Oilers target goalie Campbell for buyout, Lightning acquire rights to Guentzel

The Edmonton Oilers have placed goaltender Jack Campbell on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a buyout.

Campbell signed a five-year, $25-million US contract in July 2022 to be Edmonton’s No. 1 crease option.

However, he never found traction with his new team after leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs. Campbell lost the starting job to Stuart Skinner and was eventually put on waivers before being demoted to the American Hockey League.

The 32-year-old has three years left on his deal.

In other moves, the Oilers made qualifying offers to forwards Dylan Holloway, Raphael Lavoie and James Hamblin, along with defencemen Philip Broberg and Noel Hoefenmayer.

Edmonton did not make qualifying offers to forward Carter Savoie and goaltender Ryan Fanti, making them free agents.

4 players charged in 2018 world junior sex assault case to become free agents

Four players charged with sexual assault in Canada will become free agents after not receiving qualifying offers from their respective teams. Carter Hart was under contract with Philadelphia, Michael McLeod and Cal Foote with New Jersey and Dillon Dube with Calgary when they were charged in connection with an incident that occurred in London, Ontario, in 2018 after they were teammates on Canada’s world junior team. A trial date has still not been set for those four and former NHL player Alex Formenton.

Bolts make play for Guentzel

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 Carolina. The move allows the Lightning to sign Guentzel before he hits the open market on Monday.

Guentzel is coming off scoring 30 goals this past season for the Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins. Tampa Bay cleared more than $11 million in salary cap space Saturday by trading away Mikhail Sergachev and Tanner Jeannot.

General manager Julien BriseBois said there were many ways he could use the space but that he was not planning to re-sign Steven Stamkos, the longtime captain and face of the franchise who is expected to test free agency.

Leafs re-sign Domi, Liljegren

The Toronto Maple Leafs re-signed forward Max Domi to a four-year contract on Sunday with an average annual value is US$3.75 million.

The 29-year-old had 47 points (nine goals, 38 assists) across 80 regular-season contests for the Leafs in 2023-24. He added four points (one goal, three assists) in seven playoff games.

The Leafs also re-signed defenceman Timothy Liljegren to a two-year contract. The average annual value of the deal is US$3 million.

The 25-year-old had 23 points (three goals, 20 assists) in 55 regular-season games for the Leafs in 2023-24 and added one assist in six playoff games. Liljegren was a first-round pick (17th overall) by Toronto in the 2017 NHL draft.

Habs send Kovacevic to Devils for pick

The Montreal Canadiens have traded defenceman Johnathan Kovacevic to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick. The pick will be the best of the three fourth-round picks currently owned by the Devils in 2026.

The 26-year-old Kovacevic joined the Canadiens on waivers back in October 2022. He had six goals and seven assists in 62 regular-season games for Montreal in 2023-24.