NHL Hockey 3d Briefing
×Playoff Races & Projections
The Pacific Division espn.com title race comes down to a direct showdown between the Golden Knights and Oilers. Stanley Cup playoff projections espn.com were reset following the trade deadline, with final spots and seeding still highly volatile. The New Jersey Devils espn.com vaulted back into the conversation with a dominant win, fueled by Jack Hughes who scored his first NHL goals since the Four Nations tournament.
Trade Deadline Activity
The NHL trade deadline espn.com delivered a flurry of moves as teams fortified for the postseason. The Colorado Avalanche espn.com re-acquired Nazem Kadri from the Calgary Flames, reuniting the Stanley Cup champion. The Seattle Kraken espn.com secured their captain, extending Jordan Eberle for two more seasons. In a surprising swap, the St. Louis Blues espn.com captain Colton Parayko rejected a trade to Buffalo, while the Sabres instead acquired defensemen Logan Stanley espn.com and Luke Schenn. The New York Islanders espn.com landed former Blues captain Brayden Schenn for Jonathan Drouin and assets. The Detroit Red Wings espn.com added veteran Justin Faulk from St. Louis, and later brought back familiar face David Perron espn.com from Ottawa. The Toronto Maple Leafs espn.com shuffled depth, sending Bobby McMann to Seattle and Scott Laughton to Los Angeles. The Minnesota Wild espn.com traded for Nick Foligno, setting him up to play with his brother Marcus. The Vegas Golden Knights espn.com acquired center Nic Dowd from Washington. The Buffalo Sabres addressed their blue line after the Parayko fallout. The Anaheim Ducks espn.com received defenseman John Carlson in a blockbuster move from Washington. The Florida Panthers espn.com traded Jeff Petry to Minnesota. The Washington Capitals continued their sell-off, moving Nic Dowd. The Calgary Flames received assets for Nazem Kadri. The Los Angeles Kings espn.com sent Corey Perry back to Tampa Bay. The Tampa Bay Lightning re-acquired Corey Perry for a playoff push. The San Jose Sharks espn.com extended goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic. The Carolina Hurricanes traded Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn to Buffalo. The Montreal Canadiens traded captain Nick Foligno to Minnesota.
Contract Moves & Extensions
Beyond the deadline, teams locked up key players. The Seattle Kraken finalized a two-year extension for captain Jordan Eberle. The Anaheim Ducks espn.com signed forward Ryan Poehling to a four-year, $15 million extension. The San Jose Sharks secured Alex Nedeljkovic with a two-year deal. The Florida Panthers espn.com will now pivot to contract negotiations with goalie Sergei Bobrovsky after failing to trade him.
Injuries & Milestones
A significant blow hit the Vegas Golden Knights espn.com as captain Mark Stone was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. On the scoresheet, Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils celebrated his return from the Four Nations with a hat trick against the rival Rangers.
Around the Hockey World
The hockey world mourned the loss of Troy Murray espn.com, the former Chicago Blackhawks player and longtime broadcaster who died at. In women’s hockey, a PWHL game espn.com at Madison Square Garden between New York and Seattle sold out, poised to set a U.S. attendance record for a professional women’s game.