The article highlights the top rookie defensemen and forwards in the NHL for the 2025-26 season, focusing on their ice time, contributions, and notable performances, with Matthew Schaefer and Beckett Sennecke among the standout rookies.
The article discusses top NHL unrestricted free agent forwards available this offseason, including Marner, Ehlers, Boeser, Giroux, Kane, and others, highlighting their recent performance and career achievements.
The NHL salary cap is projected to rise, leading to potential monster contracts for star forwards like Leon Draisaitl, Elias Pettersson, Sam Reinhart, Jake Guentzel, Brock Boeser, Mikko Rantanen, Mitch Marner, Jason Robertson, and Connor McDavid. With William Nylander's recent $92 million extension setting a precedent, upcoming negotiations will be influenced by factors such as age, performance, team context, and cap space.
The Edmonton Oilers have traded forwards Kailer Yamamoto and Klim Kostin to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for future considerations. The Oilers shed Yamamoto's contract, freeing up approximately $8 million in cap space for upcoming negotiations with pending restricted free agents Evan Bouchard and Ryan McLeod. Both 24-year-old players can immediately contribute to the Red Wings' lineup, providing a boost without Detroit having to give up any current assets.
The Colorado Avalanche have filled their biggest need by acquiring a second-line center, but there are still areas that need addressing. The team should focus on filling out the forward corps with versatile players, addressing the loss of Erik Johnson on defense, and sorting out the top-six forwards. The Avalanche should consider trading their 27th pick in the draft for a roster player, but if they keep it, they should target a defenseman or forward like Gavin Brindley. Overall, the Avalanche need to make moves to push for a cup win in the near future.
Detroit Red Wings' general manager Steve Yzerman is impressed by the depth of forwards available in the upcoming NHL entry draft, with the first 17 skaters on NHL Central Scouting's ranking of North American prospects being forwards. While Yzerman did not commit to taking a forward with the team's No. 9 pick, it is likely given the team's need for offensive talent. The Red Wings also have the 17th overall pick, acquired from Vancouver in the Filip Hronek trade. Yzerman is not limiting himself to one position with his top picks and believes this is a deep draft.
The consensus big board for the 2023 NHL Draft shows a strong forward class, with no defensemen in the top 10. Connor Bedard is the unanimous number one, followed by Adam Fantilli and Leo Carlsson. The top defensemen include David Reinbacher, Axel Sandin Pellikka, and Tom Willander. The rankings also reveal some outliers, including Russian winger Daniil But and WHL winger Andrew Cristall. Teams will have to decide what risks they're willing to take on these players.
The Detroit Red Wings are eyeing several potential draft picks at the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, where they have an opportunity to interview some or all the players theyâll be selecting in the top two or three rounds while watching them go through a range of fitness tests. The Red Wings have five of the first 43 selections in this yearâs draft and need to upgrade the quality and depth of forwards with offensive talent in their system, so theyâre likely to select a center or winger with their first pick.