If Pittsburgh Penguins' fans are hoping for GM and POHO Kyle Dubas to be active leading up to the 2026 NHL Draft on Friday and Saturday, it appears the first domino may have fallen.
Well, even if the domino isn't quite as big as some were hoping for.
On Thursday, the Penguins acquired the rights to restricted free agent forward Hendrix Lapierre from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick. Lapierre, 24, was previously on a one-year, $850,000 contract with the Capitals last season, and he spent parts of four NHL seasons with Washington.
Selected 22nd overall in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Capitals, Lapierre has yet to fully find his footing at the NHL level. In those four NHL seasons with Washington, he has recorded 13 goals and 47 points in 158 games.
The 6-foot, 195-pound center really put himself on the map with an impressive showing at the 2020 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he amassed three goals and 11 points in just five games. He has puck skills, scrappiness, and the creativity to open some eyes, but he hasn't quite been able to put it all together at the NHL level.
The Penguins can now extend a qualifying offer to Lapierre, which must be done by Jun. 30 - as is the case with their other restricted free agents in Egor Chinakhov, Ville Koivunen, Arturs Silovs, Alexander Alexeyev, and Joel Blomqvist.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 4: Hendrix Lapierre #29 of the Washington Capitals protects the puck from a pressuring defensive play by Jeff Carter #77 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during a game at Capital One Arena on April 4, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by John McCreary/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Penguins are kicking off their summer moves by apparently acquiring center Hendrix Lapierre from Washington. Pittsburgh gives up a third round pick in 2027 and a fifth in 2028 to bring Lapierre on board.
The Penguins have acquired forward Hendrix Lapierre from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick.
Lapierre is a player who has had his ups and downs over four pro seasons with the Capitals, as seen in his hockeydb profile:
After an encouraging 2023-24, where the scored 22 points in 51 games and was one of the best players on AHL Hershey’s Calder Cup winning team that spring, Lapierre was positioned to be Washington’s third line center. It didn’t go well, and eventually the Caps traded with the Penguins to get Lars Eller to help add depth and improve the spot where Lapierre was struggling.
Lapierre failed to make progress in 2025-26, appearing in 74 games in a very limited role that only saw him average 9:54 per game (and just 8:42 at even strength), losing way to players like Justin Sourdif and ending up bumping to a wing position. Lapierre enters the summer as a restricted free agent, but given the lack of personal success should be getting signed to a very reasonable short-term contract as he looks to establish himself.
Despite the lack of upward momentum in his career, Lapierre represents a player that GM Kyle Dubas has highlighted that the Penguins want: in their mid 20’s, with NHL experience and ability that might need a new opportunity to unlock more of their game. The Pens have pulled this out before, most successfully with Egor Chinakhov, Elmer Soderblom and Connor Dewar as well as others like Phil Tomasino, Ilya Solovyov and Emil Bemstrom among other cases, to varying degrees of success.
Lapierre has some upside, even though the ugly 2024-25 season stands a warning for a player who can become mired in a deep slump.
Lapierre could add to the team’s center depth or be shifted to the wing at this point. He almost certainly doesn’t belong in the same outlook for a Chinakhov-esque type of huge glow-up but could have the opportunity to become a lineup mainstay in Pittsburgh. The Pens already have a dedicated fourth line center in Blake Lizotte, whereas Lapierre has more of a skilled profile of a player who has the ability to create some offense via his playmaking.
An unmentioned item for this acquisition might be telling in setting the stage for the future. Pittsburgh has Justin Brazeau and Tommy Novak entering the final seasons of their contracts in 2026-27. Lapierre’s addition crowds the amount of lower line forwards (where Lapierre joins an area that Soderblom, Dewar, Lizotte occupy and hopefuls like Rutger McGroaty and Avery Hayes potentially join the likes of Brazeau and Novak) that starts to show some overfill for players to spots available.
The first move of the summer certainly won’t be the end of shuffling players around, the Pens kick their offseason off by picking up a player very much in their preferred wheelhouse as far as what they want to bring into the club for next season.
“The Flames are trying to move Connor Zary. The 24-year-old forward has another year left on his contract at $3.775 million. Sounds like Calgary is asking for a second-round pick in return,” Dreger tweeted.
For many teams, however, a second-round pick represents a significant investment for a player whose development has stalled after showing considerable promise early in his NHL career.
Selected 24th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, the former first-round pick appeared to be taking meaningful steps toward becoming a top-six contributor. His offensive instincts, playmaking ability, and versatility gave the Flames reason to believe they had found a young forward capable of growing alongside the organization’s emerging core.
Then came the setbacks.
A series of knee injuries interrupted what had been a promising stretch in his development, and the momentum he had built proved difficult to regain. Last season was particularly challenging. Zary managed just two points through his first 20 games and struggled to establish any consistency throughout the year.
By season’s end, he had recorded 13 goals and 25 points in 74 games, but the numbers only tell part of the story. His role fluctuated regularly, he often found himself playing limited minutes, and there were stretches where was mired on the fourth line or he watched from the press box. As the season progressed, it became increasingly clear that he had fallen down Ryan Huska and the Flames’ coaching staff’s depth chart.
If Calgary succeeds in moving Zary, several organizations stand out as logical fits.
San Jose Sharks
The Sharks remain firmly focused on building around a young core and could afford to take a chance on a player whose value has dipped.
With roster spots available and development opportunities plentiful, San Jose would offer Zary a chance to rediscover his offensive confidence without the immediate pressure of contending expectations. The Sharks continue searching for long-term forward depth, making Zary a potentially intriguing addition.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh has spent the last several seasons trying to balance competing in the present while preparing for the future. The Penguins’ forward group continues to age, and the organization lacks many established NHL contributors in Zary’s age range. Acquiring a 24-year-old former first-round pick would align with their goal of getting younger without fully committing to a rebuild.
A middle-six role alongside experienced veterans such as Sidney Crosby could provide the type of environment that helps Zary regain his footing.
Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo remains one of the league’s most intriguing teams. The talent is there, but consistency has been difficult to find.
Zary’s ability to play both centre and wing would give the Sabres additional flexibility, and his age aligns well with the rest of Buffalo’s young core. If the acquisition cost remains a second-round pick, the Sabres could view the move as a worthwhile gamble on untapped upside.
Seattle Kraken
The Kraken continue searching for more offensive punch throughout their lineup.
Seattle has shown a willingness to target players with upside who may benefit from a larger role, and Zary fits that profile. With cap flexibility and a need for additional skill in their middle six, the Kraken could present an ideal landing spot for a player looking to reset his career trajectory.
Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago’s rebuild is entering an important phase.
The Blackhawks are gradually surrounding their young stars with players who can grow alongside them, and Zary remains young enough to fit that timeline. The organization possesses the cap space and draft capital necessary to make a move, and the low-risk nature of the acquisition could make it an attractive option.
For a rebuilding team, acquiring a player who still has room to develop often makes more sense than spending significant assets on established veterans.
Watching a first-round pick fall short of expectations is never easy for a fan base, especially when flashes of potential suggest there is still more to offer.
Yet player development is rarely a straight line. Circumstances change, opportunities disappear, and sometimes a different environment becomes necessary.
The 2025-26 NHL season may have just ended, but he cycle of work never ends as the league approaches the draft and development camps.
The Carolina Hurricanes have announced the dates for their development camp, which will begin immediately following the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
The camp is an opportunity for prospects to familiarize themselves with the organization, resources available to them, as well as on and off-ice educational sessions.
Currently, the 2026 roster includes:
Charlie Cerrato (2nd - 2025)
Kurban Limatov (3rd - 2025)
Viggo Nordlund (6th - 2025)
Filip Ekberg (7th - 2025)
Timur Kol (6th - 2024)
Roman Shokhrin (6th - 2024)
Players selected by the Hurricanes in the 2026 NHL Draft, which takes place on June 26-27, will also be invited to attend. The full 2026 Prospects Development Camp roster will be released prior to the camp starting.
Development Camp Schedule
Sunday, June 28th Player arrival (No media availability) Monday, June 29th 10:00 a.m. - Skills sessions 3:00 p.m. - Skills Sessions Tuesday, June 30th 9:00 a.m. - Fitness testing 1:00 p.m. - On-ice testing Wednesday, July 1 10 a.m. - Skills Sessions Thursday, July 2 Player Departure (No media availability)
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The Carolina Hurricanes have announced their preseason schedule for the 2026-27 season.
With the NHL moving to an 84-game regular season schedule starting next season, teams will only be required to play four preseason games.
For the last few years, the Hurricanes have played against the same three teams for their preseason slate — the Florida Panther, Nashville Predators and the Tampa Bay Lightning — however, this year they'll only be facing the Panthers and Predators.
In addition, the Hurricanes will be playing one of their preseason games at the First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, the home of the Canes' ECHL affiliate Greensboro Gargoyles and where the team played in its first two seasons.
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The Buffalo Sabres busy week leading up to the NHL Draft continued on Wednesday, as mere hours after GM Jarmo Kekalainen orchestrated a sign-and-trade of winger Alex Tuch to the Washington Capitals, the club locked up restricted free agent forward Zach Benson to a seven-year, $52.5 million contract extension.
The 21-year-old winger Benson posted a career-high 43 points (13 goals, 30 assists) in 65 games in his third NHL season and made his mark in the Sabres first playoff appearance in 15 years, scoring nine points (5 goals, 4 assists) in 13 games.
“I see him as a true core piece that fills all the boxes,” Kekäläinen said last month. “(Zach has) got skill, he’s got hockey sense, he’s got instincts, he’s relentless, he’s a competitor. What a great playoff he had and, again, I’m so excited about the level that he can get to.”
The extension takes some of the sting off of the trades of Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram earlier in the week. The 30-year-old winger was headed to free agency on July 1, even after the Sabres reportedly had increased their offer on a long-term deal. Kekalainen was not prepared to go the maximum eight years and in excess of $10 million per season on the veteran winger who scored 33 goals last season, as the Capitals did on an eight-year, $84 million deal.
What will the Sabres do to fill the void after the departure of Alex Tuch?
The trade with Chicago is being lauded as an excellent return for the Sabres, but the departures of Byram and Tuch total 44 goals, and while Kekalainen hopes that the growth of youngsters Konsta Helenius, Jiri Kulich, and Noah Ostlund will help fill the gap, the Sabres GM is not ruling out exchanging some draft capital to help bolster the lineup next season.
“I've told all the teams that have inquired about the #4 pick, that we're just going to listen for now, take notes, and see what they think is the value of #4. We value that very highly ourselves. We know there's a great prospect available there, that's going to be two, three years away, or maybe even more, before they can make an impact on our team.” Kekalainen said. “We want to keep getting better as a team. We had an exciting year, but still disappointing at the end, but we'll gather that information around the league and see what the values, and if we don't think it's as much as making the pick, then we'll make the pick.”
The Carolina Hurricanes have signed defenseman Juuso Valimaki to a one-year contract extension that will pay him $900,000.
The Finnish blueliner joined the organization in January, with the team acquiring him from the Utah Mammoth for future considerations.
Valimaki, 27, was a first-round selection in the 2017 NHL draft and has played in 271 career NHL games with Calgary, Arizona and Utah.
The 6-foot-2 blueliner played primarily for the Chicago Wolves this past year after returning from injury, posting seven goals and 23 points in 27 regular season games as well as five goals and 14 points in 21 playoff games.
Valimaki provides the team with solid defensive depth, one that has both NHL experience and some offensive touch.
Unbelievable signing! Never seen someone be so dedicated to a team that he joined in mid-January. He had an infection that was so bad it required surgery into his bone to clean up. Came back for a 2 month playoff battle while his wife & 2kids were in Finland & paid for team meals https://t.co/gsjmZHTqex
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Former Senators head coach D.J. Smith has found his next NHL opportunity, and it will be alongside one of hockey's most polarizing figures.
The Edmonton Oilers officially announced Tuesday that Mike Babcock is their new head coach and that Smith will be his associate coach. The hirings reunite the pair more than a decade after they first worked together with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
For Senators fans, the hiring is notable, not only because he worked in Ottawa, but because he'll now be working alongside Babcock, who's been the talk of the league.
Whether it was Anaheim, Detroit, Toronto, or Columbus, there seemed to be no end to the negative stories about Babcock's past treatment of his players and coaching methods. When the news broke about Edmonton's interest, all the stories have been retold over the past couple of weeks.
His brief return to the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023 ended before he ever coached a game amid controversy surrounding reports that he had asked players to show him photos from their personal phones.
As Smith rejoins Babcock, he does so with eyes wide open.
Their relationship dates back to 2015 when Babcock hired Smith as an assistant coach with the Leafs. At the time, Smith was one of the hottest young coaches in hockey after leading the Oshawa Generals to a Memorial Cup title.
Smith spent four seasons on Toronto's bench, helping oversee the early stages of the Maple Leafs' rebuild before being hired by Ottawa as head coach in 2019 to help guide their rebuild.
Although the Sens never made the playoffs under Smith, he was good with the media and a popular coach with the players, but probably could have dropped the hammer a little more often. When mistakes were made, sometimes glaring ones, player ice times and power play deployments were rarely affected.
Over four and a half seasons behind the Ottawa bench, Smith posted a record of 131-154-32 in 317 games, which ranks second in franchise history in coaching wins behind only Jacques Martin, the man who replaced him on an interim basis during the 2023-24 season.
After leaving Ottawa, and try and stay with me here, Smith quickly resurfaced with the Los Angeles Kings under Jim Hiller, who had worked with Smith under Babcock in Toronto. Initially hired as an assistant coach, Smith was elevated to interim head coach in March after the Kings fired Hiller. LA responded with an 11-6-6 record down the stretch under Smith's guidance, but it wasn't enough. The Kings hired Peter Laviolette as their new head coach, so Smith was out. Hiller then resurfaced as Toronto's new head coach.
Tracking the flow chart of the NHL coach recycling program can sometimes be exhausting.
For next season, Smith was able to lean on an old connection and thus, won himself an exciting new opportunity in Edmonton. Though based on the state of Babcock's reputation, it's fair to wonder if there was really that much competition for the job.
NEW YORK — The NHL took the first step toward expansion in Texas, agreeing to terms with billionaire Dan Friedkin and his family to explore the feasibility of putting a franchise in Houston or Austin.
Far enough from the Dallas Stars, who relocated from Minnesota in 1993, a new team would not interfere with their territorial rights. And the league has shown no fear of adding one team at a time, so No. 33 does not have to come with No. 34.
“Symmetry I don’t think should necessarily govern expansion,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “You expand if you think it makes sense and enhances what the league has.”
What is behind the NHL’s interest in Texas
Money is the obvious answer. Bettman said the total investment of the project would be some $3.5 billion, which would include expansion fees paid to established owners along with the cost of building a new arena.
The Houston Rockets’ arena downtown is publicly owned but controlled by team owner Tilman Fertitta’s Clutch City Sports and Entertainment group. The home of the American Hockey League’s Texas Stars, in the Austin suburb of Cedar Park, has a capacity of 8,000 that is a little over half the size of the NHL’s smallest current rink (Winnipeg).
“I would be surprised if the NHL would be OK with an expansion team that does not have a new arena,” said Brian Mills, an associate professor at the University of Texas who teaches courses on sports economics and strategy. “The revenue potential with the luxury boxes and the way that they set those up and the money that they like to extract from the local cities is way too large to pass up.”
They also are huge markets. Houston at nearly 2.4 million is the fourth-most-populated U.S. city; Austin at just over 1 million is in the top 12.
“Obviously it makes sense if you’re a sports league to have a franchise in the nation’s fifth-largest metro area and one that is growing rapidly,” said Holy Cross professor Victor Matheson, an expert in sports economics. “Houston obviously makes sense in general as a destination for any league.”
Austin is smaller but has doubled its population since the mid-1990s and has seen an infusion of people over the past five years. Only eight of the NHL’s existing markets are bigger.
“It’s becoming more and more of a tech city, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s more hockey fans here than there used to be,” Mills said. “I would imagine there’s some market for the NHL here in Austin, particularly more than when it was a sleepy, small town capital of Texas 30 years ago.”
History of hockey in Houston and Austin
When hockey was picking up in popularity in the 1960s and ‘70s and the NHL went from six teams to 18, the rival World Hockey Association was founded and Houston got a franchise when the one in Dayton, Ohio, failed to get off the ground.
The Aeros’ inaugural season was in 1972-78, and they were best known for “Mr. Hockey” Gordie Howe playing for them along with sons Mark and Marty. They won four Avco World Trophies as WHA champions before folding.
An AHL team using the same name existed in Houston from 1994-2013. The Texas Stars have played in Austin since ’09.
“There’s some interest of hockey,” University of Houston economics professor Steven G. Craig said. “Houston is full of immigrants from around the country and around the world. And Austin is sort of similar in the sense of a pretty heterogeneous population.”
Pros and cons of a Houston or Austin NHL franchise
Growing the sport in another so-called non-traditional spot is a big benefit. Smashing successes in places like Las Vegas and Tampa, Florida, show what hockey can do across the Sun Belt when strong ownership is involved.
“Southern cities have been doing pretty well now these days in the NHL: the Lightning and the Panthers,” Mills said of the two teams in Florida. “You’ve got some pretty good hockey teams after some pretty miserable failures with some earlier expansion to the South.”
Abandoning the second try in Atlanta (the Thrashers from 2000-11) was more a failure of ownership than the market. The same could be said in Arizona, where a revolving door of owners led to arena miscues and eventually the Coyotes being sold and moved to Salt Lake City in 2024 to become the Utah Mammoth.
A 33rd team also means 20-23 more NHL players and hopefuls in the minors. The changing landscape of hockey development at the junior and college levels has the potential to churn more talent through the pipeline in North America than ever before, along with players coming from Europe.
“You do have a pretty big pool of players,” Matheson said. “I’m not particularly worried about diluting the talent there because I think there’s a lot of skill.”
What’s next and where the 34th team may be
After this six-month exploratory phase is complete, recent history suggests a season-ticket drive would be one of the subsequent steps. Ticket drives validated interest that led to the Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken.
The Board of Governors would need to approve moving forward in the process. No vote has yet been held, though the executive committee supported exploring Houston and Austin.
And while the NHL is comfortable with unbalanced Eastern and Western conferences, getting to 34 teams seems inevitable if it goes to 33. Bettman said the board was updated on situations in Atlanta and Arizona, and it would be no surprise if one of those places got another crack at it.
Officially, Garnet Hathaway has played his last game as a Philadelphia Flyers player.
On Thursday morning, the Flyers traded Hathaway to the Florida Panthers, ending a three-year tenure in Philadelphia for the veteran tough guy.
By moving on from Hathaway, the Flyers moved up one round in the 2026 NHL Draft.
In exchange for Hathaway, 50% retention of his $2.4 million cap hit, and a 2026 sixth-round pick, the Flyers received a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick.
After adding Brady Tkachuk from Ottawa, the Panthers continue to add experienced, physical players who can help them win now.
As for the Flyers, they clear a roster spot, a contract spot, and $1.2 million in cap space while adding even more draft capital.
They do, however, lose an important leader who played some hard minutes for head coaches John Tortorella and Rick Tocchet.
The Hathaway trade clearly indicates that the Flyers feel their young players are ready to step into greater leadership roles, and this gives a veteran who accepted a reduced role a chance to win a Stanley Cup elsewhere.
Just months ago, the Flyers did the same with tough guy Nick Deslauriers, trading him away for free, and he won a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes and was subsequently rewarded with a two-year extension.
Hathaway, 34, stumbled to just one goal and two assists in 66 games for the Flyers last season, but finishes his career in Philadelphia with 18 goals, 23 assists, and 41 points in 215 games, the second-most he's played with any team in his 11-year NHL career.
CHICAGO — Bowen Byram got the opportunity he wanted in a place he wanted to go. He thinks he’s ready.
So do the Chicago Blackhawks — and they paid a hefty price because of that belief.
Byram is stepping in as Chicago’s No. 1 defenseman after he was acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres. The Blackhawks sent the No. 4 and No. 45 selections in the NHL draft and defenseman Louis Crevier to the Sabres for Byram and physical forward Jordan Greenway.
“To be honest, I feel like I’ve just been preparing for an opportunity like this for a long time,” Byram said.
Byram, who just turned 25 on June 13, had 11 goals and a career-high 42 points for Buffalo last season. He was part of a strong group of defensemen who helped the Sabres to the Atlantic Division title and the franchise’s first playoff appearance since the 2010-11 season.
But Byram never has been the top defenseman on his NHL team. He played with Cale Makar in Colorado at the beginning of his career and Rasmus Dahlin in Buffalo. He also is eligible for free agency after this season, putting him in line for a lucrative extension before he suits up for his first game with Chicago.
“I think at the end of the day, I can’t get too carried away with anything,” Byram said. “I’ve just got to come in and prove what I can do. I know that I’m confident in myself. You know I feel that, after this move, the Blackhawks are confident in me, so it’s a great feeling to have a team believing in you.”
Then there is the cost of the trade. While the top forward prospects likely will be gone by the No. 4 pick, Chicago could have used the selection on one of the top defensemen — albeit one that probably wouldn’t have been able to help the team for a while. Crevier, 25, also made major strides last season, finishing with seven goals and 18 assists in 78 games.
The Blackhawks haven’t made a postseason appearance since the NHL used an expanded playoff format after the 2020 season was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This was just a value that we put on a really, really good young player in Bo that we felt it was advantageous to move on and acquire for our group,” Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said. “He fits the style of play that we want to play. He fits that the age range that we want to put our players into and have our players grow together within. And so it just made a lot of sense.”
The No. 4 pick also could have played a role in finding some help for Connor Bedard on the team’s top line. While remaining open to another trade, Davidson said he likes the team’s internal options at forward. Roman Kantserov, one of the team’s top prospects, is coming over from Russia after agreeing to an entry-level contract in May.
Bedard is on his way to a big contract this summer. He has skated with Byram in the summer in the past, and the two played together for Team Canada in the 2024 world championships. The players spoke on the phone.
“We’re just both excited,” Byram said. “I’m super excited to get the opportunity to play with him. Everyone knows how good of a player he is.”
Byram’s father, Shawn, played for Chicago on Nov. 3, 1991, in the last of his five NHL games. The Blackhawks had a chance to take Byram in the 2019 draft, but they opted for Kirby Dach at No. 3 and Byram went to the Avalanche at No. 4.
Byram also cheered for the Blackhawks while growing up in western Canada.
“It’s funny how things have kind of come full circle,” he said.
Byram joins a group of promising young defensemen in Chicago that includes Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel and Kevin Korchinski — all first-round draft picks who have experienced some growing pains since coming into the league. The Blackhawks also have Alex Vlasic going into his sixth NHL season.
Byram said he is ready to share what he has learned on the road from the top of the draft to regular minutes on the blue line.
“I don’t think I’ll necessarily try to change the world or anything when I come into the locker room,” Byram said. “Just going to try to be myself. And you know I’m a vocal guy to begin with, so I don’t think that’ll stop in this situation.”
Greenway, 29, had a goal and five assists in 40 games with the Sabres last season. Davidson said the 6-foot-6 Greenway can kill penalties, and he brings a physical element to the team’s bottom two lines.
"He’s a really big body that can get in on the forecheck and make life difficult for opposing defenders and that’s something that we wanted to improve,” Davidson said.
As Montreal Canadiens fans get ready to experience the next season without Brendan Gallagher wearing the Sainte-Flanelle, the mayor of Montreal, Soraya Martinez Ferrada, has named the alternate captain an Honorary Citizen.
By definition, an Honorary Citizen is someone with a lasting impact on the well-being of Montrealers through their actions, art and commitment. According to the city’s website, the distinction was first granted in 2002, and no other Canadiens players have ever received it.
The honor was last bestowed in 2023 on Roger Thibault and Theo Wouters, the first same sex couple to be civilly united in Canada. Before them, Commandant Robert Piché had received it in 2022, after Lucien Bouchard, Louise Harel, and Louise Forrestier had received it, amongst others, in 2021. The ceremony will be held on Thursday at 3:00 PM.
While some may question how a hockey player can make a lasting impact on Montrealers’ well-being, it’s easy to understand when you think back to the mood in the City when the Canadiens make a deep playoff run, something they experienced for the first time in five years last spring. Furthermore, over the years, Gallagher has been involved in numerous fundraising efforts and has made a lasting impact both on and off the ice.
In 14 seasons with the team, Gallagher has skated in 911 games, picking up 487 points, including 246 goals, and has become a fan favourite thanks to his rugged style of play, grit, determination, and dedication to the team. At 34 years old, the veteran has become surplus to requirements in the Canadiens’ lineup and, on dressing-room clear-out day, announced that he would be moving on.
There have been rumblings about his being traded to the Vancouver Canucks ever since, but no deal has been made. Should the Canadiens be unable to move him and his $6.5 million cap hit, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them buy him out to allow him to start afresh and sign a less onerous contract with another team, since he has made it clear that he has no interest in sticking around if he's not going to play.
Since announcing his upcoming departure, the winger has received an outpouring of love from the fans and was also named the Sports Personality of the Year by the Cummings Center Foundation. This weekend, he will also take part in a signing session at Memorable Authentic in Mascouche, giving fans what is likely their last opportunity to meet him.
The Chicago Blackhawks made a big trade on Tuesday that involved sending the 4th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft to the Buffalo Sabres, with defenseman Bowen Byram coming the other way.
On Wednesday, the Blackhawks made Kyle Davidson available to the media, and he went over a variety of topics. Of course, he started by addressing the trade that had taken place the day prior.
"This was a value that we put on a really, really good young player in Bo," Davidson said. "He fits the style of play we want to play."
There is a lot of value to adding a defenseman like Byram to this group. For one, he's a great offensive defenseman who continues to work on his game in his own end. He is also a Stanley Cup champion with a pedigree of winning in the NHL with two different organizations. It will be helpful for the younger guys to have him around.
"Our young players like Sam Rinzel and Arty Levshunov are going to sit behind Bo and learn from him," Davidson said. "It's immediate help. [He] makes us a better team."
The Blackhawks have already drafted several defensemen over Kyle Davidson's tenure. They are all working their way to being good in the NHL, but it takes time, especially with that position. Byram was no exception to that rule earlier in his career. Now, he's at a point where he is ready to be a number one ahead of their youth.
There was some backlash against this move for Chicago. They gave up a lot to get Bowen Byram, including their number one trade chip in the number four overall pick. Davidson said that Byram doesn't have to do anything specific to make it a positive return on investment because his natural progression is going to be the value.
"I think we look at a young defenseman who's not only accomplished, but one that is not done getting better or growing his own game and own profile," Davidson said. "We feel that over the next couple of weeks, we can find [a contract] where we can make sure he's here for a long time. He's already one of the top 5-on-5 play drivers in the league before he even gets on the first power play unit. We're going to provide the opportunity to become one of the top defenseman around the league."
The draft picks weren't the only pieces given up for Byram. Chicago also sent Louis Crevier, who had a great year going from the team's 7th defenseman to the top pair in 2025-26, to Buffalo.
"You've got to give to get. [Crevier] was part of the give," Davidson said on sending Crevier away. "In our estimation, we had to provide something of value, and obviously Buffalo felt that too."
Kyle Davidson was asked about Connor Bedard as well. He made it clear that they are going to keep any conversations about his pending contract situation private. He won't reveal anything until a deal is complete.
When it comes to finding a legit NHL linemate for Bedard, it sounds like Davidson is confident in what they have currently, while also acknowledging that they are always looking.
Davidson highlighted Roman Kantserov during this discussion, who is coming over after leading the KHL in goals last year. He said that if they signed him as a free agent rather than drafting and signing him, people would be more confident in him as Bedard's potential winger.
It is curious to assume that a rookie coming from overseas is going to step into the NHL and be a capable winger for one of the game's best young centers, but that is the direction that they are choosing to go.
Speaking of free agency, Davidson was asked about Ilya Mikheyev's situation, and he confirmed that it is likely that he tests the open market on July 1st. Davidson didn't completely rule out Mikheyev's return, but the player is going to go shopping.
Going back to Bowen Byram later in the presser, Davidson didn't hesitate to use the word elite. Byram being elite, according to Davidson, will go into their commitment to paying him good money for a long time.
"We believe in this guy," said Davidson. "We believe he's a very good player, and one that can be elite. We need to respect that and honor that. That's something we have to reckon with in the negotiations. We're ok paying great players."
It wouldn't be very surprising if Byram extends right away on July 1st. With the way he spoke about Chicago and the way Davidson spoke about him, it seems like a mutual interest.
"We all want to improve. We all want to take meaningful steps. That's the motivation."
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A blockbuster trade completed between the Buffalo Sabres and Chicago Blackhawks could have major ramifications on the New York Rangers’ fifth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft on Friday night.
The Blackhawks acquired defenseman Bowen Byram from the Sabres in a trade that included the fourth overall pick.
With Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, and Caleb Malhotra projected to be selected with the first three picks in the draft, it was widely speculated that the Blackhawks were looking to draft Chase Reid.
That would have left the Rangers with their pick of the other top defensemen, including Alberts Šmits, Carson Carels, and Keaton Verhoeff.
However, the Sabres, unlike the Blackhawks, are loaded with top-end defensemen, but could certainly use reinforcements at the forward position.
That’s why, instead of selecting Reid, the Sabres may look to target the projected second-best center, Viggo Björck.
This would clear the pathway for the Rangers to go ahead and pick Reid, as there’s now more of a possibility he’s available at their pick with this Byram trade in place.
MONCTON, CANADA - MARCH 12: Tommy Bleyl #16 of the Moncton Wildcats stick handles the puck against Lucas Romeo #16 of the Cape Breton Eagles during the first period at Avenir Centre on March 12, 2026 in Moncton, Canada. (Photo by Dale Preston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The title a nod to song from a certain movie, anyways it’s difficult to draft NHL players. NHL teams are tasked with scouting players mostly when they are 16 and 17 years old and have to try and rank what they will be as fully formed adults. Needless to say, it’s not an exact science and a process that ends up with more misses than hits. Our results of making picks alongside the Penguins at their spot in the draft has gone about the same way. Here’s the last decade of fake vs real drafting.
Well, on the plus side at least four out of the five mock picks prior to 2025 that we made played in the NHL last season. That’s better than the Pens ended up with in reality. A player like Hoglander has spun his wheels professionally in recent years (really, he might just need to get out of Vancouver ASAP to benefit his career) and might not be looking to be as proud of a pick as it might have seemed a couple years ago when he produced a 24-goal season. Hoglander’s recent career plateau aside, he worked out a lot better than the actual pick of Sam Poulin did.
The real Pittsburgh 2020 first round pick got traded in the last minute to Toronto for Kasperi Kapanen. The Maple Leafs ended up using that pick to select forward Rodion Amirov, who sadly passed away in 2023 after battling brain cancer. The Penguins ended up getting 162 games and 82 points (29 goals + 53 assists) out of Kapanen before waiving him in 2023 and seeing him go to St. Louis. Zary, for his part, has 86 points (and some good defensive metrics) in 191 games with Calgary. So I guess there’s a case to be made that the Pens would have been better off in the long run for holding onto their pick depending on what they did with it, but then again they wanted a NHL forward for 2020-22 to help their late-stage contention windows and it ended up not panning out since Kapanen didn’t help push the team that far forward while he was on it, and then was jettisoned as a bad contract to allow more cap space via dropping him for nothing.
2022 isn’t looking to great either for our pick, or for the Penguins after draft+4. Ivan Miroshnichenko has only played 52 career NHL games, mostly as a spare part forward. He has become an excellent AHL player but needs to make a big move soon if he’s going to establish himself. Owen Pickering, well we’ve all spent a lot of time on his case. We remain convinced former Penguins GM Ron Hextall thought/hoped he had found Travis Sanheim 2.0 when he drafted Pickering – unfortunately though, at this point there’s enough evidence to say that he got Temu Sanheim instead. Pickering might go on to play NHL games in a modest role, it looks like he will fall short of his draft day ceiling of a matchup defender that could have played up the lineup.
We have plans for a victory lap in 2023, Matthew Wood scored 17 goals and put up 30 points in the NHL in his draft+3 season with Nashville. That’s the dream development curve from a mid-first round pick these days, gotta see some flashes and pay off fairly early on to indicate a potential real factor/difference-maker. Yager didn’t do much in the AHL, but was called up for a few meaningless games once Winnipeg was eliminated last season. Who knows what that means for the future, some predictive models aren’t too high on Yager’s chances at all right now. That doesn’t truly matter to the Pens now, of course, since they flipped Yager for Rutger McGroarty, who hasn’t yet established himself either.
Victory lap plans might be canceled after seeing the Pens pull Ben Kindel from deep in the weeds. That’s why the pros are pros! However, for his part Eklund had a great 2025-26 in the top Swedish league and a great WJC tournament. He also popped over to the AHL and scored 10 points in nine regular season games, and recorded an assist in one NHL game late last year. Eklund had a very encouraging draft+1 to suggest there’s a real player in there.
The Pens could have had Eklund at 12, but instead opted to trade down and ended up coming out of the first round with Bill Zonnon and Will Horcoff when the dust settled. It’s not hard to see why Pittsburgh with a lack of talent would want more quantity – it also makes sense that they wouldn’t be interested in drafting two forwards with similarly small frames like Kindel+Eklund and diversify the profile of player they got by adding larger forwards to their prospect portfolio. That reasoning aside, this area of how Zonnon+Horcoff vs. Eklund works out will be worth watching for developments in the way Yager/McGroarty has been a very deep-in-the-weeds type of minor storyline over the past few years.
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For this year’s draft, I’m going to use scouchsim.com on 25% random to predict who was selected in the first 21 picks. This process is inexact for the real world events on Friday night, and obviously can’t predict if Pittsburgh will trade up or down in reality, but is about as good as it’s going to get for a reasonable way to set the stage of what players could be out there at the time of the selection. In our side quest, we’ll simply stick with the 22nd pick and not get too creative.
After running the sim, here were the top ranked players available:
To an extent, I considered all of these names at least momentarily. The trouble with picking in the area of 22nd is that you know there will be a good future NHLer or two available crowded around a handful that won’t amount to much at the top level. Sorting through and deciding what will end up 4+ years from now is the guess work of today, both for us and for teams picking towards the end of the first round.
NHLe helps as a guide for previous production as projection of how the future unfolds. It loves Tommy Bleyl (12% chance of star outcome of being in the top 15% of WAR/82, and a 64% chance of becoming an NHLer to play in 200 games) as one of the top profiles in the whole draft by this metric. Hurlbert (7% chance of star and 64% becoming an NHL player) ranks highest among the available selections as well, presenting what becomes the two finalists to spell out the thought process. For Bleyl, the question becomes is he going to develop into more of a Axel Sandin-Pellikka or a Calen Addison type of future. It’s a worthy rhetoric to wrestle with. For Hurlbert, it’s more about future position as a center or wing – with a default consensus coming into the draft that he will likely play on the wing as a pro.
In the end, we’ll make Bleyl the official Pensburgh choice, not meant to be predictive of what Pittsburgh will do (we’ll take a stab at that in a full first round mock draft tomorrow). You can check out more on Bleyl from what we wrote earlier in the week. Bleyl’s offensive upside, skating, right shot make him a prospect worth rolling the dice on at this point of the draft. Our fictional prospect pool could use that style of player, as could virtually any real NHL organization that always has a hunger and emphasis on right shot defenders with skill.
Penguins Named Best Landing Spot For Hurricanes UFA GoalieCould the Penguins look to bring in Frederik Andersen? 
