The 2025-26 NHL season is finally over. Congratulations to the Carolina Hurricanes on winning the Stanley Cup. I should be mad about about one of Columbus’s division rivals winning, but I’m happy for my brother (who moved to The Triangle the same year the Whalers did) and nephews. Also, for former Blue Jacket Eric Robinson. Not so happy for former CBJ draft pick Mike Reilly. Oh well.
Now we reach the point in the calendar where teams scramble to do EVERYTHING before everyone in hockey retreats to their lakeside cottages for the remainder of the summer.
Coaching Corner
Lots of weird stuff in the coaching carousel, with many former Columbus people involved. First, John Tortorella was hired by Vegas with just 8 games left in the regular season, and led them all the way to the Cup final. But Vegas, in their typical fashion, was content to say “so long and thanks for the fish” and send him back to his dogs. In his place, they have promoted Ryan Craig from their AHL coaching staff to be the new NHL head coach. You may remember Craig as a former Cleveland Monsters captain when they won the Calder Cup in 2016. He has been in the Vegas organization since their inception as an NHL assistant and AHL coach.
Vegas refused to let Bruce Cassidy interview for the open Edmonton position, so the Oilers turned to…Mike Babcock? Which meant that the NHL had to pick up the investigation into his behavior in Columbus that they dropped when he “voluntarily” stepped down just days before training camp opened in September 2023. The league determined that there was nothing to stop Edmonton from hiring him now but…ew. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that Stan Bowman is the GM that wanted this to happen.
How do you think Jack Roslovic feels about this?
Meanwhile, Rick Bowness still has to fill out his staff. Aaron Portzline has reported that Trent Vogelhuber will be promoted from Cleveland head coach to a CBJ assistant. This move will be officially announced once the other assistant spot is filled, which was going to have to wait until the rest of the head coach openings around the league were filled. Expect that to be sorted out this week. Plus, of course, a new head coach for the Monsters.
Off-season schedule
The NHL Entry Draft is this Friday and Saturday in Buffalo. The Blue Jackets hold the 14th pick in the first round, for now. Will they add to their pipeline, or use that pick as bait to swing a big trade?
Qualifying offers for RFAs are due by June 29, and free agency opens, per tradition, on Wednesday, July 1.
From the reporting so far, it seems like Boone Jenner, Mason Marchment, and Erik Gudbranson will not be signed before then. Marchment is the most worth re-signing, but the free agent market is so thin this year that I don’t blame him for wanting to test the market. Go get overpaid elsewhere.
There are major RFAs including Adam Fantilli, Cole Sillinger, and Jet Greaves, but those deals can wait until later into July and August. Fantilli in particular may depend on what deals fellow 2023 draftees Connor Bedard and Leo Carlsson get.
Around the League
Other teams have already started making moves. Our old buddy Jarmo Kekalainen moved up from 27 to 20 in the first round in exchange for shipping RFA Michael Kesselring to San Jose. The player was mostly hurt this year, but I love this deal for the Sharks. They need help on the blue line and Kesselring offers some upside there.
A blockbuster trade happened on Sunday evening, as Brady Tkachuk will be reunited with his brother Matthew in Florida, with the Senators receiving three first round picks and a second round pick in exchange. Can the Senators afford to take a step back after making the playoffs the last two seasons? Or will they package some of these picks in deals to replace Tkachuk?
The Blue Jackets need to add a top 6 winger, and a trade is the only way to do that this summer. Waddell is going to have to strike, mostly likely here in the next two weeks.