May 5, 2025
Puck Management
Daily Briefing
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Today is headlined by Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin’s end-of-season availability, naming Quinn Hughes extension the summer’s top priority while committing to an aggressive trade pursuit of a No. 1 center. Vancouver fires head coach Adam Foote after one season as the Canucks formally launch their rebuild under GM Ryan Johnson.
Headlines
Guerin names Quinn Hughes extension “priority one” this summer
Transaction
Hughes eligible for extension July 1, one year from UFA. Guerin confirmed the priority at his end-of-season availability Monday; Hughes said he “trusts” Guerin and likes the team and area. Any extension kicks in at the cap increase to $113.5M in 2027-28.
Bill Guerin, The Athletic
Filip Gustavsson hip surgery imminent; may miss start of 2026-27
Roster
Guerin confirmed hip wear and tear throughout the season, not a single-incident injury. A potential torn labrum carries a 4-6 month recovery timeline, putting an October return in question. Gustavsson lost the starting job to Jesper Wallstedt down the stretch and started only once in the postseason.
Bill Guerin, The Athletic
Boone Jenner’s return to Columbus increasingly uncertain; agent switch signals imminent UFA decision
Management
Multiple sources close to Jenner confirm he has fired longtime agent Joe Resnick and is now represented by Pat Morris of Newport Sports Management, six weeks before July 1. With Josh Coyle locked at 6yr/$36M and 11 forwards on one-way deals, the roster math is tight. Bowness reportedly prefers Jenner as a 4th-line center; Jenner turns 33 in June and has appeared in only 68% of CBJ games since 2020-21.
Aaron Portzline, The Athletic
Guerin commits to aggressive No. 1 center pursuit via trade: “I won’t sit on my hands”
Management
Guerin named the No. 1 center as the team’s missing piece; the free agent class is too weak so a trade is the primary avenue. He cited Auston Matthews and Robert Thomas as the caliber of player he is targeting. Jesper Wallstedt is MIN’s most valuable trade chip per Russo, but Gustavsson’s hip surgery may complicate using him as bait.
Bill Guerin, The Athletic
Vancouver fires head coach Adam Foote after one season; full staff dismissed
Management
Foote, 54, is let go after a 25-49-8 season, one of the worst 82-game finishes in franchise history. ACs Dean, McLean, and Young are also dismissed. GM Ryan Johnson: “as we head into a rebuild, our group feels new coaching voices are needed to chart the path forward.”
Thomas Drance, The Athletic
All Signals
Buffalo Sabres
▼
| Transaction | Alex Tuch | UFA after pointless Game 7 OT exit; last off ice after the loss. Fairburn and LeBrun frame Monday night as potentially his final Sabres game. Grew up a Sabres fan; arrived via trade 2021. | Matthew Fairburn & Pierre LeBrun, The Athletic |
Columbus Blue Jackets
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| Management | Boone Jenner | Agent switch Resnick → Pat Morris (Newport Sports) 6 weeks pre-July 1. Coyle signing + 11 NHLers on one-way deals squeeze his fit. Bowness prefers him as 4th-line C. Turns 33 in June. | Aaron Portzline, The Athletic |
Minnesota Wild
▼
| Transaction | Quinn Hughes | Extension “priority one” per Guerin; eligible July 1, one year from UFA. Hughes sounds aligned — “trusts” Guerin. Kicks in at $113.5M cap in 2027-28. | Bill Guerin, The Athletic |
| Roster | Filip Gustavsson | Hip surgery imminent; potential torn labrum = 4-6 month recovery. Lost starter job to Wallstedt; started once in playoffs. | Bill Guerin, The Athletic |
| Management | No. 1 center pursuit | Guerin commits to trade pursuit: “won’t sit on my hands.” Cites Matthews/Thomas caliber. Free agent class too weak. Wallstedt is primary chip; Gustavsson surgery complicates his use as bait. | Bill Guerin, The Athletic |
| Transaction | Zuccarello / McCarron | Intent to re-sign both. Early pre-July 1 bid planned for McCarron to beat market. ~$15M cap space before UFAs/RFAs re-signed. | Bill Guerin, The Athletic |
| Management | John Hynes | Full coaching staff retained. Guerin: “lights out” endorsement. Hynes flagged PK failures and inconsistent follow-through as 2026-27 focus areas. | Bill Guerin, The Athletic |
| Roster | Vladimir Tarasenko | Hobbling and banged up through stretch run per Guerin. UFA at 33; no specific injury or timeline disclosed. | Bill Guerin, The Athletic |
New Jersey Devils
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| Management | Sheldon Keefe | Returns as HC for 2026-27; 2 years remaining on contract. Mehta evaluated and retained after Fitzgerald departure. 84-70-10 record over two seasons. | Daily Faceoff |
| Management | Dave Rogalski | Goaltending coach relieved after 6 seasons; .891 team SV% (4th worst in NHL) during tenure. Brylin moved to new organizational role. Both positions open. | NJD Official · Daily Faceoff |
Seattle Kraken
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| Transaction | Alexis Bernier | ELC: 3yr/$1.033M AAV. QMJHL champ (Chicoutimi), heading to Memorial Cup. RHD, physical game, 19 years old. 12 pts regular season, 4G-3A playoffs. | Daily Faceoff |
Tampa Bay Lightning
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| Transaction | Maxim Groshev | Re-signed: 2yr/2-way, $875K AAV ($850K yr1 / $900K yr2). RFA avoided arb; near-ELC raise. D-converted forward, 2 NHL games in 2025-26, 21 pts in AHL. | Lightning Official |
| Transaction | Nick Abruzzese | Re-signed: 1yr/2-way (~$775K NHL/$250K AHL). Full 2025-26 in AHL Syracuse (15G-36A, 56 GP). 11 career NHL games. 2019 4th-round pick (TOR). | Lightning Official |
Vancouver Canucks
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| Management | Adam Foote | Fired after 25-49-8 season; full coaching staff dismissed. Johnson: “new coaching voices needed as we head into a rebuild.” | Thomas Drance, The Athletic |
| Management | Elias Pettersson | New management must decide: keep at $92.8M/8yr or explore trade value. MacIntyre: grossly underperformed for 2+ years; still a 50-60pt two-way center. | Iain MacIntyre, Sportsnet |
| Management | Manny Malhotra | Clear HC favourite; only name on Johnson’s “main list.” Shared Abbotsford development philosophy (Calder Cup, 11 months ago). Johnson: no conflict of interest with son Caleb projected at No. 3. | Ryan Johnson, Sportsnet |
| Management | Player dev hire | New dev head / AGM-level hire needed for Abbotsford after Sedins promoted to co-president. Only concrete organizational addition Johnson announced beyond coaching. | Ryan Johnson, The Athletic |
| Management | Boeser / DeBrusk / Lankinen / Demko | Asset evaluation required; most have trade protection. Hronek and M. Pettersson untouchable. Blueger keep-or-walk UFA decision after emerging as a key leader. | Iain MacIntyre, Sportsnet |
| Draft | 2026 draft picks | 4 picks in top 41 (3rd / 24th / 33rd / 41st) — 10 total picks. One of the richest hauls in recent NHL history. Caleb Malhotra projected at No. 3 creates potential conflict-of-interest optics if Manny is hired. | Iain MacIntyre, Sportsnet |
| Management | Granato / Castonguay / Harvey | AGMs Cammi Granato and Emilie Castonguay retained. Scouting director Todd Harvey confirmed. Coaching staff replaced; FO and scouting infrastructure unchanged. | Ryan Johnson, Sportsnet |
Vegas Golden Knights
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| Management | Bruce Cassidy | VGK blocking EDM, LAK, and VAN from interviewing Cassidy (1 year left on contract). McCrimmon: “He understands that as well.” Teams waiting; VGK in no hurry. | Mark Lazerus, The Athletic |
| Management | VGK sanctions | NHL upholds on appeal: Tortorella $100K fine + 2026 2nd-round pick forfeit stand. McCrimmon: “We were wrong.” Previous compliance warnings cited. Reevaluation possible. | Chris Johnston, The Athletic |
| Management | NHLCA statement | NHLCA condemns multi-team blocking as unprecedented at HC level. Coaches no longer employed should not be prevented from pursuing work. No enforcement mechanism. | Daily Faceoff |
Source Coverage Log
| Daily Faceoff | 20 articles |
| The Athletic | 16 articles |
| Sportsnet | 4 articles |