Goaltender Vyacheslav Buteyets has signed a two-year deal with the KHL's Traktor Chelyabinsk. He was immediately loaned out to the Shanghai Dragons, where he will spend the 2026-27 campaign. Buteyets has just completed his entry-level contract in the NHL. He made his NHL debut in December, playing one period for the Anaheim Ducks against the Utah Mammoth. During his time in the Ducks organization, Buteyets mostly saw action in the ECHL. Last season, he went 18-19-5 with the Tulsa Oilers, allowing 3.11 goals with a .908 save percentage. At 24, Buteyets is at a critical stage in his development and clearly sees better opportunities outside North America. The Ducks extended a qualifying offer to Buteyets earlier in the offseason, meaning the club will retain his NHL rights.

Florida Panthers goaltender Akira Schmid has agreed to a two-year, $4 million contract. He was scheduled for a salary arbitration hearing next week, but that won't be necessary now. Schmid joined the Panthers in late June when the team acquired his rights from the Vegas Golden Knights. The 26-year-old posted a 16-10-6 record, a 2.59 goals-against average, a .893 save percentage, and two shutouts last season. The Panthers' blue paint will look very different next season, with Jacob Markstrom also brought in this offseason and Sergei Bobrovsky heading to Toronto. Schmid is set to be Markstrom's backup in Sunrise.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cole Sillinger signed a three-year, $13.875 million contract on Friday, avoiding a salary arbitration hearing. This looks like a decent deal for both sides. Sillinger is a versatile player who still has room to grow. He has finished with 30-plus points in four of his five NHL campaigns. In 2025-26, Sillinger recorded a career-high 25 assists and 33 points in 81 games. The 23-year-old was third on his team with 112 hits. A couple of seasons ago, Sillinger averaged 0.5 points per game, making 40 points a realistic target for 2026-27.

Philadelphia Flyers left wing Nikita Grebenkin (upper body) is expected to be ready for the start of training camp, Charlie O'Connor of PHLY Sports reports. Grebenkin, who is a restricted free agent, suffered an upper-body injury in late March and missed the end of the season. The 23-year-old Russian earned 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 55 games during his rookie campaign. He was also a physical presence in the Flyers' lineup, finishing with 86 hits. Grebenkin did not require surgery, indicating that his injury was not very severe. He will compete for a bottom-six role in training camp.