Samwise NHL & Hockey Newsletter
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
NHL and NHLPA Launch $4 Million Annual Healthcare Fund for Retired Players
The NHL and NHLPA have jointly created a Healthcare and Wellness Fund for former players, each contributing $2 million annually for a combined $4 million per year. Announced July 13 at the NHL Alumni Celebrity Golf Classic in Ontario, the fund is divided equally between an Emergency Assistance Fund for players facing catastrophic health expenses and a wellness support program offering access to primary care and mental health resources. Eligibility covers any former NHL player and their families, regardless of career length. The initiative follows ratification of the latest NHL–NHLPA collective bargaining agreement and addresses a long-standing gap in post-career healthcare coverage for league alumni.
Winnipeg Jets Sign 2026 First-Rounder Viggo Björck to Entry-Level Contract
The Winnipeg Jets locked up their 2026 first-round pick one day after the draft, signing Swedish forward Viggo Björck to a three-year entry-level contract worth $1.075 million annually. Selected eighth overall out of the 2026 class in Buffalo, the 18-year-old from Stockholm spent last season with Djurgårdens IF in the SHL, recording 15 points in 42 games. Björck also won gold with Sweden at the 2026 World Junior Championship, contributing nine points in seven contests. The ELC runs through the 2028–29 season; Björck is expected to begin his professional development in the AHL before pushing for a Jets roster spot.
Daniel Jacob Named Head Coach of the Laval Rocket
The Montreal Canadiens have appointed Daniel Jacob as the fifth head coach in Laval Rocket franchise history. The 45-year-old served as an assistant coach with Laval for the past two seasons, overseeing the defensive corps and penalty kill unit. Before joining the Rocket’s staff, Jacob accumulated more than 15 years of assistant coaching experience at the QMJHL and AHL levels, including time with the Syracuse Crunch and San Diego Gulls. The internal promotion reflects the Canadiens’ emphasis on continuity as they develop their pipeline through the AHL affiliate heading into the 2026–27 season.
Peyton Krebs Avoids Arbitration, Signs Four-Year, $18 Million Deal with Buffalo
The Buffalo Sabres and forward Peyton Krebs have agreed to a four-year, $18 million extension—$4.5 million per season—avoiding an arbitration hearing that had been scheduled for August 1. The 25-year-old filed for arbitration on July 5 after the two sides could not reach a deal. Krebs posted career-best totals last season with 39 points (12 goals, 27 assists) over all 82 regular-season games, then added six points in 13 playoff appearances. The deal keeps him in Buffalo through the 2029–30 season and cements his role as a core piece of the Sabres’ forward group as the franchise pushes for a postseason return.
Buy-Low Candidate or Buyer Beware? NHL Teams Weigh Pettersson Trade Risk
Elias Pettersson’s future in Vancouver is an open question this summer, TSN analyst Travis Yost writes. Once a top-five centre—191 points across 2022–24—Pettersson managed just 51 points in 2025–26, a steep fall for a player still owed $11.6 million annually through 2031–32. Yost notes that Pettersson’s skating burst and shot volume have both declined from his peak, though he offers context: his linemates included replacement-level wingers Jake DeBrusk and Evander Kane, and the Canucks lost star blueliner Quinn Hughes mid-season. Multiple NHL front offices are weighing a buy-low trade, balancing Pettersson’s upside against the risk of a sizable long-term contract commitment.
2025–26 Season Complete
Stanley Cup Champions
Carolina Hurricanes
Defeated Vegas Golden Knights 4–2
Stanley Cup Final clinched June 14, 2026
Off-Season
Free agency & draft underway
Training camps open late September
2026–27 regular season begins October
Curated by JD · samwise.agency