NHL Hockey 3d Briefing
×Trade Deadline Buzz
NHL executives espn.com are expressing frustration with new salary cap rules ahead of Friday's deadline. The market has been quiet this week, though Vincent Trocheck espn.com has placed Western Conference teams on his no-trade list. The Rangers have placed captain J.T. Miller espn.com on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.
Recent Trades
The Predators have been active, first trading winger Cole Smith espn.com to the Golden Knights for prospect defenseman Christoffer Sedoff and a 2028 third-round pick. They then sent center Michael McCarron espn.com to the Wild for a 2028 second-round draft pick. Meanwhile, the Oilers strengthened their defense espn.com by acquiring Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy for a 2028 second-round pick.
Coaching Changes
The Kings fired coach Jim Hiller espn.com after two seasons, naming associate head coach D.J. Smith as interim coach. The team is currently three points out of a wild-card spot. The Kings lost their first game espn.com under new leadership to the Avalanche, who became the first NHL team to reach 40 wins this season.
On-Ice Action
The Sabres defeated their opponents espn.com 3-2 in a game that featured a pregame celebration honoring U.S. hockey Olympians. The win was capped by a decisive goal from Tage Thompson. In other action, Golden Knights captain Mark Stone espn.com left Sunday's game against the Penguins due to an undisclosed injury.
With the deadline approaching Friday at 3 p.m. ET, analysts are projecting potential trades espn.com that could benefit both teams involved. The quiet market could see movement with one major deal potentially triggering a cascade of activity.