NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: July 1, 2026, 11:36 AM ET

NHL Offseason Shakeups and Signings

The NHL offseason is in full swing with significant moves impacting rosters and salary caps across the league. The Chicago Blackhawks are reportedly signing newly acquired defenseman Bowen Byram to a substantial six-year, $75 million contract extension signing Byram. In another notable defenseman deal, the San Jose Sharks inked recently acquired Michael Kesselring to a three-year, $13.5 million pact inking Kesselring. Meanwhile, the Anaheim Ducks added Stanley Cup experience by signing forward AJ Greer to a four-year, $17 million contract signing Greer. The Buffalo Sabres also made a significant re-signing, locking up checking-line forward Beck Malenstyn to a six-year, $17.5 million deal re-signing Malenstyn. Forward Jack Drury was inked to a five-year, $22.5 million contract by the Nashville Predators after his acquisition from the Colorado Avalanche signing Drury.

Goaltender and Defenseman Transactions

Goaltending and defensive pairings saw considerable shuffling as teams prepare for the upcoming season. The Florida Panthers have acquired goaltender Jacob Markstrom from the New Jersey Devils in a five-player transaction acquiring Markstrom. Florida also added goaltender Akira Schmid from the Vegas Golden Knights for a 2028 third-round pick acquiring Schmid. The Vegas Golden Knights were active in defensive trades, acquiring Parker Wotherspoon from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Kaedan Korczak, a move that also freed up over $3 million in cap space acquiring Wotherspoon. The St. Louis Blues bolstered their blue line by acquiring defenseman Brandon Carlo from the Toronto Maple Leafs for two third-round draft picks acquiring Carlo. The Carolina Hurricanes acquired the rights to unrestricted free agent defenseman John Carlson in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks acquiring Carlson rights.

Roster Moves and Draft Intelligence

Teams are also making strategic moves to secure restricted free agents and add depth. The New Jersey Devils signed restricted free agent winger Arseny Gritsyuk to a three-year contract, securing one of their promising young talents signing Gritsyuk. The New York Rangers added forward Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights, sending multiple first-round picks to Vegas in the process landing Dorofeyev. In a unique draft choice, the San Jose Sharks selected 7-foot-1 defenseman Alexander Karmanov, making him the tallest player ever drafted by an NHL team selecting Karmanov. The Pittsburgh Penguins made a sentimental draft selection, picking twins Marcus and Liam Ruck drafting Ruck twins.

Trade Vetoes and Coaching Changes

Not all potential moves materialize, as demonstrated by a significant trade veto. Blue Jackets star defenseman Zach Werenski vetoed a proposed trade to the Dallas Stars vetoing Stars deal. In a surprising coaching decision, the Edmonton Oilers fired Kris Knoblauch, who had guided the team to the Stanley Cup Finals in both 2024 and 2025 firing Knoblauch. The Buffalo Sabres, meanwhile, have brought former antagonist Milan Lucic back into the fold as a pro scout hiring Lucic.

Playoff Reflections and Future Outlook

As the league looks ahead, reflections on past playoff performances and future projections are surfacing. The extended 33-year Stanley Cup drought for Canadian teams continues following the Canadiens' exit from the playoffs Canada's drought. Despite the narratives surrounding the Presidents' Trophy, it is simply the inherent difficulty of winning the Stanley Cup that proves challenging, not a specific "curse" no Presidents' Trophy curse. Mitch Marner's performance in the second round is noted as a reputation-redefining effort Marner rewrites reputation. Looking forward, discussions are already underway about potential Hall of Fame inductees in 2027 Hall of Fame 2027.

Free Agency and Trade Speculation

With the free agency market approaching, speculation about player movement is rife. Potential trade suitors are being identified for Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin trade suitors for Larkin. The upcoming free agency period is expected to feature a deep pool of talent, with Rasmus Andersson, John Carlson, and Sergei Bobrovsky among the top available players top free agents. Fantasy hockey implications of offseason moves are being analyzed, with a focus on which players to target for upcoming fantasy leagues fantasy hockey implications. Trade grades are being issued for general managers involved in the offseason's significant swaps offseason trade grades, and teams are being evaluated on their draft day performance GM report cards. The Buffalo Sabres are highlighted as winners from the offseason moves, while the Vegas Golden Knights are noted as losers Sabres winners, Knights losers.

Injury Concerns and Player Projections

Injury news is also impacting team outlooks. Hurricanes' leading goal scorer Seth Jarvis is expected to miss four to six months due to shoulder surgery, potentially affecting the start of their Stanley Cup defense Jarvis sidelined. Computer simulations are being used to predict outcomes for playoff series, with picks provided for matchups including the Golden Knights vs. Avalanche Vegas vs. Avs picks, Hurricanes vs. Canadiens Carolina vs. Montreal picks, and Canadiens vs. Sabres Montreal vs. Buffalo picks. The potential impact of a Zach Werenski trade is being assessed, with his ability to influence the Norris Trophy race noted ideal fits for Werenski. The trade of Brendan Gallagher to the Vancouver Canucks has been finalized in exchange for future considerations Gallagher traded to Canucks.