NHL Notebook: Jets and Samberg far away in arbitration negotiations, Blake extends in Carolina, and more

The two sides are $3.5 million apart in their negotiations, with the Jets willing to offer $2.5 million on a one-year term, while Samberg’s camp is seeking a $6 million price tag for the same term. However, Friedman makes sure to clarify that sometimes these filings can be a strategic negotiating tactic for the team to save money/players to get more money.

Samberg, 26, officially broke out this past season, displaying his defensive defenceman abilities. The left-shot blueliner’s breakout resulted in a healthy uptick in ice time per game (21:08), 5:30 minutes more than his 2023-2024 campaign. His contributions undoubtedly earned him a raise off his two-year, $1.4 million contract.

With over $10 million in cap space, the Jets have the salary cap space necessary to meet Samberg’s requests. Winnipeg has just Rasmus Kupari, a restricted free agent,  to re-sign if they so choose to. However, the number will likely come closer to Samberg’s desire. AFP Analytics has Samberg coming in at $5.22 million extension over a five-year deal.

Hurricanes pay up for Blake

The Carolina Hurricanes announced that they’d extended forward Jackson Blake to an eight-year $45 million extension, carrying a $5.625 million average annual value (AAV).

However, Friedman mentioned Blake’s true AAV will come in at $5.117 million, as $4,063,984 ($507,998 per season) is deferred from the contract. That sum will be paid out on July 1, 2034, as well as $15.9 million of the $21.3 million in signing bonuses he will earn.

Blake is rewarded with this extension after just one season in the NHL. In his rookie year, Blake scored 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points with a plus-10 rating in 13:51 minutes of average ice time. Son of former NHLer Jason Blake, Jackson was trusted in more situations as the season progressed, earning playing time on the top line and the top power play unit.

The 5’11” winger saw his minutes increase in the postseason, playing just under 17 minutes per game, adding three goals and six points in 16 playoff games.

Hockey fans have seen the Hurricanes pull this move last offseason when they extended Jaccob Slavin and Seth Jarvis, as well as the extension Frank Vatrano signed with the Anaheim Ducks earlier this season. But this is a move that is likely coming to an end in the new CBA, as the NHL deputy commissioner, Bill Daly, said in an interview with Michael Russo of The Athletic following the Slavin and Jarvis extension:

“There are some things about the cap system that cause some interpretation to have to happen, which we shared with Carolina in advance. We shared with the union in advance as to how we were interpreting the provisions. I’m not saying that I think deferred comp is the greatest mechanism in a system like we have and maybe in the future might be addressed in collective bargaining. But we’re midterm now, so we kind of are where we are.”

With the new CBA set to take effect in September 2026, Blake and the Hurricanes aim to complete this piece of business before it is banned.

Blackhawks lock down Soderblom

The Chicago Blackhawks secure their crease, avoiding arbitration with goaltender Arvid Soderblom. The two sides agree to a two-year, $5.5 million contract worth $2.75 million AAV.

The Swedish netminder signed with the Blackhawks in 2021 as an undrafted netminder and made his NHL debut later that season. Over his first two seasons in the league, Soderblom had just 18 games of NHL experience before he was finally entrusted with a regular role.

Soderblom, 25, has since played two seasons as the backup goalie in Chicago. Despite the team’s struggles, Soderblom has consistently improved his numbers as his years have progressed. In 2024-2025, Soderblom started the most games (36), recorded the most wins (10), his lowest goals against average (3.10) and his highest save percentage (.898) of his career.

However, after an earlier trade last season, Soderblom looks to be the backup next season. The Blackhawks sent disgruntled defenceman Seth Jones to the Florida Panthers in exchange for goaltender Spencer Knight, who was primed to be the goaltender of the future. Although it might be more of a committee now, after Soderblom finished with better numbers on the year than Knight’s 3.18 goals against average and .896 save percentage in his games with the Blackhawks this season.