The Florida Panthers have re-signed Aaron Ekblad to an 8-year contract with a $6.1 million cap hit.
Ekblad left some money on the table to stay with the Panthers, as Bob McKenzie reports there’s reason to believe he might have gotten $9 million per season on the open market.
Ekblad, 29, had 3 goals and 30 assists in 56 games with the Panthers last season. He missed 20 games with a PED suspension.
The New York Islanders have re-signed Alexander Romanov to a 8-year contract extension with a cap hit of $6.25 million.
The contract covers 2 RFA seasons and 6 UFA seasons.
Romanov, 25, had 4 goals and 16 assists in 64 games for the Islanders last season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for a conditional 2027 3rd round pick.
The pick will become a 2029 2nd round pick if Maccelli gets 51 or more points next season and the Leafs qualify for the playoffs.
Maccelli, 24, had a big season in 2023-24, getting 57 points in 82 games, but his production fell in 2024-25 as he was faced with a lesser role.
Maccelli is signed through next season at a cap hit of $3.425 million after which he will have 2 RFA seasons remaining.
The Minnesota Wild have acquired Vladimir Tarasenko from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for future considerations.
Tarasenko signed a 2-year contract with the Red Wings last summer, but the fit was never quite right. The Wild will be taking on the final year of the contract and his $4.75 million cap hit.
Tarasenko, 33, had 11 goals and 22 assists in 80 games with the Red Wings last season.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have re-signed Dante Fabbro to a 4-year contract extension with a $4.125 million cap hit.
Fabbro was claimed off waivers from the Predators in last November. The defenseman was eligible to be a UFA on July 1.
Fabbro had 9 goals and 17 assists in 62 games for the Blue Jackets last season.
The Detroit Red Wings have acquired John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Petr Mrazek and 2nd and 4th round picks in future years.
Gibson, 31, was 11-11-2 with a 0.912 SV% for the Ducks last season.
Gibson has 2 seasons left on his contract with a cap hit of $6.4 million. Mrazek has 1 season remaining with a $4.25 million cap hit.
The Ottawa Senators have acquired Jordan Spence from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 3rd round pick in 2025 (67th overall) and a 6th round pick in 2026.
Spence, 24, had 4 goals and 24 assists in 79 games for the Kings last season.
The Senators had a need for right-handed defensemen.
The Calgary Flames have re-signed Kevin Bahl to a 6-year contract extension with a $5.35 million cap hit.
Bahl, 26, had 3 goals and 17 assists in 73 games for the Flames.
This contract covers 2 RFA seasons and 4 UFA seasons.