Carolina added to its defensive depth over the weekend as they signed 24-year-old offensive defenseman Ty Smith to a one-year, two-way contract. The puck-moving defenseman has 47 points in 123 career NHL games played but last appeared in the NHL with Pittsburgh all the way back in 2022-23. He spent all of 2023-24 with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) and had nine goals and 43 points in 63 games played.
Ottawa added to their organizational depth on Friday as they signed 23-year-old forward Jamieson Rees to a one-year, two-way contract on Friday. Rees had an odd 2023-24 season as he spent it with three separate AHL organizations (Springfield, Charlotte, Belleville) before settling in with the Senators. In 41 combined AHL games, he had no goals and eight points.
Columbus made their first re-signing of the offseason on Friday as they signed Yegor Chinakhov to a two-year, $4.2 million contract extension ($2,100,000 AAV). The 23-year-old took a massive step forward in 2023-24, with 16 goals, 29 points and 110 SOG in 53 games played.
Nedeljkovic had an impressive first season in Pittsburgh, mostly backing up Tristan Jarry all season before leading the Penguins' end-of-the-year playoff push and has earned himself a two-year, $5 million ($2,500,000 AAV) contract extension. The 28-year-old finished 2023-24 with a 18-7-7 record, 2.97 GAA and .902 SV% while appearing in 38 total games.
Matinpalo made his NHL debut in 2023-24 with a short four-game appearance and has signed a one-year, two-way contract extension on Thursday. The 25-year-old defenseman moved to North America from Finland in 2023-24 and spent the majority of his season with Belleville (AHL), picking up four goals and 14 points in 67 games played during the regular season.
Guttman had four goals and eight points in 27 games with the Blackhawks in 2023-24 and signed a one-year, two-way contract extension on Thursday. The 25-year-old centre will be entering his third NHL season in 2024-25 and has eight goals, 14 points and nine PIMs in 41 career NHL contests.
Utah solidified their goaltending depth on Wednesday as they signed goaltender Matt Villalta to a two-year, two-way contract extension. The 25-year-old spent the majority of his 2023-24 with Tucson (AHL) but made his NHL debut for two games with Arizona, going 0-1-0 with a 4.17 GAA and .828 SV%.
Friedman appeared in 23 games for Vancouver in 2023-24 and signed a one-year, $775,000 contract extension on Wednesday into the 2024-25 season. The 28-year-old with 88 career NHL games played to his name had no goals, one assist, 16 SOG and 21 PIMs in 23 games played with Vancouver last season.
MacLean made his NHL debut in 2023-24 and has earned himself a three-year, contract extension with the New York Islanders on Wednesday. The 25-year-old spent time in 2023-24 split between the Bridgeport Islanders (43 GP) and New York (32 GP) and had four goals and nine assists with the Islanders during his inaugural NHL season.
Guenette appeared in seven games for Ottawa in 2023-24 and signed a one-year, two-way contract on Tuesday to remain with the Senators into the 2024-25 season. The 23-year-old was Ottawa's 2019 seventh-round pick (187th overall) and has appeared in eight total NHL games in his career and is without a point.
Ginning played 67 combined games between Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley (AHL) in 2023-24 and has signed a two-year, two-way contract to remain with the Flyers. The 24-year-old defenseman made his NHL debut in 2022-23 and has one goal in 10 NHL games played. He is likely to take on a bigger role with the Flyers in 2024-25.
Fortier had 13 goals and 26 points in 62 games with Syracuse (AHL) in 2023-24 and signed a one-year, two-way contract extension with Tampa Bay on Monday. The 24-year-old winger made his NHL debut in 2021-22 and has appeared in 11 NHL games with one goal to his name.
Abols spent the 2023-24 season with Rogle BK (SHL) and signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 with Philadelphia on Saturday. The 28-year-old Centre was drafted in the seventh round of the 2016 draft (184th overall) many moons ago and last played in North America with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (ECHL) in 2019-20.
Kapanen is Montreal's 2021 second-round pick (64th overall) and has been signed to a three-year, entry-level contract on Saturday with the Canadiens. The 20-year-old Finish centre spent 2023-24 with KalPa (Liiga) and had 14 goals, and 34 points in 51 games played.
Fisker Molgaard is Seattle's 2023 second-round pick (52nd overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Kraken on Saturday. The 19-year-old centre spent 2023-24 in Sweden's top league with HV71 (SHL) and had nine goals and 21 points in 50 games played.
Carolina has solidified their top-four defensemen heading into the 2024-25 season after they resigned Jalen Chatfield to a three-year, $9 million contract extension ($3,000,000 AAV) on Friday. The 28-year-old shutdown defensemen hit career highs in multiple categories in 2023-24, including goals (8), assists (14), points (22) and average TOI/GP (15:11) in 72 games this season.
Innala appeared in 42 games for Forlunda HC (SHL) in 2023-24, picking up 16 goals and 28 points and signed a one-year, entry-level contract on Thursday with Colorado. The 26-year-old left-winger has played the last three seasons for Frolunda HC and has also represented Finland at the World Championships three times in his career.
