Baggie Day Buzz: Kane hoping to sign another contract with Red Wings

For 16 NHL teams, there will be no Stanley Cup Playoffs. Instead, there will be players packing up their gear, reflecting on the season and looking toward the future, as well as front office members analyzing what went wrong.

Baggie Day Buzz is your one-stop shop for the latest news and analysis from the teams that did not advance to the playoffs.

Here is the most recent news:

Detroit Red Wings

Patrick Kane is hoping to stay with the Red Wings next season.

The forward signed a one-year contract with Detroit on Nov. 28, 2023, and again June 30, 2024.

"I've really enjoyed my time here and I think it is a great place for me," Kane said Saturday. "This organization has been great for me, and I think there's some mutual interest in doing it again next season."

Kane, who will turn 37 on Nov. 19, had 59 points (21 goals, 38 assists) in 72 games, but the Red Wings missed the playoffs by five points. Last season, they missed them on a tiebreaker.

"We were in a good spot coming out of the 4 Nations (Face-Off)," Kane said. "It looked like we were on our way to making the playoffs, but that didn't happen because of our (4-10-0) run in March."

A year ago, Kane talked about wanting a multiyear contract.

"I sat here and talked about wanting security, but a few weeks later, I felt completely differently," he said. "With my age and the one-year bonuses, it worked well."

Kane has 1,343 points (492 goals, 851 assists) in 1,302 regular-season games during 18 seasons with the Red Wings, New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks.

"I just played my 1,300th game (a 6-4 win against the Dallas Stars on April 14), and I think it would be cool to play a few more years and get to 1,500," he said. -- Dave Hogg

New York Islanders

Mathew Barzal and Semyon Varlamov expect to be ready for training camp.

Barzal, a 27-year-old forward, missed a combined 52 games this season with upper- and lower-body injuries. He did not play after blocking a shot late in the third period of a 3-2 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 1 and had a minor procedure Feb. 6.

"I think, at one point there, it was tight with the playoffs, and I was just pushing myself," Barzal said. "And then, obviously, the situation kind of arose where it didn't look so great, so I just kind of held back a little bit and took my time just making sure everything's ready to go for next year. This is the main focus right now."

Barzal doesn't believe his injury will hold him back. He had 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in 30 games during the second season of an eight-year contract he signed with the Islanders on Oct. 4, 2022.

"I mean, [I plan on working] even harder than what I've done in the past," Barzal said. "I just really want to persevere through this.

"I love the game. I love being around my teammates, and this is kind of everything to me, so to not be able to play, as many games as I missed, it [stunk] mentally and physically. I think my drive to get back to the player I was coming into camp last year is at an all-time high."

Varlamov, a 36-year-old goalie, last played Nov. 29, when he made 21 saves in a 5-4 overtime loss at the Washington Capitals, because of a lower-body injury. He was working his way back before Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello said Feb. 1 he had been shut down and was out indefinitely.

Varlamov revealed Saturday that he had a knee procedure in December.

"It's something that had been bothering me for a long time, and then at some point, I just had to make a decision on how to move forward, how to play," Varlamov said. "Because when you play in this league, you [have to] make sure you are ready 100 percent and that you know you can go on the ice and play through pain, so we made a decision. I had to get the procedure on my knee in December, and then, since then, I've been doing the rehab and everything I can to get back on the ice.

"I hope I don't have to deal with this in the future anymore. That's why I'm taking the time to make sure that I'm ready 100 percent for the next season. I want to show up for the training camp feeling good without any issues that's been like bothering me from the past. That's the main goal."

Varlamov was 3-4-3 with a 2.65 GAA and .889 save percentage. He's in the second of a seven-year contract he signed July 1, 2023. -- Stefen Rosner

Philadelphia Flyers

Rasmus Ristolainen could miss the start of next season following recent surgery for an arm injury.

"Right after the [2025 NHL Trade Deadline] he had to get checked, and they figured out that he needed to go under the knife for another surgery on his arm," general manager Daniel Briere said Saturday. "So he's going to be out until probably the early parts of next season unfortunately."

Briere said the injury was similar to the one the defenseman had last year. He had surgery to repair a ruptured triceps tendon April 18, 2024, and was cleared for full participation on the first day of training camp.

Ristolainen had 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) and averaged 20:31 of ice time in 63 games this season. He last played March 11, missing the final 16 games. -- Adam Kimelman

Calgary Flames

Rasmus Andersson will enter the final season of a six-year, $27.3 million contract ($4.45 million average annual value) he signed with the Flames on Jan. 8, 2020, but isn't sure if he'll remain with the team.

The defenseman, 28, played the final 12 games of this season with a broken fibula sustained blocking a shot in the first period of a 4-3 overtime win against Seattle Kraken on March 25. He has played his entire NHL career (536 games) for Calgary.

"I have to sit down with my family, [Flames general manager Craig Conroy] and all those guys upstairs have to sit down and talk what's best for the team," Andersson said. "I wish I could say, 'Hey, I'm signing July 1' or 'I'm getting traded July 1.' I just don't know. I hope I'm here for many years to come, but this is where it's a big decision for me and for the Flames. It's the first time in my career I'm in this spot. I just want to be honest with the fans."

Regarding Andersson’s contract and whether an eight-year contract is a possibility, Conroy said Saturday, "What is the number? What is the years? What makes sense? What makes sense for the team moving forward and him? That's the thing. We're working with him. This is the first time he'd be an unrestricted free agent.

“Like he said, even when we spoke today we didn't even talk about it. I left it at that. I didn't push him on it. He was disappointed in what he was playing through. We'll regroup and talk to his people when he's ready and see where his mindset is at and they'll get where we are."

Goalie Dan Vladar is a pending unrestricted free agent.

"I would love to be back," Vladar said. "I said it from the get-go. I appreciate what the organization gave me four years ago, coming here as basically a nobody, a guy with a couple games in the NHL. The Flames gave me an opportunity to become a regular NHL player. If it's my last day or not, I don't know. It's always going to be a special place for me."

The Flames (41-27-14) finished tied in points (96) with the St. Louis Blues but missed the playoffs because the Blues had three more regulation wins. -- Aaron Vickers