While the Stanley Cup Final continues, the NHL's off-season has arrived for 30 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.


Ducks loading up?

The Anaheim Ducks completed the first big trade of the off-season on Thursday, acquiring veteran winger Chris Kreider from the New York Rangers in exchange for prospect Carey Terrance and a pick swap that moved the Rangers up 15 slots into the third round in June. 

“Chris Kreider is the type of player we were looking to add this offseason,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said of the move. “He has size, speed and is a clutch performer that elevates his game in big moments. Chris also upgrades both of our special teams units, something we really needed to address.”

Eric Stephens of The Athletic believes acquiring Kreider is only the first move of what promises to be a busy summer for Verbeek, who is feeling the pressure to get the team back to the playoffs for the first time since 2018. 

Taking on Kreider's $6.5 million cap hit leaves the Ducks with $32.2 million in space this summer with restricted free agents Mason McTavish and Lukas Dostal in need of new deals and a total of 17 players currently under contract, per Puckpedia. 

Stephens reports that the Ducks are expected to be a suitor for Mitch Marner and James Mirtle of The Athletic wrote earlier this week that Anaheim has been preparing a massive bid - north of $14 million per season - to sign him.

Team owner Henry Samueli set the tone last month that he was willing to spend to end the seven-year postseason drought. 

“We’re not going to write stupid checks,” Samueli said, per Stephens. “But I told (Pat), you do what it takes to make this a really steady perennial playoff contender and Stanley Cup contender down the road. And if it means signing big-name free agents, go for it. We told him, going forward, you will not be constrained by the budget.”

After posting 80 points in 82 games this season for their highest total since 2019, the Ducks fired head coach Greg Cronin and hired Joel Quenneville. 


As for the Rangers...

It's less clear what the Rangers plans are after parting with another veteran in Kreider, seven months after the team traded then-captain Jacob Trouba to the Ducks. 

Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports general manager Chris Drury kept Mike Zibanejad and other team veterans informed of his intent to move Kreider from the start of the off-season. Drury had also let general managers around the league know that Kreider was available in-season before the Trouba trade. 

Moving Kreider leaves the Rangers with 14.9 million in cap space to use this summer, with 18 players under contract for next season. The team has seven pending restricted free agents in need of new deals, a list that  includes K'Andre Miller, Arthur Kaliyev, Will Cuylle and Matt Rempe.
 


Tavares watch in Toronto

John Tavares said after the Toronto Maple Leafs' playoff exit that he was "very optimistic" on returning to the team ahead of reaching unrestricted free agency. 

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun writes in The Athletic that talks continue between Tavares and general manager Brad Treliving, but work remains to complete a deal. 

"The idea that Tavares might sign for a bargain $5 million AAV seems like a stretch to me," LeBrun wrote. "It’s going to have to be above that to get it done given the year he just had, although term is part of the equation as well."

Listed at No. 8 on TSN's Top 50 free agents board, Tavares led all potential UFAs this season with 38 goals and added 36 assists in 75 games. In 13 playoff contests, he had five goals and two assists. 

A native of Oakville, Ont., Tavares is coming off a seven-year, $77 million deal signed as a free agent in 2018. 

Bryan Hayes, Jeff O’Neill and Jamie McLennan discussed Tavares’ future on OverDrive Thursday, arguing his previous contract should factor into taking a discount this time around in Toronto. 

Watch the debate below: 

How much is Tavares worth on next deal?

Bryan Hayes, Jeff O’Neill and Jamie McLennan discuss John Tavares’ future in Toronto and how much should his cap hit be if he returns to the Maple Leafs.