NHL Hockey 24 Hours

Last updated: June 27, 2026, 8:30 PM ET

NHL Draft & Trades

The NHL draft concluded with the San Jose Sharks making a notable selection, picking 7-foot-1 defenseman Alexander Karmanov, who now stands as the tallest player ever drafted by an NHL team tallest player. The Sharks were among the teams receiving strong draft grades, with ESPN ranking them as the best overall best draft grades. The Toronto Maple Leafs, as widely anticipated, used the first overall pick to select Penn State winger Gavin McKenna, adding an immediate impact player to their offense select McKenna. Other significant draft-day moves included the Anaheim Ducks trading center Mason McTavish to the St. Louis Blues for two first-round picks trade McTavish, and the New York Rangers acquiring leading goal scorer Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for multiple first-round selections land Dorofeyev. The Pittsburgh Penguins notably drafted twins Marcus and Liam Ruck draft Ruck twins.

Trade season is in full swing following the draft, with several teams making significant moves. The St. Louis Blues acquired defenseman Brandon Carlo from the Toronto Maple Leafs for two third-round picks acquire Carlo. The Detroit Red Wings traded highly-touted goaltending prospect Sebastian Cossa to the Utah Mammoth for the 23rd overall pick deal Cossa. The Carolina Hurricanes acquired the rights to unrestricted free agent defenseman John Carlson from the Ducks acquire Carlson rights, while the Mammoth also sent winger JJ Peterka to the Boston Bruins get Peterka. The Kings, meanwhile, secured their defensive future by re-signing Brandt Clarke to a five-year, $7.4 million annual contract re-sign Clarke.

Injuries & Team Outlooks

The Carolina Hurricanes face a significant challenge to start their Stanley Cup defense with leading goal scorer Seth Jarvis likely sidelined for 4-6 months following shoulder surgery shelve Jarvis. This injury impacts a team that has been a consistent contender, raising questions about their ability to repeat their success. Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers have made a significant coaching change, firing Kris Knoblauch, who guided the team to the Stanley Cup Finals in both 2024 and 2025 fire Knoblauch. The Toronto Maple Leafs also parted ways with head coach Craig Berube, signaling a period of significant organizational reassessment fire Berube. The Buffalo Sabres received a positive assessment following the draft, while the Vegas Golden Knights were noted as one of the weekend's losers Sabres winners.

Playoff & Future Considerations

With the NHL draft concluded, attention turns to the upcoming seasons and potential future stars. Fantasy hockey players may want to top prospects from the 2026 NHL draft for their next season's drafts 2026 draft picks. The league is also to the Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2027, with the 2026 class recently announced Hall of Fame 2027. In terms of recent playoff performance, Mitch Marner's strong showing in the Round 2 of the playoffs was a notable talking point Marner rewrites reputation. The ongoing Stanley Cup drought for Canadian teams now stands at 33 years, following the Canadiens' exit from the playoffs drought reaches 33 years. There's also a prevailing sentiment that the Presidents' Trophy curse is a myth, with the difficulty of winning the Stanley Cup being the primary factor no Presidents' Trophy curse. Simulation models continue to provide predictions for playoff matchups, with the Golden Knights facing the Avalanche and the Hurricanes taking on the Canadiens in recent analyses playoff simulations.