NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: June 26, 2026, 5:31 PM ET

NHL OFFSEASON MOVES HEAT UP AHEAD OF DRAFT

The NHL offseason is in full swing with significant player movement and contract extensions being signed across the league as teams prepare for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. The Buffalo Sabres have been active, first acquiring defenseman Olen Zellweger from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for prospect forward Anton Wahlberg and a second-round pick Sabres land Ducks' Zellweger. Later, the Sabres inked forward Zach Benson to a seven-year, $52.5 million contract following his breakout playoff performance Sabres sign Benson to 7yr $52.5M contract. Meanwhile, defenseman Bowen Byram is set to become the Blackhawks' top blue-liner after being acquired from the Sabres in a trade that also sent forward Jordan Greenway to Chicago in exchange for draft picks and a defenseman Blackhawks acquire Byram in trade with Sabres. The Sabres also appear to be moving on from veteran forward Alex Tuch, with GM Jarmo Kekalainen expecting him to test free agency due to a lack of progress in contract talks Sabres on veteran Tuch.

The Colorado Avalanche are also revamping their defense, re-signing both Brett Kulak and Brent Burns Avalanche re-sign Brett Kulak and Brent Burns. However, the team continued its roster reshaping by trading longtime winger Valeri Nichushkin to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday, signaling a significant change after their playoff disappointment Avs continue revamp, trade Nichushkin to Jackets. In Ottawa, the Senators are set to sign defenseman Jordan Spence to a four-year, $20 million contract after he provided valuable depth last season Senators signing Spence to 4-year, $20M contract. The Senators also made a draft-day trade, acquiring left winger William Eklund, prospect Kasper Halttunen, and the rights to prospect Brandon Svoboda from the San Jose Sharks for the No. 9 pick in the NHL Draft Senators land Eklund from Sharks for No. 9 pick.

Elsewhere, the New York Islanders have re-signed defenseman Tony DeAngelo to a two-year deal worth an reported $4.5 million annually DeAngelo returning to Islanders on 2-year deal. The New York Rangers made their first significant offseason move by trading forward Brett Berard to the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman William Trudeau Rangers start offseason, trade Berard to Habs. The Washington Capitals bolstered their lineup by acquiring veteran winger Jordan Kyrou from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Connor McMichael, Milton Gastrin, and the No. 16 pick in Friday's draft Caps acquire veteran Kyrou in trade with Blues. The Florida Panthers, anticipating the potential departure of A.J. Greer in free agency, acquired forward Garnet Hathaway from the Philadelphia Flyers in a trade on Thursday to maintain their physical presence Panthers acquire gritty Hathaway from Flyers. The New Jersey Devils have traded the rights to pending restricted free agent defenseman Simon Nemec and winger Maxim Tsyplakov to the Calgary Flames in return for two first-round draft choices and a second-round pick Devils deal rights to Nemec, Tsyplakov to Flames.

DRAFT PROJECTIONS AND PWHL NEWS

As the NHL Entry Draft looms, speculation intensifies around the top selections. The Toronto Maple Leafs are widely expected to use the No. 1 overall pick on Gavin McKenna, with final mock drafts projecting him as the top talent available Ranking No. 1 NHL Draft picks since 2000. While McKenna and Macklin Celebrini appear locked in as the top two selections, final projections show considerable variation in team needs and player rankings beyond those top picks, with teams assessing talent for the 2026 draft class NHL mock draft: Final predictions on the 2026 first....

In the Premier Hockey Federation (PWHL), Olympian Hilary Knight has signed a two-year contract extension with the expansion Detroit team, securing her services through the 2028-29 season Olympian Knight extends deal with PWHL Detroit. The Walter Cup champion Montreal Victoire have continued to build their roster, signing Canadian Olympian Emma Maltais to a two-year contract on Tuesday Olympian Maltais joins PWHL champion Victoire. In a remarkable display of determination, Montreal Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin revealed that she played through a torn ACL and meniscus in her right knee to help her team win the PWHL championship Victoire's Poulin played on torn ACL for Cup Win.

COACHING AND DECORUM STANDARDS

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman addressed the hiring of Mike Babcock by the Edmonton Oilers, stating that while the league has no grounds to prevent the hiring, the veteran coach is expected to maintain a "certain level of decorum" in his new role Bettman: 'Level of decorum' expected of Babcock. The comments come amid scrutiny of coaching practices and the league's commitment to player well-being and professional conduct.