NHL free agency tracker 2022: Full list of offseason signings

By Sean LeahyJul 20, 2022, 4:20 PM EDT

Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images

It’s time for NHL Free Agency! The offseason is under way and with the market opening July 13 there will be plenty of action this summer. Some teams have already been busy getting their 2022-23 rosters in order. Check back here for all of the signings that teams will be making in hopes of improving their chances at winning the 2023 Stanley Cup.

NHL Free Agency Signings

July 20

• Capitals sign Gabriel Carlsson to a one-year, $750,000 deal

July 19

• Devils sign Vitek Vanecek to a three-year, $10.2 million deal (Link)
• Avalanche signs Callahan Burke to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Flyers sign Isaac Ratcliffe to a one-year, $813,750 deal
• Jets sign Saku Maenalanen to a one-year, $750,000 deal

July 18

• Bruins sign Jack Ahcan to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Bruins sign Matt Filipe to a one-year, $787,500 deal
• Bruins sign Ryan Mast to a three-year, $2.55 million deal
• Blackhawks sign Buddy Robinson to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Canadiens sign Samuel Montembeault to a two-year, $2 million deal
• Coyotes sign Conor Geekie to a three-year, $5.15 million deal
• Predators sign John Leonard to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Predators sign Thomas Novak to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Sabres sign Brett Murray to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Sharks sign Luke Kunin to a two-year, $5.5 million deal
• Sharks sign Kaapo Kähkönen to a two-year, $5.5 millon deal

July 17

• Blues sign Niko Mikkola to a one-year, $1.9 million deal
• Maple Leafs sign Pierre Engvall to a one-year, $2.25 million deal
• Oilers sign Mattias Janmark to a one-year, $1.25 million deal
• Panthers sign Michael Del Zotto to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Wild signs Mitchell Chaffee to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Wild signs Nick Swaney to a one-year, $750,000 deal

July 16

• Canadiens sign Rem Pitlick to a two-year, $1.7 million deal
• Canucks sign Michael DiPietro to a one-year, $2.2 million deal
• Ducks sign Pavel Mintyukov to a three-year, $5.2 million deal
• Flames sign Benjamin Jones to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Jets sign Jansen Harkins to a two-year, $1.7 million deal
• Penguins sign Owen Pickering to a three-year, $3.6 million deal
• Wild signs Liam Öhgren to a three-year, $4.325 million deal

July 15

• Avalanche signs Brad Hunt to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Blue Jackets signs Nick Blankenburg to a two-year, $1.62 million deal
• Blues sign Martin Frk to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Capitals sign Ludwig Person to a three-year, $2.85 million deal
• Capitals sign Alexander Suzdalev to a three-year, $2.85 million deal
• Flyers sign Morgan Frost to a one-year, $800,000 deal
• Hurricanes sign Mackenzie MacEachern to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Hurricanes sign Malte Stromwell to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Islanders sign Calle Odelius to a three-year, $2.85 million deal
• Jets sign Ashton Sautner to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Jets sign Elias Salomonsson to a three-year, $2.85 million deal
• Maple Leafs sign Calle Järnkrok to a four-year, $8.4 million deal
• Oilers sign Reid Schaefer to a three-year, $2.85 million deal
• Panthers sign Gerald Mayhew to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Panthers sign Evan Nause to a three-year, $2.775 million deal
• Predators sign Zach Sanford to a one-year, $850,000 deal
• Predators sign Joakim Kemell to a three-year, $4.35 million deal
• Rangers sign Adam Sykora to a three-year, $2.85 million deal
• Sabres sign Lawrence Pilut to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Sabres sign Jiri Kulich to a three-year, $2.85 million deal
• Sabres sign Noah Östlund to a three-year, $2.85 million deal
• Sabres sign Matthew Savoie to a three-year, $2.85 million deal

July 14

• Blackhawks sign Dylan Sikura to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Blues sign Josh Leivo to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Blues sign Anthony Angello to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Blues sign Scott Perunovich to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Blues sign Matthew Highmore to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Blues sign Dylan McLaughlin to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Blues sign Nathan Walker to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Canucks sign Christian Wolanin to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Capitals sign Dylan Strome to a one-year, $3.5 million deal
• Capitals sign Henrik Borgstrom to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Coyotes sign Jean-Sébastien Dea to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Ducks sign Lukas Klok to a one-year, $950,000 deal
• Devils sign Ondrej Palat to a five-year, $30 million deal
• Ducks sign Colton White to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Ducks sign Justin Kirkland to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Ducks sign Chase De Leo to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Ducks sign Austin Strand to a five-year, $30 million deal
• Ducks sign Glenn Gawdin to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Golden Knights sign Sakari Manninen to a one-year $750,000 deal
• Golden Knights sign Spencer Foo to a one-year $750,000 deal
• Hurricanes sign Zach Sawchenko to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Jets sign Kyle Capobianco to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Jets sign Alex Limoges to a one-year, $780,000 deal
• Kraken signs Austin Poganski to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Kraken signs John Hayden to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Kraken signs Cameron Hughes to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Maple Leafs sign Victor Mete to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Maple Leafs sign Jordie Benn to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Panthers sign Mark Pysyk to a one-year, $850,000 deal
• Panthers sign Rūdolfs Balcers to a one-year $750,000 deal
• Predators sign Jordan Gross to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Predators sign Roland McKeown to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Predators sign Kiefer Sherwood to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Predators sign Cole Smith to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Predators sign Mark Jankowski to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Predators sign Kevin Gravel to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Predators sign Kevin Lankinen to a two-year, $1.5 million deal
• Rangers sign Ryan Carpenter to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Rangers sign Turner Elson to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Senators sign Antoine Bibeau to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Senators sign Jacob Larsson to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Senators sign Josh Norris to an eight-year, $63.6 million deal
• Senators sign Tomas Hamara to an three-year, $2.57 million deal
• Sharks sign CJ Suess to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Sharks sign Aaron Dell to a one-year, $775,000 deal
• Sharks sign Matthew Benning to a four-year, $5 million deal
• Sharks sign Markus Nutivaara to a one-year, $1.75 million deal
• Sharks sign Andrew Agozzino to a two-year, $1.55 million deal
• Sharks sign CJ Suess to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Stars sign Riley Barber to a one-year, $750,000 deal

OFFER SHEET COMPENSATION: 2022-23

July 13

• Blue Jackets sign Johnny Gaudreau to a seven-year, $68.25 million deal (Link)
• Blues sign Thomas Greiss to a one-year, $1.5 million deal (Link)
• Capitals sign Darcy Kuemper to a five-year, $26.25 million deal (Link)
• Lightning signs Mikhail Sergachev to an eight-year, $68 million deal (Link)
• Lightning signs Anthony Cirelli to an eight-year, $50 million deal (Link)
• Lightning signs Erik Cernak to an eight-year, $41.6 million deal (Link)
• Maple Leafs sign Ilya Samsonov to a one-year, $1.8 million deal (Link)
• Oilers sign Evander Kane to a four-year, $20.5 million deal (Link)
• Oilers sign Jack Campbell to a five-year, $25 million deal (Link)
• Rangers sign Vincent Trocheck to a seven-year, $39.375 million deal (Link)
• Rangers sign Jaroslav Halak to a one-year, $1.55 million deal (Link)
• Red Wings sign Andrew Copp to a five-year, $28.125 million deal (Link)
• Red Wings sign David Perron to two-year, $9.5 million deal (Link)
• Red Wings sign Ben Chiarot to a four-year, $19 million deal (Link)
• Senators sign Claude Giroux to a three-year, $19.5 million deal (Link)
• Avalanche signs Darren Helm to a one-year, $1.25 million deal
• Avalanche signs Josh Manson to a four-year, $18 million deal
• Avalanche signs Charles Hudon to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Avalanche signs Spencer Smallman to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Avalanche signs Josh Jacobs to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Avalanche signs Andreas Englund to a one-year, $750,000
• Avalanche signs Artturi Lehkonen to a five-year, $22.5 million deal
• Avalanche signs Jonas Johansson to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Blackhawks sign Andreas Athanasiou to a one-year, $3 million deal
• Blackhawks sign Max Domi to a one-year, $3 million deal
• Blackhawks sign Colin Blackwell to a two-year, $2.4 million deal
• Blackhawks sign Alex Stalock to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Blackhawks sign Brett Seney to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Blackhawks sign Luke Philip to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Blue Jackets sign Denton Mateychuk to a three-year, $2.85 million deal
• Blue Jackets sign David Jiříček to a three-year, $2.85 million deal
• Blue Jackets sign Erik Gudbranson to a four-year, $16 million deal
• Blues sign Robert Thomas to an eight-year, $65 million deal
• Blues sign Nick Leddy to a four-year, $16 million deal
• Blues sign Noel Acciari to a one-year, $1.25 million deal
• Blues sign Will Bitten to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Bruins sign AJ Greer to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Bruins sign Keith Kinkaid to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Bruins sign Connor Carrick to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Bruins sign Daniel Renouf to two-year, $1.25 million deal
• Bruins sign Vinni Letteri to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Canadiens sign Nathan Schnarr to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Canadiens sign Mitchell Stephens to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Canadiens sign Madison Bowey to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Canadiens sign Joël Teasdale to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Canadiens sign Alex Belzile to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Canadiens sign Anthony Richard to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Canucks sign Andrei Kuzmenko to a one-year, $1.8 million deal
• Canucks sign Curtis Lazar to a three-year, $3 million deal
• Canucks sign Dakota Joshua to a two-year, $1.65 million deal
• Canucks sign Wyatt Kalynuk to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Canucks sign Phil Di Giuseppe to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Canucks sign Collin Delia to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Canucks sign Ilya Mikheyev to a four-year, $19 million deal
• Capitals sign Charlie Lindgren to a three-year, $3.3 million deal
• Capitals sign Matt Irwin to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Capitals sign Marcus Johansson to a one-year, $1.1 million deal
• Capitals sign Erik Gustafsson to a one-year, $800,000 deal
• Coyotes sign Laurent Dauphin to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Coyotes sign Jon Gillies to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Coyotes sign Bokondji Imama to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Coyotes sign Troy Stecher to a one-year, $1.2 million deal
• Coyotes sign Joshua Brown to a two-year, $2.55 million deal
• Coyotes sign Nick Bjugstad to a one-year, $900,000 deal
• Devils sign Brendan Smith to a two-year, $2.2 million deal
• Devils sign Tyler Wotherspoon to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Devils sign Brian Pinho to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Devils sign Jack Dugan to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Ducks sign Frank Vatrano to a three-year, $10.95 million deal
• Ducks sign Ryan Strome to a five-year, $25 million deal
• Flames sign Kevin Rooney to a two-year, $2.6 million deal
• Flames sign Nikita Zadorov to a two-year, $7.5 million deal
• Flames sign Dennis Gilbert to a one-year, $1.525 million deal
• Flames sign Nicolas Meloche to a one-year, $950,000 deal
• Flames sign Trevor Lewis to one-year, $800,000 deal
• Flames sign Clark Bishop to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Flames sign Nick DeSimone to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Flames sign Oscar Dansk to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Flames sign Colton Poolman to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Flyers sign Adam Brooks to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Flyers sign Nicolas Deslauriers to a four-year, $7 million deal
• Flyers sign Cooper Marody to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Flyers sign Kevin Connauton to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Flyers sign Louis Belpedio to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Flyers sign Justin Braun to one-year, $1.75 million deal
• Flyers sign Troy Grosenick to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Golden Knights sign Byron Froese to two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Golden Knights sign Sheldon Rempal to two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Golden Knights sign Jonas Røndbjerg to three-year, $2.3 million deal
• Golden Knights sign Reilly Smith to three-year, $15 million deal
• Golden Knights sign Brett Howden to one-year, $1.5 million deal
• Golden Knights sign Michael Hutchinson to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Hurricanes sign Ondřej Kaše to one-year, $1.5 million deal
• Jets sign Kevin Stenlund to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Jets sign David Rittich to one-year, $900,000 deal
• Kings sign Brendan Lemieux to a one-year, $1.35 million deal
• Kings sign Pheonix Copley to a one-year, $825,000 deal
• Kings sign Tobie Paquette-Bisson to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Kraken signs Andre Burakovsky to a five-year, $27.5 million deal
• Kraken signs Brogan Rafferty to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Kraken signs Andrew Poturalski to two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Kraken signs Magnus Hellberg to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Kraken signs Ryan Winterton to three-year, $2.54 million deal
• Kraken signs Jacob Melanson to three-year, $2.53 million deal
• Kraken signs Jesper Frödén to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Kraken signs Martin Jones to one-year, $2 million deal
• Kraken signs Justin Schultz to a two-year, $6 million deal
• Lightning signs Ian Cole to a one-year, $3 million deal
• Lightning signs Vladislav Namestnikov to a one-year, $2.5 million deal
• Lightning signs Haydn Fleury to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Maple Leafs sign Dennis Hildeby to a one-year, $843,330 deal
• Maple Leafs sign Nicolas Aube-Kubel to a one-year, $1 million deal
• Maple Leafs sign Adam Gaudette to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Maple Leafs sign Denis Malgin to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Oilers sign Brett Kulak to a four-year, $11 million deal
• Oilers sign Greg McKegg to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Oilers sign Calvin Pickard to two-year, $1.25 million deal
• Panthers sign Nathan Staios to a three-year, $2.85 million deal
• Panthers sign Colin White to a one-year, $1.2 million deal
• Panthers sign Marc Staal to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Panthers sign Anthony Bitetto to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Panthers sign Alex Lyon to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Panthers sign Nick Cousins to a two-year, $2.2 million deal
• Penguins sign Xavier Ouellet to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Penguins sign Dustin Tokarski to a one-year, $775,000 deal
• Penguins sign Drake Caggiula to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Penguins sign Josh Archibald to a one-year, $900,000 deal
• Penguins sign Jan Rutta to a three-year, $8.25 million deal
• Rangers sign Louis Domingue to a two-year, $1.55 million deal
• Rangers sign Andy Welinski to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Red Wings sign Marco Kasper to a three-year, $2.85 million deal
• Red Wings sign Dominik Kubalik to a two-year, $5 million deal
• Red Wings sign Olli Määttä to a one-year, $2.25 million deal
• Red Wings sign Austin Czarnik to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Red Wings sign Matt Luff to a one-year, $2.25 million deal
• Sabres sign Victor Olofsson to a two-year, $9.5 million deal
• Sabres sign Ilya Lyubushkin to a two-year, $5.5 million deal
• Sabres sign Eric Comrie to a two-year, $3.6 million deal
• Sabres sign Kale Clague to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Sabres sign Jeremy Davies to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Sabres sign Chase Priskie to a one-year, $800,000 deal
• Senators sign Kristians Rubins to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Senators sign Jacob Lucchini to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Senators sign Scott Sabourin to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Sharks sign Oskar Lindblom to a two-year, $5 million deal
• Sharks sign Nico Sturm to a three-year, $6 million deal
• Stars sign Mason Marchment to a four-year, $18 million deal
• Stars sign Colin Miller to a two-year, $3.7 million deal
• Wild signs Niclas Petan to two-year, $1.25 million deal
• Wild signs Brandon Baddock to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Wild signs Andrej Šustr to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Wild signs Steven Fogarty to one-year, $750,000 deal

July 12

• Penguins sign Evgeni Malkin to a four-year, $24.4 million deal (Link)
• Blues sign Hugh McGing to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Hurricanes sign Stefan Noesen to a one-year, $1.525 million deal
• Kings sign Alexander Edler to a one-year, $1.5 million deal
• Kraken signs Alex True to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Penguins sign Pierre-Olivier Joseph to a two-year, $1.65 million deal
• Predators sign Devin Cooley to a one-year, $787,500 deal
• Sabres sign Vinnie Hinostroza to a one-year, $1.7 million deal
• Sabres sign Malcolm Subban to a one-year, $850,000 deal

July 11

• Avalanche signs Valeri Nichushkin to an eight-year, $49 million deal (Link)
• Canadiens sign Corey Schueneman to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Canadiens sign Michael Pezzetta to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Coyotes sign Christian Fischer to a one-year, $$1,125,875 deal
• Coyotes sign Cam Dineen to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Kings sign Carl Grundström to a two-year, $2.6 million deal
• Kings sign Lias Andersson to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Kraken signs Karson Kuhlman to a one-year, $825,000 deal
• Penguins sign Alexander Nylander to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Penguins sign Rickard Rakell to a six-year, $30 million deal
• Predators sign Jimmy Huntington to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Rangers sign Libor Hájek to a one-year, $800,000 deal
• Stars sign Marian Student to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Wild signs Zane MacIntyre to a one-year, $750,000 deal

July 10

• Kings sign Adrian Kempe to four-year, $22 million deal (Link)
• Avalanche sign Alexandar Georgiev to a three-year, $10.2 million deal (Link)
• Avalanche signs Jacob MacDonald to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Lightning signs Maxime Lagacé to one-year, $750,000 deal
• Sabres sign Jacob Bryson to a two-year, $3.7 million deal

July 9

• Predators sign Filip Forsberg to eight-year, $68 million deal (Link)
• Islanders sign Otto Koivula to a two-year, $1.6 million deal
• Islanders sign Jeff Kubiak to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Islanders sign Grant Hutton to a three-year, $2.325 million deal
• Islanders sign Ken Appleby to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Islanders sign Andy Andreoff to a two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Islanders sign Sebastian Aho to a two-year, $1.65 million deal
• Islanders sign Robin Salo to a two-year, $1.6 million deal

July 8

• Flyers sign Tony DeAngelo to two-year, $10 million deal (Link)
• Red Wings sign Ville Husso to three-year, $14.25 million deal (Link)
• Capitals sign Lucas Johansen to two-year, $1.525 million deal
• Panthers sign Eetu Luostarinen to two-year, $3 million deal
• Panthers sign Lucas Carlsson to one-year, $800,000 deal
• Sabres sign Brandon Biro to two-year, $1.525 million deal

July 7

• Penguins sign Kris Letang to six-year, $36.6 million deal (Link)
• Wild signs Marc-Andre Fleury to a two-year, $7 million deal (Link)

July 6

• Blue Jackets sign Adam Boqvist to a three-year, $7.8 million deal
• Wild signs Jacob Middleton to a three-year, $7.35 million deal

July 5

• Avalanche signs Andrew Cogliano to a one-year, $1.25 million deal
• Bruins sign Kyle Keyser to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Bruins sign Nick Wolff to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Panthers sign Aleksi Heponiemi to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Penguins sign Casey DeSmith to a two-year, $3.6 million deal

July 2

• Blue Jackets sign Carson Meyer to a one-year, $750,000 deal

July 1

• Canucks sign Brock Boeser to three-year, $19.95 million deal (Link)
• Blue Jackets sign Josh Dunne to a one-year, $874,125 deal
• Canucks sign Jack Rathbone to a two-year, $1.7 million deal
• Canucks sign Noah Juulsen to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Canucks sign William Lockwood to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Kings sign Frédéric Allard to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Lightning signs Nick Paul to a seven-year, $22.05 million deal
• Rangers sign Julien Gauthier to a one-year, $800,000 deal

June 30

• Kings sign Matt Villalta to a one year, $787,500 deal
• Kraken signs Gustav Olofsson to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Sabres sign Craig Anderson to a one-year, $2 million deal
• Stars sign Riley Tufte to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Stars sign Scott Wedgewood to a two-year, $2 million deal

June 29

• Kings sign Kevin Fiala to a seven-year, $55.125 million deal (Link)
• Lightning signs Darren Raddysh to a two-year, $1,525,000 deal
• Sabres sign Sean Malone to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Stars sign Ryan Shea to a one-year, $750,000 deal

June 28

• Stars sign Joseph Cecconi to a one-year, $750,000 deal

June 27

• Canucks sign Sheldone Dries to a two-year, $1,525,000 deal
• Canucks sign John Stevens to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Canucks sign Guillaume Brisebois to a one-year, $750,000 deal
• Maple Leafs sign Timothy Liljegren to a two-year, $2.8 million deal
• Panthers sign Matt Kiersted to a two-year, $1,525,000 deal

Blue Jackets acquire D Damon Severson from Devils after he signs 8-year deal

Associated PressJun 9, 2023, 1:53 PM EDT

Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

The Columbus Blue Jackets acquired Damon Severson from the New Jersey Devils on Friday after the veteran defenseman and soon-to-be free agent signed an eight-year $50 million contract.

Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen sent a third-round pick, 80th overall, in this month’s draft to the Devils for Severson, who will be under contract through the 2030-31 NHL season.

Severson had 58 goals and 205 assists in 647 career appearances with the Devils since making his NHL debut in 2014-15. He scored seven game-winning goals and averaged more than 21 minutes of playing time during his nine seasons. The 28-year-old had seven goals and 26 assists this season, including two game-winning goals, in 81 games.

“Damon is a versatile defenseman who has great vision, moves the puck extremely well, has good size and can play heavy minutes at both ends of the ice,” Kekalainen said.

The Canadian was selected in the second round in the 2012 draft. He has collected 30 or more points five times in his career and twice notched 11 or more goals. He played in every game in three straight seasons from 2018-21 and has played 80 or more contests four times in his career.

With the addition of the third-round pick, New Jersey now has six selections in the draft, including its own picks in rounds two, four, five, six and seven.

Matthew Tkachuk returns from big hit in Stanley Cup Final, adds more playoff heroics

Associated PressJun 9, 2023, 9:59 AM EDT

James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

Matthew Tkachuk was down, out briefly and then back with plenty of time to make a difference.

The Florida Panthers star left early in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final after a big hit from Vegas Golden Knights forward Keegan Kolesar, and he missed most of the first period and didn’t return immediately following intermission while being evaluated for a concussion. After looking as if he might be lost for the night, Tkachuk returned in the second and then came through with more of his now trademark playoff heroics.

Tkachuk scored the tying goal with 2:13 left in regulation, forcing overtime and giving the Panthers new life. He then provided the screen on Carter Verhaeghe‘s OT goal for a 3-2 victory that cut Florida’s series deficit to 2-1.

The 25-year-old said he knew he was coming back when he left the game, pulled by concussion spotters. That absence felt like a long time ago in the aftermath of another big win he was largely responsible for.

“I felt great – I feel great,” Tkachuk said. “I’m ready to go. Everybody’s excited that we’re in this position right now.”

Florida is in this position rather than facing elimination in Game 4 on Saturday thanks in large part to Tkachuk, who also set up Brandon Montour‘s goal that opened the scoring less than five minutes in.

Not long after, Tkachuk stumbled getting up after the hit from Kolesar and skated to the bench. He took a shift on Florida’s power play before going down the tunnel at the demand of concussion spotters mandated by NHL protocol.

At that point, there was zero clarity, even on the Florida bench.

“You’re not informed at all: It’s a complete shutdown,” coach Paul Maurice said. “You are completely in the dark on those. You don’t know when the player’s coming back. There’s not an update.”

Players insist they were not worried. Montour called it a no-brainer.

“He’s going to come back no matter what,” captain Aleksander Barkov said. “He’s really tough guy, and he’s going to battle through everything.”

Tkachuk rejoined his teammates on the bench a few minutes into the second. When he stepped back onto the ice for his first shift since leaving, fans cheered and chanted, “Chucky! Chucky!”

The crowd was even louder and threw rats when Tkachuk scored his biggest goal of many during this run to tie it. He didn’t get an assist on Verhaeghe’s goal but made it happen with a tape-to-tape pass in the neutral zone and was in front of Adin Hill when it happened.

Asked if he was happy Tkachuk returned, Maurice joked that it was after midnight.

“It was fine,” he quipped.

Panthers rally, top Golden Knights 3-2 in OT of Game 3 of Stanley Cup final

Associated PressJun 8, 2023, 11:48 PM EDT

Sam Navarro/USA TODAY Sports

SUNRISE, Fla. — Carter Verhaeghe scored 4:27 into overtime and the Florida Panthers pulled off some more postseason dramatics to beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday night.

Matthew Tkachuk tied it with 2:13 left in the third period for the Panthers, who got the franchise’s first title-series game win in seven tries. Florida had to fend off a power play to start overtime, and Verhaeghe got the winner from the slot to get the Panthers within 2-1 in the series.

Game 4 is Saturday night.

Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 25 shots for Florida. Adin Hill made 20 saves for Vegas, but got beat on the only shot that came his way in overtime.

Brandon Montour also scored for Florida, which pulled Bobrovsky down 2-1 late in the third for the extra attacker and Tkachuk — who left for parts of the first and second periods after taking a big hit — made that move pay off when he tied the game.

His goal breathed life into a very nervous building. But the Panthers were furious — and replays showed they had a case — when Gustav Forsling was sent to the box with 11.2 seconds remaining for tripping. Florida survived that scare, and a few minutes later, had life in the series again.

The odds are still long, but the Panthers at least have a bit more statistical hope now. Of the previous 55 teams to trail 2-1 at this point of the Stanley Cup Final, 11 have actually rallied to hoist the trophy.

It’s improbable, sure. So are the Panthers, who were the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, were down 3-1 to Boston in Round 1, were 133 seconds away from trailing this series 3-0 — and now have tons of reasons for optimism.

Jonathan Marchessault and Mark Stone each had power-play goals for Vegas.

Marchessault’s goal was his 13th in his last 13 playoff games, his fourth of this series and his third with the man advantage.

As if all that wasn’t enough, there was a little history in there as well. Vegas joined the 1980 New York Islanders as the only team with at least two power-play goals in three consecutive games in the Cup final. And Marchessault became the third player in the last 35 years to score in each of the first three games of a title series — joining Steve Yzerman in 1997 with Detroit and Jake Guentzel with Pittsburgh in 2017.

But it wasn’t enough to give Vegas a 3-0 lead in the series.

AROUND THE RINK

Before Thursday, Florida’s last home game in the title series was June 10, 1996, when Uwe Krupp scored in the third overtime for a 1-0 win as Colorado finished off a four-game sweep of the Panthers for the Cup. … Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was in the crowd, as was NBA great Charles Barkley, and former Dolphins star Dan Marino was the celebrity drummer to welcome the Panthers onto the ice.

Blackhawks, Athanasiou agree to 2-year, $8.5 million contract

Associated PressJun 8, 2023, 9:28 PM EDT

Sergei Belski/USA TODAY Sports

CHICAGO — The rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks locked in one of their top scorers, agreeing to a two-year, $8.5 million contract with forward Andreas Athanasiou on Thursday.

The 28-year-old Athanasiou tied for the team lead with 20 goals and ranked third with 40 points in his first season with Chicago. He matched career highs with four game-winning goals and three power-play goals.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Athanasiou has 125 goals and 111 assists in 459 games with the Detroit Red Wings (2015-20), Edmonton Oilers (2020), Los Angeles Kings (2020-22) and Blackhawks.

Chicago went 26-49-7 and finished last in the Central Division. The Blackhawks dealt Patrick Kane to the New York Rangers prior to the trade deadline and announced in April they would not re-sign Jonathan Toews, parting with two players who led them to Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015.