CricketRecap
IPL 2026: GT storm to top of table as Kagiso Rabada leads SRH demolition in 82-run thrashing
Gujarat Titans dominate Sunrisers Hyderabad by 82 runs, leading IPL 2026 table!
Yahoo Sports1 min read
Sports
2026 might be the most dangerous summer for NHL GMs
TL;DR
The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed Charlie Coyle to a six-year deal worth $6 million annually, raising concerns among NHL general managers about long-term contracts for aging players.
Key points
- Charlie Coyle signed a six-year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets
- Contract worth $6 million annually
- Concerns for NHL general managers about aging players
- Long-term deals may pose financial risks
- Coyle's contract may influence team strategies
Columbus Blue Jackets
Utah Mammoth General Manager Bill Armstrong speaks with media at a press conference discussing the 2025 NHL Draft, at the Asher Adams Hotel in Salt Lake City on Friday, June 27, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Hockey fans woke up Tuesday morning to some startling news: The Columbus Blue Jackets have extended Charlie Coyle to a six-year deal worth $6 million annually.
That should scare general managers across the NHL.
Itās not that Coyle doesnāt deserve the money ā heās a good hockey player who leveraged his situation to secure the future for himself and his family. But no team wants to give a top-dollar, long-term deal to a 34-year-old middle-six player.
Simply put, the NHL free agency market this season is dire. Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov, Adrian Kempe and a number of other big names were supposed to headline the UFA class of 2026, but almost every team locked up its stars early.
Free agency is still a month and a half away and thereās already nothing but crumbs left. You know itās a weak free agency class when the biggest star is coming off a six-digit deal.
The other half of the equation is the rising salary cap.
With last weekās announcement that each team will have an extra $8.5 million to spend, in addition to big increases the past several seasons and the same anticipated in future years, the bidding wars could get out of control.
Itās simple economics, really. When the supply is low and the demand remains the same, prices go up. And when everyone involved has disposable funds, prices shoot through the roof.
Utah Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong frequently says that āwinning the summerā doesnāt always equate to winning in the winter. This year, he and his peers will have to be extra careful when scouring the free agency market.
Utah Mammoth 2026 free agency targets
If their remaining unsigned UFAs donāt return, the Mammoth will have a few roles to fill through signings, trades or internal promotion:
- Backup goalie
- Left-handed defenseman
- 2-3 depth forwards
If it wasnāt clear already, the Mammothās first playoff series showed that they need more size, grit and experience.
Itās likely that Dmitri Simashev handles the left-handed defenseman job, and itās possible that Daniil But takes takes one of the depth forward positions. Thereās also reasonable likelihood that some of the pending UFAs return to Utah.
The Mammoth also have a significant amount of mid-round draft picks and B-tier prospects ā so many that they wonāt possibly be able to provide sufficient opportunities for all of them to make the NHL. If they can package a bunch of them in trades, just as they did when acquiring MacKenzie Weegar, they might be able to get the exact guys they need to round out the team.
All that said, here are a few free agents that might fit Utahās needs.
Bobby McMann
Position: center/left wing
Age: 29
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 217 pounds
2025-26 team: Seattle Kraken/Toronto Maple Leafs
2025-26 production: 78 games played, 29 goals, 46 points
Bobby McMann would make sense for the Mammoth to bring in on a long-term deal. His age fits with the teamās core and heās got the size and scoring ability to make a difference in both the regular season and the playoffs.
In 18 games with the Seattle Kraken this season after being traded at the deadline, McMann scored 10 goals and 14 points. Donāt expect him to consistently produce quite at that level, but do expect him to chip in at a steady rate.
Rasmus Andersson
Position: defense
Age: 29
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 202 pounds
2025-26 team: Vegas Golden Knights/Calgary Flames
2025-26 production: 81 games played, 17 goals, 47 points
The Mammoth saw Rasmus Andersson up-close this year in the playoffs. Heās a competent two-way defenseman who plays with a chip on his shoulder ā not unlike his former defense partner, MacKenzie Weegar.
Andersson and Weegar were paired together the bulk of the 2023-24 season ā the year Weegar more than doubled his previous career high, scoring 20 goals.
Like McMann, Andersson is the right age to fit with Utahās core for years to come.
Utah Mammoth defenseman MacKenzie Weegar (52) shoves former Calgary Flames teammate Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Rasmus Andersson (4) during the third period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Mason Marchment
Position: left wing
Age: 30
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 212 pounds
2025-26 team: Columbus Blue Jackets/Seattle Kraken
2025-26 production: 68 games played, 19 goals, 45 points
In a recent appearance on the Spittinā Chiclets podcast, Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas said one of his biggest regrets during his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs was trading away Mason Marchment.
Heās a behemoth of a man who can put the puck in the net. Those guys are always valuable in the NHL.
Michael McCarron
Position: center
Age: 31
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 232 pounds
2025-26 team: Minnesota Wild/Nashville Predators
2025-26 production: 79 games played, 8 goals, 17 points
Michael McCarron isnāt going to be the fix-all answer to any teamās problems, but heāll probably get calls this summer from the bulk of the GMs in the league.
He has really emerged in the last few weeks as a playoff player. Heās big, heās physical, he kills penalties and heās excellent in the face-off circle.
Teams will have to be cautious not to over-commit on term or money, as high demand equates to increased price. But if you can get him at a reasonable number, McCarron is the type of depth player that teams need, especially in the playoffs.
Brett Kulak
Position: defense
Age: 32
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 192 pounds
2025-26 team: Colorado Avalanche/Pittsburgh Penguins/Edmonton Oilers
2025-26 production: 83 games played, 1 goal, 12 points
Having made it to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021, 2024 and 2025, and with a somewhat high likelihood of doing it again in 2026, Brett Kulak has the playoff experience a young team like Utah needs ā especially if two-time Stanley Cup champion Ian Cole doesnāt return.
Kulak is a steady middle-pairing defenseman. Heās not going to fill the opponentās net on a nightly basis, but he can erase his teammatesā mistakes at an above-average rate. Thatās a valuable guy to have.
David Rittich
Position: goalie
Age: 33
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 200 pounds
2025-26 team: New York Islanders
2025-26 production: 30 games played, .894 save percentage, 2.76 goals-against average
Karel Vejmelka played five more games this season than the next-most used goalie. That was necessary because the Mammoth couldnāt rely on VĆtek VanÄÄek as much as theyād planned.
VanÄÄekās contract is up this summer, so Utah will get another chance to find their guy on the never-ending carousel that is the NHL backup goalie market.
David Rittich, or āBig-Save Dave,ā as he was affectionately known earlier in his career, could be the answer. He split the New York Islandersā workload with Ilya Sorokin this year, which allowed Sorokin to have a monstrous season.
Utah will likely only need a guy who can come in for a season or two until Michael Hrabal is ready. They might be able to get Rittich on a short-term deal.
Plus, he fits with the Mammothās theme of signing Czech goalies.
Nick Schmaltz Contract Extension Press Conference at the Utah Mammoth Ice Center in Sandy, UT on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. Hunter Dyke/Utah Mammoth | Hunter Dyke
Q&A
What is the significance of Charlie Coyle's six-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets?
Charlie Coyle's six-year contract worth $6 million annually highlights the risks NHL general managers face when committing to long-term deals for older players.
How does Coyle's contract impact other NHL teams and general managers?
Coyle's contract may prompt other NHL teams to reconsider their strategies regarding long-term contracts for aging players, potentially leading to more cautious spending.
What are the potential consequences of signing older players to long-term deals in the NHL?
Signing older players to long-term deals can lead to financial strain on teams if the player's performance declines, impacting overall team competitiveness.
Who is Charlie Coyle and what does his contract mean for his career?
Charlie Coyle is a 34-year-old NHL player whose new contract secures his financial future, but it raises questions about the sustainability of such deals for older athletes.