NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: June 26, 2026, 11:31 AM ET

NHL Draft & Player Movement

The NHL draft is set to commence Friday with the Toronto Maple Leafs widely expected to select consensus top prospect Gavin McKenna with the No. 1 overall pick widely expected to take McKenna. McKenna, a highly touted center, is drawing comparisons to elite talents like Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid comparing him to legends. The draft's initial selections seem locked, but considerable intrigue surrounds later picks as teams finalize their boards final projections released. Among the trades already executed, the Chicago Blackhawks acquired defenseman Bowen Byram and forward Jordan Greenway from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for the Nos. 4 and 45 picks in this week's draft, along with defenseman acquiring Byram and Greenway. Byram is anticipated to step into a significant role for the Blackhawks as their No. 1 defenseman preparing for opportunity.

Further bolstering NHL rosters ahead of the draft, the Washington Capitals acquired veteran winger Jordan Kyrou from the St. Louis Blues in a deal that sent Connor McMichael, Milton Gastrin, and the No. 16 pick in Friday's draft to St. Louis acquiring veteran Kyrou. The Ottawa Senators also landed William Eklund, prospect Kasper Halttunen, and the rights to Brandon Svoboda from the San Jose Sharks, packaging them for the No. 9 pick landing Eklund from Sharks. In a significant move for pending restricted free agents, the New Jersey Devils traded the rights to defenseman Simon Nemec and winger Maxim Tsyplakov to the Calgary Flames for two first-round picks and a second-round selection dealing rights to Nemec.

The Buffalo Sabres continue to reshape their defense, signing Zach Benson to a substantial seven-year, $52.5 million contract following a breakout playoff performance signing Benson to contract. However, the Sabres appear resigned to losing veteran forward Alex Tuch in free agency, with little progress in contract extension talks expecting Tuch to move on. Meanwhile, the Florida Panthers bolstered their physical presence by acquiring Garnet Hathaway from the Philadelphia Flyers acquiring gritty Hathaway.

Coaching & League Operations

The Edmonton Oilers officially named Mike Babcock as their new head coach on Tuesday, a move that has drawn mixed reactions and warnings about potential decorum issues Babcock to lead Oilers. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman stated that while the league had no grounds to prevent the hiring, Babcock is expected to maintain a "certain level of decorum" level of decorum expected. Adding to the league's expansion discussions, sources indicate that the NHL is exploring expansion into Texas, with Austin and Houston as potential target cities NHL eyes Texas expansion.

Women's Professional Hockey League (PWHL)

The nascent Professional Women's Hockey League is seeing significant player commitments. Olympian Hilary Knight has signed a two-year contract extension with the new PWHL Detroit expansion team, securing her through the 2028-29 season Olympian Knight extends deal. The Walter Cup champion Montreal Victoire have also strengthened their lineup by signing Canadian Olympian Emma Maltais to a two-year deal Olympian Maltais joins Victoire. In a remarkable display of dedication, Montreal Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin revealed that she played through a torn ACL and meniscus in her right knee during their championship run played on torn ACL for Cup.

Player Transactions & Team News

The Colorado Avalanche are continuing their roster adjustments following a disappointing playoff exit, trading longtime winger Valeri Nichushkin to the Columbus Blue Jackets trading Nichushkin to Jackets. In a notable front-office hire, former Stanley Cup winner Pascal Dupuis has joined the New York Islanders as their director of player development hiring Cup winner Dupuis. Speculation surrounding potential team moves also includes the Buffalo Sabres, with reports suggesting veteran forward Alex Tuch is likely to depart in free agency expecting Tuch to move on.

Brotherly Bonds & Player Commentary

Brady Tkachuk addressed his trade to the Florida Panthers, asserting that his decision was not primarily driven by a desire to play alongside his brother Matthew trade wasn't about Matthew. However, Tkachuk also expressed excitement about the reunion, stating he "just couldn't believe it" when the move to join Matthew in Florida materialized excited to be reunited.

Future Outlook & Player Rankings

While the immediate focus is on the upcoming NHL draft, the league is also to future talent pools and potential Hall of Fame inductees. The 2026 NHL draft class is beginning to take shape, with McKenna and Stenberg among the top-ranked prospects on the final big board final 2026 draft big board. Looking further out, discussions are already emerging about who might make the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2027, following the announcement of the 2026 class who makes Hall of Fame in 2027.