NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: June 29, 2026, 5:31 AM ET

NHL Draft and Offseason Moves

The NHL draft concluded with a flurry of activity, including some record-breaking selections and significant trades. The San Jose Sharks made history by drafting 7-foot-1 defenseman Alexander Karmanov, the tallest player ever selected by an NHL team tallest ever draft. The Pittsburgh Penguins embraced a family-first approach, drafting twin brothers Marcus and Liam Ruck draft both Ruck twins. In a notable trade, the St. Louis Blues acquired defenseman Brandon Carlo from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a pair of third-round picks acquire Carlo Leafs. The Rangers bolstered their offense by landing restricted free agent forward Pavel Dorofeyev from the Golden Knights, sending multiple first-round picks to Vegas in the deal land RFA Dorofeyev. The Carolina Hurricanes also made moves, acquiring the rights to unrestricted free agent defenseman John Carlson from the Anaheim Ducks acquire Carlson rights.

Several teams also addressed their forward and defense corps through signings and trades. The Nashville Predators finalized a five-year, $22.5 million contract for forward Jack Drury, who was recently acquired from the Avalanche sign new addition Drury. The Los Angeles Kings re-signed defenseman Brandt Clarke to a five-year deal worth $7.4 million annually after a career year re-sign defenseman Clarke. The Colorado Avalanche secured their blueline by re-signing both Brett Kulak and Brent Burns re-sign Brett Kulak. The Buffalo Sabres acquired Olen Zellweger from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for prospect forward Anton Wahlberg and a second-round pick land Ducks' Zellweger. The Ottawa Senators are set to sign defenseman Jordan Spence to a four-year, $20 million contract after his contributions last season signing Spence 4-year. Tony DeAngelo is returning to the Islanders on a two-year deal reportedly worth $4.5 million per year DeAngelo returning Islanders. The Rangers initiated their offseason by trading forward Brett Berard to the Canadiens for defenseman William Trudeau trade Berard Habs.

The draft also saw significant player movement involving prospects and draft picks. The St. Louis Blues acquired young center Mason McTavish from the Anaheim Ducks for the 15th and 29th overall picks send McTavish Blues. The Detroit Red Wings traded goaltender Sebastian Cossa, a top prospect, to Utah for the 23rd pick in the draft deal top goalie prospect. The Boston Bruins acquired winger JJ Peterka from the Mammoth, a year after a previous trade for him Bruins get winger Peterka. The Maple Leafs, widely expected to select Gavin McKenna with the No. 1 overall pick, are looking to reshape their future Ranking No. 1 NHL Draft picks. Overall, the draft and subsequent trades provided a grading opportunity for general managers, with some teams adding significant value while others faltered Report cards every GM. The summer trade season is officially underway, with several swaps receiving detailed analysis NHL draft week swaps.

Playoff Outlook and Team Futures

As the offseason gets