NHL Player News

Gawanke signed a one-year, two-way contract with Winnipeg on Monday, per PuckPedia.

Gawanke scored 10 goals and 36 points in 65 games with AHL Manitoba last season. The 23-year-old blueliner was taken in the fifth round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft but he's yet to make his NHL debut. He should fill a similar depth role again next season.

Knyzhov (groin) is expected to be healthy for the start of training camp, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports Monday.

Knyzhov missed the entirety of the 2021-22 season due to his long-term groin injury and hasn't suited up for a game since May 12, 2021. That season, the 24-year-old blueliner generated two goals and eight assists in 56 contests and could push for the 20-point threshold if able to avoid injury.

Tippett signed a two-year, $1.5 million AAV contract with the Flyers on Friday.

Tippett was acquired from Florida last season as part of the Claude Giroux trade. He scored 14 points in 42 games with the Panthers and another seven points in 21 appearances with Philadelphia. The 23-year-old winger was selected 10th overall in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft and was considered a high-end prospect for several years. While he hasn't quite found his footing at the highest level, Tippett has a solid chance to outplay this deal in Philadelphia's middle-six before becoming a restricted free agent again in 2024.

Gleason signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Stars on Friday.

Gleason was waived prior to the start of the 2021-22 season and spent the entire year with AHL Texas. He tallied nine goals and 44 points in 70 appearances. The 24-year-old blueliner hasn't seen any NHL action since the 2018-19 campaign and should fill a similar depth role in the organization next season.

Klingberg signed a one-year, $7 million contract with Anaheim on Friday.

Klingberg received a solid raise after completing his seven-year, $4.25 million deal with the Stars. He'll turn 30 before the 2022-23 campaign begins and will likely be more focused on a long-term deal next offseason. The 6-foot-3 blueliner has been offensively minded; since he entered the league in 2014, Klingberg ranks eighth among all NHL defensemen with 374 points (0.68 per game). Expect him to eat minutes in Anaheim's top four next season.

Joseph (undisclosed) signed a four-year, $11.8 million contract with the Senators on Thursday.

This new deal locks Joseph in at a $2.95 million cap hit as the Senators look to move from rebuilding to competing. The 25-year-old impressed after he was traded from the Lightning last year, logging 12 points in 11 games before ending the year on the shelf with an undisclosed injury. Joseph had 30 points in 69 contests overall last year, and he'll add some physicality in a middle-six role, though the additions of Claude Giroux and Alex DeBrincat could reduce Joseph's opportunities on offense.

Pachal signed a one-year contract extension with the Golden Knights on Thursday.

Pachal spent most of the 2021-22 campaign in the minors, picking up 11 points through 65 games with AHL Henderson, but he also made two appearances with the big club, going scoreless over that span. He'll likely have a similar role in 2022-23.

Dickinson has been recovering from an undisclosed injury this offseason, President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford told reporters Thursday, per Rick Dhaliwal of TSN 1040 Vancouver.

Dickinson was less than impressive during the regular season with just 11 points in 62 contests. Still, the 27-year-old center has twice exceeded the 20-point mark in his career, both while with Dallas, and should be capable of challenging for that threshold if he can stay fit this year.

Poolman continues to deal with a head injury throughout the offseason, though he hasn't suffered any setbacks according to President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford, Rick Dhaliwal of TSN 1040 Vancouver reports Thursday.

While it's certainly good news that Poolman hasn't suffered any setbacks, the fact that the team still has concerns should be a red flag for fantasy players. Even if Poolman is cleared to play for Opening Night against Calgary, he should be considered a fringe roster player given he logged just 40 games in 2021-22.

Kakko agreed to terms on a two-year, $4.2 million contract with the Rangers on Thursday.

Kakko recorded just one goal in his last 16 games of the season, all in the playoffs, while adding just six assists along the way. Perhaps more concerning regarding that end-of-year slump is the fact that the Finn registered just 21 shots over that stretch, which no doubt factored into his inability to find the back of the net. The 2019 first-round pick's regular-season goal total has dropped every year he has been in the league.