With the Stanley Cup Final now complete, the NHL's off-season has arrived for all 32 teams who are preparing for the NHL Draft starting on June 27 and Free Agent Frenzy on July 1. TSN.ca keeps you up to date with all the latest rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat.

Bennett, Ekblad and Marchand all hope to stay with Panthers after title run

Fresh off winning a second consecutive Stanley Cup, Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito has his work cut out for him for the summer.

Three key players are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents on July 1 in forward Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett and defenceman Aaron Ekblad.

One thing in Zito's favour though: the three are looking to run it back next year.

“These are the best few months I have ever had in my career," the 37-year-old Marchand said Friday. “It’s an incredible group down here. I’ve loved every second of it, and hopefully it can continue."

Marchand joined the Panthers at the trade deadline in March, his first NHL action outside of Boston after spending the first 15-and-a-half years of his career with the Bruins.

He scored 10 goals and finished with 20 points in 23 games in the playoffs, including six goals in the final round to help the Panthers knock off the Edmonton Oilers in six games.

“That's part of who I am at this point,’’ Ekblad said during exit day at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday. “I've spent 11 years here, and that's more than I've spent in any home or city in my life. So it's home, and I expect it to be home.”

Ekblad was selected first overall in the 2014 NHL Draft, and has stayed with the organization ever since. He ranks second in franchise history in games played (732) and is first among Panthers defencemen in goals (118), assists (262) and points (380).

Zito and the Panthers are hoping the reputation of the organization and history of success can help persuade players to join.

"Ownership has empowered us to do everything we can to have the best team we can ... if you look at the people who have come to our team, whether it be via trade or via free agency, almost to a man they've had their best career years with us," Zito said on The Pat McAfee show earlier in June.

Forward Matthew Tkachuk is hoping to have as many players back as possible, though he did concede that he wants to see the best for his teammates and friends.

“I know you're going to have a different roster each and every year, but hopefully, the core of guys, we can just continue building with that," Tkachuk said.

"It’s time to cash in for some of those boys. And hopefully, it’s here. If not, it is what it is, but I'm so happy for them. And whatever happens, happens. But if they're gone, we're going to be champions and walk together forever.”

Leafs, Tavares have work to do

The Toronto Maple Leafs and pending unrestricted free agent forward John Tavares still have not "found their sweet spot" on an extension, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reported in The Athletic on Saturday.

"Wherever each side is, it wasn’t close enough as of Saturday," LeBrun wrote.

LeBrun reports Tavares does not want to leave Toronto and losing him would leave the Leafs with a big hole down the middle.

"It’s probably still going to get done, but it’s a fascinating one to be sure," he wrote. 

Tavares scored 38 goals and 74 points in 75 games during the regular season, adding five goals and seven points in 13 playoff games before Toronto was eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.

In the same piece, LeBrun provided an update on star forward Mitch Marner, who is also set to hit free agency on July 1. LeBrun floats the potential of Marner signing a short-term deal at around $12 million to $13 million per year, which would position him to hit the open market once again when the salary cap goes up, allowing for a potentially more lucrative payday.

LeBrun lists the Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars and Los Angeles Kings as teams he believes are high on Marner's list. 

The 28-year-old had 27 goals and a career-best 102 points in 81 games last season for the Leafs. 

 

Stars listening on Robertson

LeBrun reports the Dallas Stars are not actively shopping star forward Jason Robertson, but they are gathering information on his trade market. 

The 25-year-old is scheduled to be a restricted free agent next July and can be extended as early as this summer. According to LeBrun, the Stars are trying to determine what his ask on his next contract would be, and if it's determined to be too steep for the club, they could circle back to teams that had reached out regarding a trade. 

"Either way, though, I don’t see a quick resolution in the coming week or two. This is a slow-play situation where he’s either extended by the end of the summer or traded in August," LeBrun wrote.

According to PuckPedia, the Stars have 18 players under contract for next season and just shy of $3 million in cap space currently free.

Robertson had 35 goals and 80 points in 82 games for the Stars during the regular season and another four goals and six points in 11 playoff games.