Samwise NHL & Hockey Newsletter
Saturday, July 18, 2026
Bruins Set Patrice Bergeron’s #37 Retirement Night for December 1 vs. Avalanche
The Boston Bruins announced they will retire Patrice Bergeron’s number 37 on Tuesday, December 1, in a home game against the Colorado Avalanche at 7:30 p.m. The ceremony will take place before puck drop, with details on timing, fan activations, and broadcast information to follow in the fall. The retirement night was announced as part of the Bruins’ initial promotional schedule for the 2026-27 season, revealed alongside the team’s full regular-season calendar. Individual game tickets for the upcoming season went on sale to the public Friday, July 17, at 2 p.m. ET through BostonBruins.com/Tickets.
Sources: The Hockey News Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Jason Robertson Among 15 Players Awaiting NHL Salary Arbitration Hearings Starting July 20
Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars is among 15 NHL players who filed for salary arbitration on July 5, the NHLPA confirmed Thursday. Hearings run from July 20 through August 1. Robertson, 26, posted 96 points — 45 goals and 51 assists — in 82 games last season and remains unsigned. Other players still awaiting hearings include Carolina’s Ronan Seeley, Columbus’s Jet Greaves and Cole Sillinger, Florida’s Akira Schmid, and Alex Jefferies of the Islanders. Several who filed have already signed — including Drysdale, Kirby Dach, Cole Perfetti, and Braden Schneider — avoiding their scheduled hearings.
Flyers GM Briere Finds Silver Lining in Failed Carlsson Offer Sheet, Keeps Options Open
Philadelphia Flyers GM Daniel Briere addressed Thursday the fallout from the team’s failed bid for Anaheim Ducks restricted free agent Leo Carlsson. Briere signed Carlsson to a five-year, NHL-record $18 million cap hit offer sheet on July 3, only to see Anaheim match the deal on July 9. Briere said Carlsson chose the Flyers from among four teams who made offers — a positive signal for the franchise. “To attract players, you have to have a winning team, or a team that’s at least trending to become a contender,” Briere said. With $14 million in cap space remaining, Briere confirmed the club is actively looking at additions.
Flyers Sign Defenseman Jamie Drysdale to Four-Year, $26 Million Deal, Avoids Arbitration
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale signed a four-year, $26 million contract on Friday, avoiding a salary arbitration hearing. The deal carries an average annual value of $6.5 million. Drysdale had been one of 15 NHL players who filed for salary arbitration on July 5, with hearings scheduled to run from July 20 through August 1. The signing adds a long-term piece to a Flyers blue line as GM Daniel Briere continues to build around the team’s core. The Flyers also extended forward Trevor Zegras to a four-year deal at a $9.125 million cap hit earlier this week, underscoring the club’s commitment to locking up key restricted free agents.
Nick Robertson Reflects on Six Years With Maple Leafs, Eager for Penguins Fresh Start
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Nick Robertson spoke Thursday about his six seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs after his off-season trade. The Penguins acquired the 24-year-old for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft on July 1; Robertson then signed a two-year contract. In 234 regular-season games with Toronto — drafted 53rd overall in 2019 — Robertson said the market demands of the Leafs kept him constantly on edge. “I had to be on my game all the time,” he said. Robertson noted that Sidney Crosby texted him immediately after the trade, and that former Leafs GM Kyle Dubas — now Pittsburgh’s GM — had originally drafted him.
2025-26 Season — Complete
Stanley Cup Champion
🏆 Carolina Hurricanes
def. Vegas Golden Knights — 4–2 (June 14)
Conn Smythe: Jordan Staal
Season at a Glance
Opening Night: September 29, 2026
Schedule: 84 games per team
Free agency & arbitration period underway
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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