Initially drafted fourth overall in the 2010 NHL Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Vancouver, British Columbia product has appeared in 842 games with the Blue Jackets and Predators in that time, notching 189 goals and 366 assists for 555 points. On the postseason front, Johansen has registered 54 points in 67 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

“On behalf of the Predators organization, we want to thank Ryan for his contributions to our team and community over the last seven-plus years,” Trotz said in a statement. “He played a large role in our franchise’s accomplishments since arriving in January 2016, helping lead us to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, the 2018 Presidents’ Trophy, back-to-back Central Division titles in 2018 and 2019 and several postseason appearances. Ryan also dedicated a considerable amount of time to the Predators Foundation and helped us grow the game in Middle Tennessee, including his work with youth hockey in our community. We wish Ryan all the best in Colorado.”

Meanwhile, the Predators acquire Galchenyuk, a pending unrestricted free agent. The 29-year-old appeared in 11 games last season for the Avs’ registering zero points. Galchenyuk has bounced around a lot throughout the last handful of years. The former third-overall pick of the 2012 NHL Draft has yet to find a permanent home, making stops in Arizona, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Ottawa, and Toronto. In 654 NHL games, he has recorded 354 points.

During the 2022-23 campaign, Galchenyuk spent most of the season with the Avs’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. He recorded 42 points in 42 games and ranked second for team scoring. The Preds will now look at getting Galchenyuk locked up on a new deal.

The only thing we know: Toews and Kane will not be re-signing in Chicago. The Blackhawks want to give Connor Bedard and their next generation of prospects room to grow organically.

That leaves Toews with questions only he can answer: Is his body ready to withstand the rigors of an 82-game season and beyond? Would he like to play somewhere other than Chicago? Is he motivated to continue competing after taking in $115 million in career earnings with a trophy case as stuffed as his bank account?

If the answers to those questions are “yes,” all of the elite teams in the NHL will be interested in talking. Even if Toews is a 50-point shell of himself, the Conn Smythe winner and all-time competitor can sign a bonus-incentivized, 35-and-over contract structure that makes him a no-risk at one of the game’s hardest positions to fill.

Elsewhere, Oliver Ekman-Larsson also joined the board, rocketing up to No. 10 among available free agents. Reminder, it is a weak free agent class, and Ekman-Larsson will have to weigh whether even a deal as high as projected by @AFPAnalytics (3 years x $3.25 million) is the right play. Or should he sign a short-term, small-money deal on a contending team to rejuvenate his game and his value ahead of the salary cap increasing in a larger way next summer?

The Minnesota Wild originally selected Haula in the seventh round (No. 182 overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft. The five-foot-eleven forward eventually made his NHL debut with the Wild during the 2013–14 season.

After spending four years in Minnesota, Haula was claimed by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. He scored a career-high 55 points to help the “Golden Misfits” reach the Stanley Cup Final in their first year of existence.

In 2019, the Golden Knights traded Haula to the Carolina Hurricanes. He lasted less than a year in North Carolina before finding himself on the move to the Florida Panthers; then, after a year with the Nashville Predators, he signed with the Bruins as a free agent.

Through 614 career games over parts of 10 NHL seasons with the Wild, Golden Knights, Hurricanes, Panthers, Predators, Bruins, and Devils, Haula has collected 126 goals and 281 points. He’s added 16 goals and 36 points in 73 playoff contests.