NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: June 29, 2026, 2:35 PM ET

NHL Draft Week Trades and Signings Shake Up Rosters

NHL draft week saw a flurry of significant trades and contract extensions as teams reshaped their rosters ahead of free agency. The Buffalo Sabres made a notable move by re-signing checking-line forward Beck Malenstyn to a six-year, $17.5 million pact, securing a player just before the free agency market opens 6-yr, $17.5 M pact. In another significant signing, the Nashville Predators inked forward Jack Drury to a five-year, $22.5 million contract, a move that came four days after acquiring him from the Avalanche sign new addition Drury. The Carolina Hurricanes were active, acquiring the rights to unrestricted free agent defenseman John Carlson in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks acquire Carlson rights. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Blues bolstered their defense by acquiring Brandon Carlo from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a pair of third-round draft picks acquire Carlo from Leafs.

The draft itself produced a historic selection, with the San Jose Sharks drafting 7-foot-1 defenseman Alexander Karmanov, making him the tallest player ever selected by an NHL team select 7-1 Karmanov, tallest. The Pittsburgh Penguins also made a unique draft choice, selecting twins Marcus and Liam Ruck from British Columbia Penguins put family first. In a move that added scoring punch for the New York Rangers, they acquired forward Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights, sending multiple first-round picks to Vegas in the deal Rangers land RFA Dorofeyev. The Anaheim Ducks, in a significant pivot, traded young center Mason McTavish to the St. Louis Blues for the Nos. 15 and 29 picks in the NHL draft Ducks send McTavish. The Detroit Red Wings also moved a top prospect, trading goaltender Sebastian Cossa to the Utah Mammoth for the 23rd pick in the draft Detroit deals top goalie. The Los Angeles Kings finalized a deal by re-signing defenseman Brandt Clarke to a five-year contract worth $7.4 million annually after his career-best season Kings re-sign defenseman Clarke. The Avalanche addressed their defensive depth by re-signing Brett Kulak and Brent Burns Avalanche re-sign Brett Kulak. The Ottawa Senators are also set to sign defenseman Jordan Spence to a four-year contract worth $20 million, recognizing his contributions during a season of injuries Senators signing Spence. The Buffalo Sabres continued their roster adjustments by acquiring Olen Zellweger from the Anaheim Ducks for prospect Anton Wahlberg and a second-round pick Sabres land Ducks' Zellweger. The Boston Bruins also made a move, acquiring winger JJ Peterka from the Utah Mammoth, a year after trading for him Sources: Bruins get winger.

Coaching Changes and Player Health Concerns Loom

As the offseason progresses, coaching changes and player health are becoming significant storylines. The Edmonton Oilers have fired Kris Knoblauch, who guided the team to the Stanley Cup Finals in both 2024 and 2025 Oilers fire Kris Knoblauch, who led team to Cup Finals in 2024, 2025. The Toronto Maple Leafs also made a significant coaching decision, firing Craig Berube and facing another major organizational decision Maple Leafs fire Craig Berube, face another major decision. In a concerning development for the Carolina Hurricanes, leading goal scorer Seth Jarvis is expected to miss four to six months due to shoulder surgery, potentially sidelining him for the start of their Stanley Cup defense shelve Jarvis 4-6 month....

: Fantasy Drafts and Future Hall of Famers

With the current season's dust settling, attention is already turning to future NHL prospects and potential Hall of Fame inductees. Fantasy hockey managers are evaluating top picks from the 2026 NHL draft to bolster their teams for the upcoming season Which 2026 NHL draft. Looking further ahead, discussions are emerging about who might be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2027, following the announcement of the 2026 class Who makes the Hockey.

Playoff Postmortems and Long-Term Trends

The recent playoff conclusion has brought a mix of analysis and reflection on team performance and league trends. The Vancouver Canucks' loss marked the continuation of Canada's Stanley Cup drought, now at 33 years Canada's Stanley Cup drought reaches 33 years after Canadiens fall. While some teams are celebrating success, others are facing scrutiny. The Golden Knights were identified as a loser following draft week activity, contrasting with the Sabres who were noted as winners Winners (Sabres!), losers (Golden. General managers are also receiving their report cards after the draft selections, with evaluations on which teams added the most value and which missed opportunities Report cards for every. Trade grades for the numerous swaps during draft week are being assigned, indicating an active summer for player movement NHL draft week swaps:. The idea that a "Presidents' Trophy curse" exists is being challenged, with the argument that winning the Stanley Cup is simply a difficult feat regardless of regular-season standing There is no Presidents' Trophy curse; It's just hard to win the Cup. Meanwhile, analysis of playoff series, such as the second round, has highlighted player performances, with Mitch Marner noted for rewriting his reputation NHL playoffs Round 2 winners, losers: Mitch Marner rewrites reputation. Computer simulations have also been used to predict outcomes for specific playoff matchups, including games between the Golden Knights and Avalanche Golden Knights vs. Avs Game 1 picks from 10,000 computer simulations, Golden Knights vs. Avs Game 2 picks from 10,000 computer simulations, and games involving the Hurricanes and Canadiens Hurricanes vs. Canadiens Game 5 picks from 10,000 computer simulations. Discussions around defenseman Zach Werenski continue, with speculation about ideal fits for the Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman should a trade occur Zach Werenski trade rumors: Six ideal fits for the 2026 Norris Trophy winner, Blue Jackets defenseman. The NHL free agency preview also offers insights into potential moves and strategies for each team as the market prepares to open NHL free agency preview:.