The recent signings of Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov, Jack Eichel and Kyle Connor thinned out the top talent in next summer's NHL free-agent market.
That could push up the value of Los Angeles Kings right winger Adrian Kempe, Buffalo Sabres right winger Alex Tuch and Colorado Avalanche right winger Martin Necas.
Contract talks have reportedly taken place between the Kings and Kempe and the Sabres and Alex Tuch. It's believed the Kings don't want to risk losing their leading goal-scorer, especially with Anze Kopitar retiring at the end of this season. Meanwhile, Tuch has signalled his interest in re-signing with the Sabres, but those discussions have reportedly stalled.
As for Necas, Sportsnet's Michael Amato raised the possibility that he could price himself out of Colorado.
The 26-year-old had a career-high 83 points last season split between the Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes. Amato believes he could reach 90 points with a full season alongside superstar Nathan MacKinnon, which could push his asking price to over $10 million annually.
Complicating things is that the Avalanche must ensure they have long-term cap room to re-sign superstar defenseman Cale Makar, who is UFA-eligible in 2027. It could cost them over $17 million annually to re-sign him.
If the Avalanche sign Necas for between $10 million and $11 million annually, Amato speculates they might have to move a core player, such as Devon Toews, Brock Nelson, Valeri Nichushkin or Mackenzie Blackwood to free up sufficient space for Makar.
That could explain why some observers doubt the Avalanche can keep Necas in the fold.
Turning to the Canadiens, contract extension negotiations with Lane Hutson have dominated headlines in Montreal. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the two sides have agreed to keep those discussions out of the public eye.
Hutson's contract negotiations are overshadowing Mike Matheson's UFA eligibility next summer. The 31-year-old Canadiens blueliner is in the final season of an eight-year contract with a cap hit of $4.875 million.
Matheson has at times incurred the wrath of Canadiens fans for his occasional defensive mistakes. However, he has also garnered praise from the team for his all-around play and ability to log big minutes.
Since pairing up with off-season acquisition Noah Dobson on the Canadiens' top pair, Matheson's play has improved. TVA Sports' Renaud Lavoie pointed this out following the Habs' 5-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings.
Lavoie believes the Canadiens must do all they can to re-sign Matheson. The improved depth on their blueline will lighten his workload but still ensure his effectiveness as a top-four defenseman.
With over $36.7 million in projected cap space for 2026-27, and with 15 active roster players under contract for next season, the Canadiens have the room to re-sign Matheson, depending on how much he'll seek. However, they must ensure they have sufficient long-term cap room for Hutson and rookie right winger Ivan Demidov, who'll need a new contract in 2027.
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