NHL Hockey 8 Hours

Last updated: June 26, 2026, 5:30 PM ET

NHL OFFSEASON MOVES ACCELERATE WITH DRAFT IMMINENT

The NHL offseason is in full swing, with teams making defensive acquisitions and draft-day trades ahead of the main event. The Colorado Avalanche are bolstering their blue line, having re-signed both Brett Kulak and Brent Burns on Friday, addressing key areas of their roster answered questions about their defense. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres are also active, acquiring defenseman Olen Zellweger from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for prospect forward Anton Wahlberg and a second-round pick in the upcoming NHL Draft landed Ducks' Zellweger.

Further defensive reinforcements are coming to the Ottawa Senators, who are set to sign defenseman Jordan Spence to a four-year, $20 million contract signing Spence to 4-year, $20M contract. The New York Islanders are also bringing back a familiar face on defense, re-signing Tony DeAngelo to a two-year deal reportedly worth $4.5 million annually DeAngelo returning to Islanders. In a separate transaction, the New York Rangers initiated their offseason by trading forward Brett Berard to the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman William Trudeau trading Berard to Habs.

As the NHL Draft approaches, speculation intensifies around the top selection. The Toronto Maple Leafs are widely anticipated to use the No. 1 overall pick on Gavin McKenna, drawing comparisons to elite talents like Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid ranking No. 1 NHL Draft picks.