Lightning lock down star defenseman Victor Hedman with 4-year, $32 million contract extension

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Before addressing his future with the Tampa Bay Lightning, star defenseman Victor Hedman wanted to take a moment to reminisce about the past. Especially, his friendship of the past 15 seasons with Steven Stamkos, the longtime face of the franchise who left in...

NHL free agency shows teams in states with no income tax have an advantage

When the Tampa Bay Lightning made moves at the NHL draft to clear salary cap space, general manager Julien BriseBois hoped a variety of factors would entice players to sign as free agents. One, of course, was the organization's penchant for winning and the talent already on the...

NHL schedule features Stanley Cup rematch on Dec. 16, Stamkos' homecoming on Oct. 28

Newly relocated free agents Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault had big reasons to circle their calendars when the NHL released its full regular-season schedule on Tuesday. So, too, did newly hired coaches in Craig Berube, Sheldon Keefe and Dan Bylsma. As for the Stanley Cup...

Analysis: Big spenders across the NHL made winners out of free agents across the league

Brad Treliving kept hearing the message from agents he talked to at the start of NHL free agency. “The cap’s going up,” the Toronto Maple Leafs general manager said. “They reminded me the cap was going up.” The salary cap went up significantly for the first...

Predators add Stamkos, Marchessault in blockbuster moves; NHL teams drop $1B in free agent frenzy

The Nashville Predators made a huge splash when free agency opened Monday by signing Stanley Cup champion forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault in a series of moves topping $100 million that made Smashville the center of attention on a record-setting, billion-dollar day across the NHL....

Wild add grit with Trenin as dead cap space for Parise-Suter buyouts keeps them on bargain hunt

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Wild are almost done with their dead weight. They have one more summer to serve in salary cap jail. With the upper limit of the 2024-25 salary cap set at $88 million per club, the Wild carried a charge of more than $14.7 million into the...

Steven Stamkos says he has signed with the Nashville Predators, leaving Tampa Bay after 16 NHL seasons

'Unpredictable' free agency is on tap around the NHL as part of a fast-tracked offseason

NHL free agency opens Monday, less than a week since Commissioner Gary Bettman presented the Stanley Cup to the Florida Panthers. The offseason comes at you fast, and with all of it packed into a short period of time and more extra money to spend since before the pandemic, general...

Tampa Bay Lightning acquire the rights to Jake Guentzel on the eve of free agency

The Tampa Bay Lightning got a head start on free agency by acquiring the rights to high-scoring winger Jake Guentzel on Sunday. The Lightning sent a 2025 third-round draft pick to the Carolina Hurricanes. The move allows the Lightning to sign Guentzel before he hits the open market...

Lightning and Capitals make significant trades on 2nd day of NHL draft

It is retooling time around the NHL before the start of free agency, and a handful of teams in the Eastern Conference used the second day of the draft to shake up their roster for next season and beyond. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals were the most active, each...