The Predators acquired the RFA this offseason and signed him to a two-year extension on Wednesday. Kunin, who is coming into his third full NHL season set career-highs in goals (15) and assists (16) in 63 games a season ago. Kunin opened Predators training camp skating on a line with Colton Sissons and Calle Jarnkrok.
Wennberg was bought out by the Blue Jackets yesterday but signed a one-year "show me" deal with the Panthers. In Florida, Wennberg has a perfect opportunity to serve as their second line centre and get back to his point producing ways. He has not topped 30 points in two straight seasons but registered a career-high 59 points (13G / 46A) in 2017.
Schuldt signed with the Golden Knights after four years at St. Cloud State and spent his first professional season with the Chicago Wolves (AHL), where he had six goals and 15 assists (21 points) in 52 games. Schuldt will likely start 2021 in the AHL but will be one of the first blueliners to get called-up by Vegas.
Nutivaara has two years left at $2.7M AAV and should immediately slide into the Panthers' top-4. Nutivaara will likely replace Josh Brown, who was traded to Ottawa Keith Yandle's partner. He was in-and-out of the lineup in 2020, playing just 37games. Over the last three seasons, he's averaged seven goals and 18 assists (25 points) per 82 games, so there is some offence there.
Wennberg had three years left on a six-year deal that carried a $4.9M AAV cap hit. The former No.14 overall pick (2013) had struggled since posting 59 points in 2017, averaging just five goals and 22 assists (27 points) over the last three seasons. Still, he has enough skill to be a No.2 centre for a team in need and a good enough two-way game to be a third line centre for a team with better depth.
Kunin is a pending RFA, who is projected to sign a contract in the range of $3.25M AAV, which would be $850K savings from Nick Bonino's $4.1M AAV cap hit. Kunin is coming off of the best season of his young career, scoring 15 goals with 16 assists (31 points) in 63 games and has even more upside in Nashville, where he'll be surrounded by more top-end talent.
Sturm spent most of his first professional season in the AHL, where he was fifth on Iowa with 32 points (12G / 20A) in 55 games. With Eric Staal traded to Buffalo, Ryan Donato traded to San Jose and both Mikko Koivu and Alex Galchenyuk expected to hit free agency, the door is wide open for Sturm to play in the NHL full-time in 2021.
Toffoli was hurt in the first game of the qualifying round vs. the Wild and has not skated with his teammates since. Toffoli is still unfit to play, so don't expect to see him in Game 1 on Wednesday.
Lindblom is expected to start practicing with his teammates once his quarantine is over and could return in the second or third round if the Flyers advance that far. This is obviously fantastic news for the 23-year-old, who was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma back in mid-December.
