Big Stories and Opinions

Cale Makar becomes the highest paid player in NHL History, next year

Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar signed the biggest contract in NHL history on Friday when he inked an eight year, $20.4 M AAV dollar contract. I’ve seen a lot of chatter online calling this contract an “over payment” and that Quinn Hughes should make more. I know I am a Red Wing fan and that Hughes played at Michigan but this comparison is just plain insane. Makar is levels a head of Hughes in ever aspect of the game. Did any one other than us actually watch the playoffs? When Minnesota was protecting a lead, Hughes was stapled to the bench. I might be biased but I’d rather have Seider than Hughes.

Vancouver Canucks and defenseman Zeev Buium agree to an eight year, $9.38 M dollar extension

Vancouver locks up Buium to an eight year extension. Buium made his NHL debut in the playoffs after winning the NCAA National Championship in 2024 with the University of Denver. Buium played in four games for Minnesota during their first round series. He played in 31 games with the Wild during the 2025-26 season before getting traded to Vancouver in the deal that sent Quinn Hughes to Minnesota.

Yzerman out as Red Wings GM

This has been the news I have been waiting for. Steve Yzerman steps aside and enters an advisory role with the owner, Chris Ilitch. A new search begins to find his replacement. Now, I’m going to finally give my full opinion about this. This move was made at least two years to late. His free agency signings and trades have been questionable at best. Trading a first rounder for Faulk at the deadline when they really needed a second line center. Attaching a second round pick to Jake Walman and then seeing San Jose get a first round pick for him. Trading Cossa to Utah for the 23rd overall pick in this years draft when they moved up (traded the pick that became Wyatt Johnston) to get him and let him develop for five years. Cossa is better that Tarasov and I can’t wait to see Cossa win the Vezina next season along with the Calder, Smythe, and Stanley Cup (joking of course).

The Chariot extension should have never been done along with the Justin Holl, Andrew Copp, and J.T. Compher contracts. Then you get to this off-season and they sign Viktor Arvidsson to a two year, $5 million AAV contract? These are moves that I make when I’m playing NHL and need plugs when I don’t want to compete and want to be bad. They have enough middle six to bottom nine guys that they didn’t need another one. Anyone who knows me knows that I was an Yzerman apologist for years but we can only have so many March-April collapses before I start to question his building skills. Oh, I haven’t even brought up the Larkin trade request. Regarding that, I feel like there is plenty of blame to go around but how do make the kid from Michigan, who grew up cheering for the Wings and played college at the University of Michigan, want out so badly? Again, Larkin isn’t completely off the hook when he only has one five on five goal for a month but you should be deep enough to have your number one center go down for 10 days. Injuries are going to happen whether its the regular season or playoffs and you have to plan for that and given that roster, they weren’t even close. For the next guy, I really hope they don’t go for an internal hire because if they do, it will just be more of the same.