2026 Offseason writeup

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the 2026 GRHL offseason.

We are currently in the Extension Window, or the "lull period" if you will.  We'll break down each phase of the offseason so you will know what to expect over the next few weeks. I'll also throw out some questionable draft hot takes that will almost certainly age poorly by draft day. As always, take everything you read here with a grain of salt—after all, you are reading the ramblings of a goalie who has taken a few too many shots to the helmet.

As mentioned, we're currently in the Extension Window and will remain there until three weeks prior to the GRHL Draft. During this period, teams can re-sign free agents currently assigned to their club. Teams may also trade the rights to those free agents for other players, Cap $, and Cap Years.

For example, the cash-strapped Venom could opt to trade Demetrius Daniels if they don't plan to re-sign him, allowing them to gain additional cap space and cap years heading into the draft.

Below is a list of the current free agents. If a team does not extend an offer sheet to a player, that player will enter Free Agency. If a player declines an offer sheet, they will bypass Free Agency and enter the Draft.

Free Agency opens on July 26, 2026. At that time, clubs will have one day to submit offers to any eligible free agent who has not re-signed with their current team.

Players will receive all offers simultaneously two days before Free Agency closes. They will then have 48 hours to review their options and either accept or decline the offers they've received. Any player who remains unsigned will enter the Draft.

The 2026 GRHL Draft will take place on August 9, 2026, at Lewis and Clark College.

This year's draft is shaping up to be both exciting and expensive. At the time of writing, teams collectively have $528 available to fill 50 roster spots—an average of roughly $10.56 per player.

The Outlaws currently have $51 available to fill just four roster spots, giving them approximately $13.25 per player, plus a compensatory pick. I expect them to make a serious push to get over the hump that held them back last season.

Meanwhile, the Venom have only $26 available to fill four roster spots. They still have Ben Kleinschmidt under contract, so I expect the front office to get creative in finding ways to add offense while staying within budget. Don't be surprised if they make a few moves this offseason—or early next season—to address some of the gaps in their lineup.

Below are my compensatory pick projections, along with each team's primary draft target.

Original Comp Pick Predictions

(These were made before the compensatory draft order was finalized.)

Outlaws – McHatton

McHatton's salary is simply too good to pass up. At just $7, you're getting a player who posted 20 goals and 19 assists last season. He gives the Outlaws a proven scoring threat while leaving plenty of cap room to make another splash elsewhere.

Barracudas – Berkman

Bringing back the big defenseman feels like a no-brainer. The Barracudas know exactly what they're getting and how to use him effectively. Labeda is certainly an option, but if I were placing a bet, my money would be on Berkman.

Sting – Cory Johnson

Cory Johnson will be a Sting next season if he falls to the Sting. Pencil it in.

His style fits this team perfectly. He'll take pressure off the defense while creating more space for TK to shoot and add plenty of goals to the tally himself. CoJo instantly elevates the Sting into Cup-contender status.

Yetis – Jon Hemker

Originally, I had Nick Costillo penciled in here because pairing the league's premier goal scorer with the league's best goaltender is terrifying.

Fortunately for the rest of the league, Nick must go to the draft this year and isn’t eligible to be a compensation pick.

That said, if Jon Hemker enters the draft, I can't help but wonder if the Yetis take him with their compensatory pick. They could then pursue Nick Costillo and Andrew Burton during the auction draft and create a truly nightmarish roster.

EDIT:

During last Tuesday’s podcast, the league finalized the compensatory pick order. I'm leaving my original predictions above to show my thought process before the order was set and to highlight how things may change.

Sting – Pick #1

With the first pick in the 2026 GRHL Draft, the Sting select: Cory Johnson.

I’m still locked in with this pick. They know his game, know how he fits into their team, and know he will make them a contender on day 1.

The alternatives would be one of the players on team-friendly contracts. McHatton at $7 provides affordable scoring. Beilke offers a strong all-around game,solid faceoff ability, and comes in at just $7 after scoring 35 goals in his first two seasons before spending much of the past two years on IRR.

Then there's Jon Hemker at $8, who would give the Sting arguably the best three-man defensive rotation in the league. The downside? Only two of them can be on the floor at once.

I still believe they lock in CoJo at 1 year, $14, then extend him for 2 years at $18—essentially mirroring the contract they gave Drew Estes.

Yetis – Pick #2

With the second pick in the draft, the Yetis select: Codi Labeda.

They could take Jon Hemker here, but I think they opt for one of the league's best playmakers instead. Labeda would elevate the entire offense to reach new career highs in scoring. Giving the Yetis plenty of scoring to pair with the best goaltender in the league.

Brett Lucas is also a strong option, though I'd expect his numbers to dip slightly as he'd likely take on more of a playmaking role from the blue line. That wouldn’t be a bad thing as he might find himself with more room to make plays in pivotal times of the game.

If they choose Hemker, they could lock him up for four years on a very team-friendly deal by signing him at $8 for two years and extending him for another two at $10.

Berkman isn’t a good fit for the Yetis if I’m being honest.  He doesn't provide enough offense to justify this selection and they don’t need his shutdown capabilities as a defenseman with Stubs in goal. The Yetis should be looking to add offensive firepower more than additional defensive structure.

Barracudas – Pick #3

With the third pick in the draft, the Barracudas select: Chad Berkman.

Familiarity matters, and Berkman gives them exactly what they know and trust.

I could see them signing him at $15 for two years and extending him another two years at $19. Lucas remains the obvious alternative. He brings more offensive upside, while Berkman offers stronger defensive play.

The addition of O'Koniewski in goal pushes me further toward Berkman. His defensive positioning and ability to slow opposing offenses should make life easier for the new goaltender.  As someone who’s played behind Berkman, his playstyle makes it easier to read what opposing teams are trying to do with the puck and gives you a boost of confidence when you have a D-man capable of taking over a game.

Outlaws – Pick #4

WIth the Fourth pick in the draft, the Outlaws select: Craig McHatton.

I think this has to be McHatton.

The Outlaws already have plenty of playmakers. Adding a proven goal scorer without breaking the bank makes too much sense.

McHatton at $7 for two years, followed by a two-year extension at $9, would leave plenty of cap space to strengthen the defense in front of Kaiser.

In my opinion, Kaiser is the best goalie in the league—as long as you keep the puck in front of him. A stronger defensive group would allow him to stay in his comfort zone and maximize his strengths.  However, I expect the Outlaws to target defensemen during the auction draft and potentially pursue Alberter or one of (Labeda, Berkman, or Lucas) should any of them fall.

Auction draft: (remaining teams primary draft targets)

Raptors

Alexander Alberter.

He's a solid defenseman who finished second among draft-eligible players in scoring last season. He won't come cheap, but he should help fill the void left by Labeda.

Wolves

I could see the Wolves landing two of the league's biggest names this offseason.

My projection is Brandon Payne and VJ Bommarito, both of whom spent significant portions of their GRHL careers with the Wolves.

If the Wolves re-sign all four of their free agents, they'll have roughly $60 available to sign two players.

And for those wondering what that combination looks like.

Pate's Hot Take: The Wolves ignore both and instead draft Nick Costillo and Andrew Burton, pairing them with a strong core and one of the league's best goaltenders in Shane Wall…. Please don’t!  I play against you guys twice a season, not counting the playoffs.

Moose

Bringing back Nick Costillo feels too obvious, so I'm going in a different direction.

I have them targeting Andrew Burton, an elite setup man who can create opportunities for Jordan Stradtman while still leaving enough cap space to build a balanced roster.

If Labeda slips past the compensatory picks, he'd also be a perfect fit. A Stradtman-Labeda combination is something I personally would prefer not to face twice during the regular season and potentially again in the playoffs.

This is a new captaincy group, so I'm not entirely sure what direction they'll take, but my guess is a balanced roster built around Jordan's ability to create game-changing moments. I’m thinking similar to the Raptors in 22-23 where they had 3 balanced lines they could roll out and a solid defensive core.

Venom

I expect the Venom to re-sign Daniels, leaving them with approximately $16 to draft three players.

If Jon Hemker enters the auction draft and remains within budget, I believe he'll be their top target. The Venom pursued him aggressively during the 2023-24 draft, and I expect them to do the same again this year.

Thundercats

This year's runners-up have big shoes to fill following the loss of Grant Kleinschmidt.

I could see them targeting Brett Lucas as a puck-moving defenseman who can also deliver clutch scoring when it matters most. He would be the perfect fit to fill in the void Grant Kleinschmidt left going to waivers.  All together the Cats need to replace roughly 60 goals with their 6 open roster spots.

Jets

The Jets should be targeting Brett Lucas in an effort to recreate some of last season's magic while much of their core remains under contract.

If they miss out, look for Brent Lyons to become a priority target.

He fits the mold of a Quinn Hellmann led team perfectly: high hockey IQ, former ice hockey experience, and capable of playing both offense and defense.

He's the ultimate utility player and gives the Jets flexibility to create matchup advantages regardless of the opponent.