a short-term agreement that keeps Rossi in Minnesota for the time being to be the most likely outcome here. As for what a realistic trade package might look like, it's likely going to be difficult to pull off in the wake of Vancouver's offseason moves, less because the Canucks no longer have their 2025 first-rounder to sell and more because of the cap space they've already committed. In order to add Rossi and extend him long-term, Vancouver would have to shed a fair bit of salary either directly in the trade or prior to executing it. Even trading both Dakota Joshua and Teddy Blueger (which would give the Canucks about $5.5 million in total cap space with 20 men on the roster) probably wouldn't be enough to get it done cap-wise. Maybe it gets you close enough if you front-load the bonus structure sufficiently and amped up the trade protections involved on a max-term second contract, but it would be a very tricky balance to strike. Even so, if the Canucks are going to land Rossi, I still suspect that Vancouver would be looking at trade packages in which either Tom Willander or their 2026 first-round pick would have to be included. And I have a hard time seeing the Canucks be willing to do that. Advertisement What does a reasonable trade deal for Artūrs Šilovs look like? — Andy L. The Daniil Tarasov deal that the Panthers completed with the Columbus Blue Jackets is probably the high water mark of what the Canucks can realistically expect in an offseason deal involving Artūrs Šilovs. However, based on how both goaltenders appear to be viewed in the industry and that Tarasov is the more NHL-tested goaltender of the two, he probably carries modestly more value, even if Šilovs has the better AHL statistics and is coming off an incredible run as the MVP of the Calder Cup playoffs. You're most likely talking about a late-round pick, with the value diminishing further the closer you get to Canadian Thanksgiving. Of course, the Canucks don't necessarily have to trade Šilovs and shouldn't rush into doing so. They could also elect to place him on waivers early, as Vancouver did years ago with Jacob Markstrom, in an attempt to get him through while teams have a large number of players on their training camp roster and are less likely to put in a claim. Vancouver can also hold Šilovs and wait to see what shakes loose during training camp, in terms of goaltender injuries and the like. Remember, after all, Vancouver didn't bring in Kevin Lankinen until after training camp concluded last September, and he carried the team through the first half of the season! Things change quickly in the crease, and there are currently no obvious goaltending jobs around the NHL. As such, Vancouver's best play is likely to wait and see what changes. Failing that, the club can always try to sneak him through waivers early on during camp, or find a team willing to pay modestly to jump the waiver queue (like the Panthers did for Olli Juolevi, in sending Noah Juulsen and Juho Lammikko to Vancouver; or as Vancouver did for Vitali Kravtsov). That's the dynamic that Vancouver is most likely locked into here. (Photo of Thatcher Demko and Quinn Hughes: Mike Stobe / NHLI via Getty Images)
New York Times
03-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Blues sign Pius Suter, place Nick Leddy on waivers: Where does it leave the depth chart?
The St. Louis Blues' offseason plan became even more clear Wednesday. Signing free-agent forward Pius Suter and placing defenseman Nick Leddy on waivers marked two significant moves after Tuesday's trade for defenseman Logan Mailloux and signing of center Nick Bjugstad. Essentially, the Blues got deeper up the middle with Suter and Bjugstad and younger on the blue line with Mailloux on the way in and Leddy potentially on the way out. Advertisement And to think that if Leddy gets picked up on waivers Thursday, general manager Doug Armstrong will have actually saved $1,363,334 of salary cap in 2025-26. The combined AAV for Suter ($4.125 million), Bjugstad ($1.75 million) and Mailloux ($875,000) is $6,750,000, while the combined AAV for Radek Faksa ($3.25 million), Zack Bolduc ($863,334) and Leddy ($4 milllion) was $8,113,334. Granted, the Blues are taking a gamble dealing Bolduc, but that's some shrewd savings. Armstrong desperately wanted to add a legitimate middle-six center, and while Bjugstad appeared to be the lone addition, it was clear when the Blues moved Bolduc that they were still looking for forwards in free agency. On Day 2 Wednesday, they picked up that forward in Suter, who can play both center and wing. They can either start the season with him as their third-line center and push Bjugstad down to the fourth-line center, or keep Bjugstad as the third-line center and play Suter on the wing. Either way, there's a possibility now that Oskar Sundqvist could find himself on the wing, and meanwhile, Mathieu Joseph and Alexandre Texier may be battling for a spot on the roster. One under-the-radar benefit of the Suter signing is his ability on the penalty kill. The Blues are losing a quality penalty-killer in Faksa, but Suter should more than make up for his loss. His career face-off percentage is just 46 percent, so whether he's on the third line or the PK, he might be better suited for the wing. But he's had success at center and the Blues likely see him there. In the Blues' other significant move Wednesday, they made it known that they're trying to part ways with Leddy. With the addition of Mailloux Tuesday, Armstrong was asked about the log-jam on defense, and replied: 'We'll look at it.' It didn't take long, as less than 24 laters Leddy was on waivers. Advertisement The Blues will find out Thursday afternoon if Leddy has cleared waivers. If he does, he'll have a new team and the Blues will be off the hook for the final $4 million left on his four-year, $16 million contract. This clears the way for the Blues to start the season with a top pair of Cam Fowler and Colton Parayko, a second pair of Philip Broberg and Justin Faulk and a third pair of Tyler Tucker and Mailloux. Matthew Kessel could be in line to be the team's seventh defenseman. Received qualifying offer: Nikita Alexandrov Roster hopefuls: Dalibor Dvorsky ($886,666), Zach Dean ($852,500), Dylan Peterson ($867,500) Received qualifying offer: Hunter Skinner Roster hopefuls: Corey Schueneman ($775,000), Adam Jiricek ($942,500) Received qualifying offer: Vadim Zherenko Roster hopefuls: Colten Ellis ($775,000) Cap hit: $98,074,850 Projected bonus overages: $2,153,475 Projected salary cap: $100,228,325 Projected LTIR: $6,500,000 (Torey Krug's salary) Projected NHL salary cap: $95,500,000 Projected salary-cap space (when using LTIR): $1,771,675 Source: PuckPedia (Photo of Nick Leddy: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NHL free agency continues as Nikolaj Ehlers ponders landing spot
NHL general managers continued to round out rosters as free agency ticked through its second day. One decent-sized catch and a solid defenceman remain up for grabs. Slick winger Nikolaj Ehlers still sat unsigned and on the market as of late Wednesday night, while blueliner Dmitry Orlov is also still without a home for the 2025-26 season. Advertisement Ehlers spent a decade with the Winnipeg Jets, but appears set to move on. Orlov just completed his 13th NHL campaign, and second with the Carolina Hurricanes. Deals made on Day 2 of free agency included centre Pius Suter signing a two-year, US$8.25-million pact with the St. Louis Blues after putting up 46 points in 81 games with the Vancouver Canucks last season. Mason Appleton — a now-former teammate of Ehlers in the Manitoba capital — signed with the Detroit Red Wings on a two-year deal worth $5.8 million. The Vegas Golden Knights extended defenceman Kaedan Korczak to a four-year, $13-million contract through the 2029-30 season. Blueliner Jeremy Davies also signed a two-year deal in Sin City. Advertisement The New Jersey Devils re-upped with centre Cody Glass on a two-year, $5-million contract after acquiring him from Pittsburgh in March. The Penguins inked winger Anthony Mantha for one season at $2.5 million. The New York Islanders signed restricted free agent forward Emil Heineman, who was acquired in a recent trade with the Montreal Canadiens for defenceman Noah Dobson, to a two-year contract with a reported value of $2.2 million. Sought-after Kontinental Hockey League free agent Maxim Shabanov, a 24-year-old Russian forward, also signed a one-year deal on Long Island. Detroit and hulking six-foot-eight RFA winger Elmer Soderblom agreed on a two-year, $2.5-million contract. Advertisement GMs for Canadian teams added plenty of depth Wednesday. The Jets signed veteran winger Gustav Nyquist to a one-year deal worth $3.25 million. Winnipeg also added five players to identical one-year, two-way contracts worth $775,000 in the NHL, including former Canucks winger Phil Di Giuseppe. The Ottawa Senators inked six players, including forward Arthur Kaliyev, on a one-year, two-way contract. The Canucks signed defenceman Pierre-Olivier Joseph to a one-year contract for next season's league minimum of $775,000. The Edmonton Oilers added journeyman forward Curtis Lazar for the same dollar amount and term. Advertisement The Toronto Maple Leafs, who said goodbye to star winger Mitch Marner in a sign-and-trade deal with the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, also agreed to a one-year contract worth $775,000 with forward Vinni Lettieri. The last remaining big name is Ehlers. The 29-year-old selected ninth overall at the 2014 draft put up 225 goals and 295 assists for 520 points in 674 regular-season games with the Jets. He added 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 45 playoff contests. The six-foot, 172-pound Dane has topped 60 points four times in his career despite averaging just 16 minutes 26 seconds of ice time and often only seeing time on Winnipeg's second power-play unit. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2025. The Canadian Press
