The latest NHL News for July 31, 2026, is led by a calculated contract decision in Pittsburgh and two intriguing, but very different, trade stories involving young players.
The Pittsburgh Penguins officially removed one potential distraction by signing forward Tommy Novak to a three-year, $13.95-million contract extension. Meanwhile, a possible Braden Schneider-for-Shane Wright framework has generated attention around the New York Rangers and Seattle Kraken, although there is currently no indication that the clubs are actively negotiating that exact trade.
Alexander Nikishin’s contract situation with the Carolina Hurricanes is also being watched closely. The young defenseman remains a restricted free agent, and the St. Louis Blues have reportedly had him on their radar.
My biggest takeaway is that NHL teams are increasingly trying to make decisions before players gain greater leverage. Pittsburgh secured a useful middle-six forward early, while the Rangers and Hurricanes must determine whether their young defensemen are more valuable on the roster or as trade assets.
| NHL News item | Status | Key number | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tommy Novak extension | Confirmed | 3 years, $13.95 million | Pittsburgh secures dependable forward depth before Novak reaches free agency. |
| Braden Schneider for Shane Wright | Speculative | Wright: 44 points; Schneider: 18 points | An interesting hockey fit, but not a confirmed trade negotiation. |
| Alexander Nikishin interest | Reported interest | 33 points in 81 games | Carolina must balance Nikishin’s potential against its contract structure. |
| Macklin Celebrini extension | Confirmed | 5 years, $94 million | The record-setting deal could reshape negotiations for elite young stars. |
NHL News Today: Penguins Make a Calculated Bet on Tommy Novak
Tommy Novak’s new deal begins with the 2027-28 season and carries an average annual value of $4.65 million. He still has one season remaining on his current contract, which means Pittsburgh did not have to make this commitment immediately.
That is what makes the timing interesting.
Novak produced 16 goals and 42 points while playing all 82 regular-season games last year. His new cap hit represents an increase of approximately 33 percent from his current $3.5-million salary, but it remains a manageable number for a forward who can move around the lineup and contribute secondary offense.
Novak also made it clear that remaining in Pittsburgh mattered to him, telling NHL.com, “This is somewhere that I really wanted to be.”
From my perspective, this is a sensible bet rather than a major commitment. The Penguins are paying Novak for reliability and versatility, not expecting him to become a franchise-level scorer. If he remains a 40-to-50-point player, the contract should be movable and could even provide surplus value as the NHL salary cap continues to rise.
The risk is that Pittsburgh may be locking in too many complementary pieces before the organization knows what its next competitive window will look like. Novak will be 30 when the extension starts, so the Penguins need him to maintain his speed, availability and offensive consistency.
Why the Braden Schneider–Shane Wright Idea Is More Complicated Than It Looks
The Schneider-for-Wright discussion has produced an eye-catching headline, but readers should understand the distinction between a proposed fit and a verified trade negotiation.
The idea emerged during a discussion about whether the Rangers could use Schneider to acquire forward help. Wright was presented as one possible change-of-scenery target because Seattle could use additional defensive support and New York needs more young offensive upside.
There is hockey logic behind the concept.
Wright recorded 19 goals and 44 points in 79 games last season. Schneider, meanwhile, supplied 18 points while leading the Rangers with 140 blocked shots and finishing with 163 hits. Wright offers the higher offensive ceiling, while Schneider provides a right-shot defensive profile that remains valuable across the league.
However, I would be hesitant to make the deal from Seattle’s perspective without another asset coming from New York. Young centres with Wright’s draft pedigree and improving production are difficult to replace. Schneider is a legitimate NHL defenseman, but his value is based more on defensive utility, physical play and future growth than current top-pair performance.
For the Rangers, the question is whether moving a 25-year-old right-shot defenseman creates another roster hole. New York should only trade Schneider if the incoming forward has enough upside to become part of its long-term top six.
As of July 31, there is no completed transaction or public confirmation that the Rangers and Kraken are negotiating this swap. The earlier discussion has therefore not been proven accurate as an active trade report. It remains a plausible trade concept worth monitoring.
Alexander Nikishin’s Contract Talks Keep Trade Speculation Alive
Alexander Nikishin’s situation is different because the Carolina Hurricanes are dealing with a restricted free agent who already demonstrated considerable NHL potential.
Nikishin produced 33 points in 81 regular-season games and earned a place on the NHL All-Rookie Team. His role decreased during Carolina’s Stanley Cup run, however, as his average ice time fell during the postseason.
That reduced role does not necessarily mean the Hurricanes want to trade him. Carolina had a deep championship-calibre blue line, and young defensemen often experience uneven usage during playoff hockey.
Nikishin has left negotiations to his representatives and has publicly treated the trade rumors as a normal part of the business. The St. Louis Blues have reportedly shown interest, but Carolina’s asking price would presumably be significant.
My read is that the Hurricanes should prioritize signing him. A 24-year-old, 6-foot-4 defenseman who can move the puck and produce offense is exactly the type of player teams spend years attempting to draft and develop. Unless Nikishin is unwilling to make a long-term commitment, moving him now could become a decision Carolina regrets.
Macklin Celebrini’s Record Contract Could Change the NHL Marketplace
The other major NHL News development hanging over the league is Macklin Celebrini’s five-year, $94-million contract extension with the San Jose Sharks.
The $18.8-million average annual value makes Celebrini the NHL’s highest-paid player based on annual salary. More importantly, the five-year term allows him to negotiate another contract while he is still in his prime.
That structure could become the real story.
Elite young players may become less interested in signing maximum-length contracts if they believe the salary cap will rise substantially. Teams traditionally pursued eight-year agreements to secure cost certainty, but players now have an incentive to return to the negotiating table sooner.
Celebrini’s contract does not directly cause today’s trade rumors, but it changes the financial environment surrounding players such as Wright, Schneider and Nikishin. Clubs must decide earlier which young players deserve major investments and which ones should be converted into different assets.
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