Sportsnet’s Top 10 most impactful NHL moves made this summer had a couple of Florida Panthers-related bits, including the blockbuster deal that brought Brady Tkachuk to South Florida and the departure of two-time Stanley Cup-winning goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
2. Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers
The Panthers missed the playoffs after going to the Stanley Cup Final three years in a row, leading to action from GM Bill Zito. He beat everyone to the punch by making a bombshell trade to get Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators, pairing him with his brother Matthew.
This trade might have made the Panthers the Stanley Cup favourites again for next season. It also could have a huge impact on the Senators.
Think about it, Tkachuk, the Senators’ captain, requested a trade while they were in win-now mode after making the Stanley Cup Playoffs in back-to-back years. And because Tkachuk had a no-move clause, he got to pick where he would end up, leaving Senators general manager Steve Staios with no leverage to get a position player back.
5. Sergei Bobrovsky to Toronto, among a lot of other moves
Even at 37 years old and coming off a down season, Sergei Bobrovsky was the clear No. 1 goalie available. Considering the goalie problems in the past for the Toronto Maple Leafs, new general manager John Chayka saw an opportunity to fix that right away.
By signing Bobrovsky to a three-year, $21-million deal, it’s clear Chayka and the Maple Leafs brass think Bobrovsky still can be the backbone to a winning team.
If signing Bobrovsky wasn’t enough evidence of that, we can look at the seven new bodies expected to be in the lineup for the 2026-27 season, including 2026 first-overall pick Gavin McKenna and defenceman Darren Raddysh.
Veteran forward Kevin Hayes signed a one-year deal with Ak Bars Kazan of the KHL on Tuesday. The 34-year-old spent the past two years with the Pittsburgh Penguins but appeared in just 28 games this past season, posting four goals and eight points.
The Washington Capitals have signed goaltender Cal Petersen to a professional tryout agreement. Petersen spent last season with the AHL’s Iowa Wild where he appeared in 33 games and posted a 2.73 goals-against average and .896 save percentage.
The Anaheim Ducks signed right wing Cruz Lucius to a two-year, entry-level contract. Lucius was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins for future considerations last week. He put up 15 goals and 46 points in his final season at Arizona State University.
The New York Rangers re-signed defenseman Vincent Iorio to a one-year, two-way contract worth $850K at the NHL level. Iorio, 23, played six games for the Rangers after he was claimed off waivers from the San Jose Sharks on January 31, 2026.