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14 articles summarized · Last updated: LATEST

Last updated: June 26, 2026, 11:33 PM ET

NHL Draft Day Trades and Signings

The NHL draft commenced Friday with a flurry of significant player movement, highlighted by the Toronto Maple Leafs selecting Penn State winger Gavin McKenna at No. 1 overall. McKenna, was widely projected to be the top pick, drawing comparisons to elite talents like Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid as the likely first selection. In other draft-day news, the Anaheim Ducks traded young center Mason McTavish to the St. Louis Blues for the Nos. 15 and 29 picks in Friday's draft in a significant rebuild move. The Detroit Red Wings also dealt one of their top prospects, goaltender Sebastian Cossa, to the Utah Mammoth for the 23rd overall selection in a prospect shuffle.

The New York Rangers were active in bolstering their roster, acquiring forward Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights, who was the Knights' leading goal scorer last season to add offensive depth. The Rangers also moved forward Brett Berard to the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman William Trudeau, marking their first offseason transaction in a player swap. The Buffalo Sabres acquired defenseman Olen Zellweger from the Anaheim Ducks, sending prospect forward Anton Wahlberg and a second-round pick in Friday's draft to the Ducks in a defenseman acquisition. Meanwhile, the Utah Mammoth traded winger JJ Peterka to the Boston Bruins, marking a swift turnaround after acquiring him just a year prior in a winger trade.

Defenseman Market and Extensions

On the free-agent and extension front, the Los Angeles Kings secured defenseman Brandt Clarke with a five-year contract extension worth an average of $7.4 million annually, following a career-best season in a long-term deal. The Colorado Avalanche addressed their defensive corps by re-signing both Brett Kulak and Brent Burns to new contracts. The Ottawa Senators are set to sign defenseman Jordan Spence to a four-year, $20 million contract, a move that comes after Spence played a significant role in covering for injuries last season in a defensive signing. Tony DeAngelo is returning to the New York Islanders on a two-year deal reportedly worth $4.5 million per year, solidifying the team's blue line on a multi-year pact.