NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: June 27, 2026, 8:31 PM ET

NHL Draft Recap and Offseason Trades

The NHL draft concluded this weekend, with the San Jose Sharks earning top marks for their selections, while the Vegas Golden Knights faced criticism for their draft strategy draft grades. The Sharks made headlines by selecting 7-foot-1 defenseman Alexander Karmanov, the tallest player ever drafted by an NHL team tallest ever. Meanwhile, the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Penn State winger Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick, a move widely expected and seen as an immediate offensive boost McKenna No. 1, Maple Leafs swing big. The Buffalo Sabres also had a strong draft, acquiring defenseman Olen Zellweger from the Anaheim Ducks for prospect Anton Wahlberg and a second-round pick Sabres land Zellweger. The draft also saw significant trades, with the Anaheim Ducks sending center Mason McTavish to the St. Louis Blues for the 15th and 29th overall picks Ducks send McTavish. The New York Rangers bolstered their offense by acquiring forward Pavel Dorofeyev from the Golden Knights Rangers land Dorofeyev.

Major Offseason Trades and Signings

The NHL's offseason trade market is heating up, with GM's making significant moves. The Avalanche continued to reshape their roster, trading winger Valeri Nichushkin to the Columbus Blue Jackets Avs trade Nichushkin. The Carolina Hurricanes acquired the rights to unrestricted free agent defenseman John Carlson from the Ducks Canes acquire Carlson. The Boston Bruins reportedly acquired winger JJ Peterka from the Mammoth Bruins get Peterka. In the goaltending market, the Detroit Red Wings traded top prospect Sebastian Cossa to the Utah Hockey Club for the 23rd overall pick Detroit deals Cossa. The St. Louis Blues bolstered their defense by acquiring Brandon Carlo from the Maple Leafs for a pair of third-round picks Blues acquire Carlo.

Contract Extensions and RFA Negotiations

Several teams have been busy securing their key players with significant contract extensions. The Buffalo Sabres signed forward Zach Benson to a seven-year, $52.5 million contract following his breakout playoff performance Sabres sign Benson. The Los Angeles Kings re-signed defenseman Brandt Clarke to a five-year deal worth $7.4 million annually Kings re-sign Clarke. The Ottawa Senators are set to sign defenseman Jordan Spence to a four-year, $20 million contract, rewarding his contributions last season Senators signing Spence. The New York Islanders have re-signed defenseman Tony DeAngelo to a two-year deal reportedly worth $4.5 million per year DeAngelo returning Islanders. The Colorado Avalanche addressed their blue line by re-signing Brett Kulak and Brent Burns Avalanche re-sign defensemen.

Player News and Injury Updates

Injuries continue to be a concern for some teams heading into the new season. The Carolina Hurricanes are expected to be without leading goal scorer Seth Jarvis for the start of their Stanley Cup defense due to shoulder surgery, which will likely sideline him for 4-6 months Jarvis surgery. In the PWHL, Montreal Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin revealed she played through a torn ACL and meniscus for the championship win Poulin played torn ACL. Five-time Olympian Hilary Knight has signed a two-year contract extension with PWHL Detroit, securing her through the 2028-29 season Knight extends deal.

Coaching Changes and Playoff Reflections

The Oilers have fired head coach Kris Knoblauch, who led the team to the Stanley Cup Finals in both 2024 and 2025 Oilers fire Knoblauch. The Toronto Maple Leafs have also made a coaching change, firing Craig Berube and facing further organizational decisions Maple Leafs fire Berube. The Vancouver Canucks' playoff run ended with a Game 7 loss, prompting reflection on Mitch Marner's performance and reputation rewrite Marner rewrites reputation. Canada's Stanley Cup drought has now reached 33 years following the Canadiens' elimination Canada's Cup drought. The notion of a Presidents' Trophy curse has been debated, with the consensus being that winning the Cup is simply a difficult feat no Presidents' Trophy curse.