Maple Leafs sign depth forwards Kampf, Holmberg to contract extensions

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed forwards David Kampf and Pontus Holmberg to multi-year extensions.

Kampf signed a four-year, $9.6-million US deal, while Holmberg signed for $1.6 million over two seasons.

The 28-year-old Kampf, from Chomutov, Czechia, had a career-high 27 points (seven goals, 20 assists) in 82 games with Toronto last season.

Holmberg, from Vasteras, Sweden, had 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 37 games with the Leafs and 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 36 games with the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies.

The 24-year-old Holmberg was originally drafted by Toronto in the sixth round (156th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft.

Flames keep Sharangovich

Also, the Calgary Flames have signed recently acquired forward Yegor Sharangovich to a two-year, $6.2-million deal.

The Flames announced the deal a day after acquiring Sharangovich in a trade with New Jersey that sent veteran forward Tyler Toffoli to the Devils.

Sharangovich, New Jersey's fifth-round selection in 2018, was set to become a restricted free agent.

The 25-year-old Belarusian had 53 goals and 53 assists in 205 games with the Devils.

Meier staying in New Jersey

Meanwhile, New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier signed an eight-year, $70.4 million contract extension on Wednesday.

The contract was front-loaded, with Meier receiving $12 million in 2023-24, $11.1 million the following season and $10.75 million in 2025-26. Meier was scheduled to become a restricted free agent on Saturday.

"We were excited to acquire Timo at the deadline, but it's an even greater feeling knowing that he'll be here for the next eight seasons," Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said.

Meier, 26, was acquired by the Devils from the San Jose Sharks in a blockbuster deal in February. The Switzerland native tallied 66 points (career-high 40 goals, 26 assists) in 78 combined games with the clubs while playing in the final season of a four-year, $24 million contract.

Vegas trades Smith to Penguins, re-signs Barbashev

The Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights are already preparing to try to repeat, trading a longtime franchise cornerstone and keeping their best trade deadline pickup.

Vegas on Wednesday traded Reilly Smith to the Pittsburgh Penguins and re-signed fellow forward Ivan Barbashev to a five-year contract worth $25 million. The moves came hours before the start of NHL draft.

Barbashev, a key contributor on the Golden Knights' title run with 18 points in 22 games, was expected to be one of the top players available in free agency. Instead, the 27-year-old Russian power forward will count $5 million against the salary cap through 2028.

Smith, 32, was one of six original Vegas players left from the team's inaugural season that included a trip to the final. He was the first player captain Mark Stone handed the Cup after the Golden Knights won it earlier this month.

Vegas recouped the third-round pick it sent to Pittsburgh for forward Teddy Blueger prior to the trade deadline.

The deal is the first big roster splash for new Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas, who is tasked with getting the team back into the playoffs and continuing to contend with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang still around.

Neither team is likely done dealing.

Vegas still needs to finalize a new contract for Cup-winning goaltender Adin Hill and could soon start working on an extension for playoff MVP Jonathan Marchessault, who has a year left on his contract.

Pittsburgh is in the market for a starting goalie, with Tristan Jarry expected to hit free agency.

Cap going up

NHL teams will operate with a salary cap of $83.5 million in 2023-24, a modest increase of $1 million over this past season.

The NHL and NHL Players' Association also announced a salary floor of $61.7 million for next season.

Wednesday's announcement put to rest talk of a salary-cap increase for 2023-24 beyond the projected bump of $1 million.

Commissioner Gary Bettman had suggested earlier that a larger increase may be possible as players continue to pay owners back via escrow — the system that guarantees a 50/50 split of hockey-related revenue.

The NHL has had a hard salary cap since it was negotiated into the CBA that ended the 2004-05 lockout.