TSN’s Hockey Insiders on Ottawa signing Shane Pinto and Winnipeg’s status with their captain, the latest on the Kings and Adrian Kempe, Auston Matthews’ injury and Joseph Woll’s return, interest in David Kampf, and teams watching Calgary’s Blake Coleman.
Gino Reda: With Chris Johnston, Pierre LeBrun, and Darren Dreger.
Dregs, not the eight-year deal the Sens wanted, but is Shane Pinto’s four-year deal a healthy compromise?
Shane Pinto Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto (12) skates during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes) (Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Darren Dreger: It absolutely is. I mean, this is a big bit of business for [president of hockey operations and general manager] Steve Staios and the Ottawa Senators. There have been ongoing negotiations and discussions over the last several weeks, if not months, but they got down to the heavy lifting.
Every scenario here was considered, as you say, Gino, including the maximum eight-year extension, and they settled on a four-year term.
Now, fans may not love that because Pinto for four years doesn’t sound like a long term, but they do buy two years of unrestricted free agency. This allows Pinto then, to be in a great position when the deal ultimately expires. So good work, good compromise by both sides.
Keeping an eye on Winnipeg Jets captain Adam Lowry as well in terms of extension talk. We know that the Jets are on the road. They’ll wrap up their road swing in Calgary on Saturday. Because of travel and everything that goes into that, there hasn’t been a lot of back and forth, but I expect that they’ll get a lot of work done next week.
Pierre LeBrun: In the meantime, probably the most talented player left in a very depleted UFA pool for July is Adrian Kempe of the Los Angeles Kings. Talks have been ongoing for quite a while, and it just so happens that Kempe’s agent J.P. Barry of CAA lives in Toronto, so Ken Holland, the veteran GM of the Kings took the opportunity to meet with Barry on Thursday afternoon ahead of the Kings-Leafs game.
Adrian Kempe Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9) plays against the Vegas Golden Knights during an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) (John Locher/AP)
There’s still work to be done in that negotiation. It’s been a long process. My understanding, and neither side wants to comment on this, is that they’re in a ballpark there, where there’s $9.5 million on the low end, and $11.5 million at the North end, and it probably needs to get the double digits to get this deal done. The Martin Necas contract at $11.5M has had a huge impact on this negotiation.
I spoke with Kempe himself on Thursday morning. He’s zen about it. It’s not weighing on him. He’s just playing hockey. He wants to stay an LA King, and he thinks it’ll get done eventually.
Reda: Since Auston Matthews left Tuesday’s game, two questions came up. How long is he going to be out? And is this the same injury that he struggled with last season, CJ?
Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews in a game against the Flyers in Philadelphia on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton) Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews in a game against the Flyers in Philadelphia on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton) (Derik Hamilton)
Chris Johnston: Well, I think the silver lining, at least from the Toronto Maple Leafs’ perspective, is, no, it’s not the same set of injuries that really interrupted his entire season last year. As we remember, Matthews was out with grey timelines, and it went on and on and on. This is not that. It’s not seen as a major issue for Matthews. It’s one they’re hoping we’ll be limited to a couple of games here.
Now, the timing obviously isn’t good. The Leafs are struggling right now. He’s still a key part of their team, but they did breathe a little bit of a sigh of relief that it’s nothing too serious.
Reda: The Leafs have called up Artur Akhtyamov while Anthony Stolarz is out day-to-day. What are you hearing about the timeline on Joseph Woll?
Johnston: Yeah, that roster move might have been a surprise to some just because Woll has been down in the American Hockey League, working his way back. That was all part of the plan. Essentially, Woll missed a month when he took that personal leave. He missed training camp. The Leafs tried to recreate what a training camp would be like here these last few weeks, just with the work with the skills coaches, the goalie coaches getting in a half game in the AHL, and then a full game yesterday. This is meant to be a rest day for Woll. He could be back this weekend with the Maple Leafs and taking the next steps towards resuming his NHL career.
Dreger: David Kampf is about to become a former member of the Maple Leafs. Contract termination will allow the veteran centerman to sign as a free agent on Friday, and I expect this list will be longer than some anticipate.
I look at the Montreal Canadiens. I look at the Pittsburgh Penguins, who seem to have eager interest. I look at the Calgary Flames and the Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks have a rash of injuries, so these are teams that I believe on Friday will at least check in to see if there’s a fit.
Reda: Over a month into the season, the Flames are dead last in the standings. How deep do you see the coming changes being, Pierre?
Blake Coleman Blake Coleman
LeBrun: Well, listen. We’ve talked a lot about Rasmus Andersson and Nazem Kadri. Dregs dropped some news last week that ownership doesn’t want to trade Kadri. Listen, Andersson is a pending UFA. He is absolutely most likely getting dealt between now and March 6.
I was surprised to find out that the name that the Flames have actually gotten the most calls on so far this year is Blake Coleman. Not surprised because he’s not a good player, absolutely he is, but I also know that the Flames absolutely love his character. I think he’s a huge leader in that room, and frankly, they’re not shopping Coleman. What’s happened is that a number of teams have checked in with GM Craig Conroy and said, ‘If you ever get there closer to March 6, we’d love to have a chance to acquire Coleman.’
He’s got a modified no-trade, he’s got a big say in things, and I’m not sure he wants to move.
