The Colorado Avalanche have moved on from Jack Drury after contract extension talks repeatedly stalled during the regular season, trading the 25-year-old center to the Nashville Predators in a multi-piece deal on Wednesday.
Colorado sent Drury, forward Chase Bradley, and a third-round pick to Nashville in exchange for Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L’Heureux.
The 23-year-old Svechkov arrives in Colorado after spending last season split between Nashville and AHL Milwaukee, where he played 70 NHL games and recorded 17 points (4 goals, 13 assists). While his offensive production didn’t jump from his rookie season total, he showed steady usage in a bottom-six role and reached the 100-game NHL milestone in January.
The offensive upside behind Svechkov is a huge plus in this deal for Colorado. Credit: James Carey Lauder - Imagn Images
Originally a first-round pick (19th overall) by the Predators in 2021, Svechkov has 122 NHL games under his belt and 34 career points. He also brings significant AHL and international experience, including a productive run with Milwaukee and a strong playoff track record in the minors.
L’Heureux, also 23, adds a different dimension to Colorado’s forward group as a hard-charging, physical winger. A 2021 first-round pick (27th overall), he split last season between Nashville and AHL Milwaukee, appearing in 25 NHL games while also producing 28 points in the minors. His style profile aligns with the type of “Mason Marchment”-type power winger The Hockey News has previously suggested the Avalanche target—an energetic, heavy game forward capable of disrupting play and shifting momentum.
However, L’Heureux also carries a well-documented disciplinary history across multiple levels. During his time in the QMJHL, AHL, and NHL, he has been suspended on several occasions for on-ice infractions, including a 10-game ban for an incident involving contact with a fan during his junior career. While he acknowledged in 2023 that he needed to tighten up that aspect of his game, additional suspensions followed the next season. Most recently, L’Heureux was suspended three games in January 2025 for slew-footing Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon. In total, he has been suspended 12 times across his career and has missed 42 games as a result.
For the Avalanche, the move marks another adjustment to a forward group that has been in flux throughout the offseason. Drury, who played 115 games in Colorado after being acquired from Carolina in January 2025, put up 36 points in a bottom-six role but became a trade candidate after extension talks failed to progress.
Bradley, a college free-agent signing in 2024, appeared in two NHL games with the Avalanche and spent most of his time developing in the organization’s pipeline.
Drury was an incredible depth player for the Avalanche, but his financial demands couldn't be met. Credit: Isaiah J. Downing - Imagn Images
Drury was acquired by Colorado in January 2025 and quickly settled into a depth role down the middle, providing reliable minutes in a bottom-six capacity. However, with extension negotiations failing to gain traction throughout the season, Colorado ultimately opted to move the pending asset rather than risk losing him for nothing in the future.
Across 115 games with the Avalanche from 2024–26, Drury produced 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists) and established himself as a reliable two-way center, posting a 57.7 percent faceoff win rate along with 82 blocked shots and 74 hits.
The Leafs are slated to kick off this week’s 2026 NHL Draft by making the franchise’s third-ever No. 1 overall selection. Toronto moved up from fifth to first in last month’s draft lottery, and the Original Six club is expected to use the top pick on Penn State winger Gavin McKenna.
McKenna, an 18-year-old from Whitehorse, Canada, ranked second in the nation in points per game (1.46) in his freshman season with the Nittany Lions, tallying 15 goals and 36 assists. Other top prospects expected to hear their names called early include OHL defenseman Chase Reid, OHL center Caleb Malhotra and SHL winger Ivar Stenberg.
The San Jose Sharks also moved up in the order via the lottery, rising from ninth to second. It’s the third consecutive draft in which San Jose holds a top-two selection, after taking Macklin Celebrini at No. 1 in 2024 and Michael Misa at No. 2 last year.
The Eklund trade provides the Sharks with a pair of top 10 picks, in addition to the No. 27 selection. San Jose is one of several teams with multiple first-rounders, along with the Vancouver Canucks (Nos. 3 and 24), Sabres (Nos. 4 and 20), New York Rangers (Nos. 5 and 26), Calgary Flames (Nos. 6 and 30), St. Louis Blues (Nos. 11, 15, 16 and 29), and Senators (Nos. 25 and 32).
As the event nears, here’s what to know about this year’s NHL draft:
When is the NHL draft?
The draft takes place from Friday, June 26 to Saturday, June 27. Round 1 is Friday followed by the remainder of the draft Saturday.
What time does the NHL draft start?
The draft begins Friday at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT/4 p.m. PT and resumes Saturday at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT/8 a.m. PT.
Where is the NHL draft being held?
KeyBank Center, home of the Sabres, in Buffalo, New York, is the site of this year’s draft.
While the Philadelphia Flyers may have stood by as other NHL teams kicked off a massive trade frenzy, their first big deal may be coming sooner than later.
Much like the Simon Nemec trade earlier in the week, teams know that the Flyers will eventually have to make a decision on defense, and all signs point to Philadelphia finally cashing in on a renewed Rasmus Ristolainen.
According to The Fourth Period and NHL Network NHL insider David Pagnotta, the "Flyers remain engaged in trade talks involving RD Rasmus Ristolainen. There are multiple teams, including Ottawa, in pursuit."
A Senators trade is beginning to feel inevitable, given the long-standing links connecting Ristolainen to the Senators.
Plus, it was previously reported that the Flyers have varying degrees of interest in Senators centers Dylan Cozens, Shane Pinto, and Ridly Greig, with the Flyers having the most interest in Pinto of the three.
With the amount of wheeling and dealing the Senators have done, starting with the Brady Tkachuk deal, it would certainly seem that they are open to any and all change that would benefit them going forward.
The Flyers, meanwhile, have David Jiricek and Oliver Bonk pushing for roster spots on the right side of the defense, and we all know that they badly need an upgrade at center.
Both Cozens and Pinto are right-shot centers who could make a free agent like Luke Glendening redundant and take over his matchup reps in the faceoff circle for head coach Rick Tocchet.
If the Flyers choose to turn elsewhere at center, such as Anaheim's Mason McTavish, it's worth noting that the Senators also have the 25th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft that they can use to start up a trade package.
Leading up to the NHL trade deadline, it was also reported that the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings had interest in trading for Ristolainen.
In any event, it is increasingly likely a Ristolainen trade will finally come to fruition on or before Friday's draft.
ST. LOUIS -- Connor McMichael wasn't caught off guard by getting traded.
In fact, the new St. Louis Blues forward, acquired on Tuesday from the Washington Capitals along with a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and 2025 second-round prospect Milton Gastrin for Jordan Kyrou, the 25-year-old who is slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1, was prepared for whatever was to come, including moving on if need be.
"I wouldn't say that it caught me off guard," McMichael said Wednesday. "I think any time your contract's up and I wasn't signed by now so just thoughts kind of creep into your head that it's a possibility. It was definitely shocking, but I wouldn't say it was completely out of imagination for myself."
But the forward, who is a center by trade who also had expensive time playing on the wing in Washington, comes to a Blues roster that is more in line with guys his age range, which is something that excites him.
"I'm super-excited," McMichael said. "I think one of the first things I did when I found out is checked the Blues roster and got familiar with the guys. From what I saw, there's going to be a lot of years where we can be competitive. It's a team that's looking to build and get better and better each year. There's quite a few guys the same age as me, so that's real exciting. I'm already familiar with a few guys as well. I'm really happy to be a Blue."
One of those players is Robert Thomas, who infamously was traded for McMichael on Jan. 8, 2018 while both were junior players. The London Knights traded Thomas to the Hamilton Bulldogs for then-16-year old McMichael, a second-round pick in 2021, three conditional second round picks in 2020, 2025 and 2026 and a conditional third-round pick in 2022.
Now the two, along with Joel Hofer and Dylan Holloway, two other players McMichael has been familiar with in the past through Hockey Canada events, are teammates.
"We've talked about it a few times," McMichael said. "The funny thing about that is when we got traded for each other, we actually traded billet families as well. Sometimes there will be a little family barbeque in the summer and we'll see each other there. We've talked about it a few times, but now it's just kind of normal. I'm sure we'll talk about it a bit more now.
"I've always said Robby's one of the most underrated players in the NHL. He's got real good vision and real good hockey sense as well. I think it's going to be pretty easy to play alongside him and it's definitely exciting."
The Blues are pegging McMichael in as a middle-six forward, more in line to be a second-line forward at the moment; he is coming off a season in which he had 46 points (14 goals, 32 assists) in 78 games after putting up career numbers in 2024-25 with 57 points (26 goals, 31 assists) in 82 games.
"Last year was a bit of a down year for me," McMichael said. "Like you said, the assists were still there, but the goal scoring not so much. That's definitely something I pride myself in. I like to get into the dirty areas, per se, and find the soft spots and find the back of the net. I think I'm a well-rounded player that's going to be able to score and set guys up."
Blues general manager Doug Armstrong has made it clear the age range of players the Blues want to bring in as assets, and McMichael fits the bill.
"McMichael's got speed," he said. "He's got the ability to play multiple positions up front. A little bit younger, we've got control over him for a couple years. The first-round pick was obviously enticing for us entering the draft (Friday), and we're really excited about the Swedish prospect from his draft year last year. He went 37th overall. We love his competitiveness, we love how he can affect the game. There's a growth window there with some players.
"We believe organizationally your second and third line can be a blend. Any one night, the second line can be the third line and any one night, the third line can be the second line. We've seen him fit seamlessly into that area of our team. We do need him to produce offense. That's a calling card that he has, but we do need a two-way game out of him also. If he starts out and to see Holloway, Thomas and Snuggerud continue what they ended up (doing) last year, now you have a wealthy of players in that six that he can move around. We're going to need 200-foot balanced players out of that group that are all going to need to provide offense, not just one or two."
McMichael has the ability to play either center or wing, and the Capitals seemed to use him on most occasions as a wing, and in all areas, including penalty kill.
"Since I've been in the NHL, at least with the Capitals, they've kind of used me all over the place," McMichael said. "I know only growing up and even in juniors, I've only played center. Kind of once I went to Hockey Canada, I moved to the wing a few times. I don't really have a preference to be honest. One big thing about my game is I can move my game easily to wing and center. Wherever they want to use me.
"My biggest attribute I always say is my hockey sense. I think I'm just able to put myself in positions to score and also set up other teammates. I've also been pretty good on the penalty kill. I'm kind of an all-around guy. I'd like to say I'm good at everything. I just like to touch the game in all aspects."
And touch it with the Blues because in the end, it's a team that wanted him.
"Just based off those first few phone calls, it seems like they're excited to have me and happy that they were able to acquire me," McMichael said. 'For me, that's all that matters is that this organization wants me and appreciates me. That's going to be a big thing."
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The Buffalo Sabres have made major moves in back-to-back days. They first traded defenseman Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks and then moved forward Alex Tuch to the Washington Capitals in a sign-and-trade.
Now, the Sabres are being linked to one of the NHL's top trade candidates from the New York Rangers.
The Sabres making a push for Trocheck is not too difficult to understand. They could use another high-impact forward in their top six after trading Tuch, and landing Trocheck would provide them with just that.
If the Sabres acquired Trocheck, he could slot nicely on their first or second line, assuming Tage Thompson plays at right wing. In addition, Trocheck would give the Sabres another center who is capable of working on both the power play and the penalty kill if acquired.
Trocheck would be a long-term addition for the Sabres if they landed him, too, as he has a $5.625 million cap hit through the 2028-29 season. In 67 games last season with the Rangers, he recorded 16 goals, 37 assists, 53 points, and 193 hits.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres have agreed to a sign-and-trade deal in sending veteran forward Alex Tuch to the Washington Capitals, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
In order to make the trade, the Sabres first signed Tuch to an eight-year, $84 million contract, the person told the AP, and spoke on the condition of anonymity because the agreement and trade had not yet been announced.
The sign-and-trade option was all that was left for the Sabres to get anything in return for Tuch. Earlier in the day, Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said there was no progress in contract talks with Tuch, and was anticipating the player to hit the free-agent market once the NHL’s signing period opened next week.
By signing with Buffalo first, Tuch received the benefit of landing an eight-year contract. In free agency, he would have been limited to signing a seven-year deal with another team.
The 30-year-old Tuch is a 10-year NHL veteran who has topped 20 goals in four of his five seasons in Buffalo — including scoring 33 or more in each of the past two years.
In Buffalo, he had 139 goals and 309 points in 360 games in filling a top-line role. Overall, he has 200 goals and 448 points in 615 NHL games.
Trading Tuch comes a day after Buffalo lost another key contributor from a team that led to the Sabres winning their first Atlantic Division title and win its first playoff round since 2007.
The Sabres traded defenseman Bowen Byram and checking line forward Jordan Greenway to the Chicago Blackhawks. Buffalo acquired Chicago’s No. 4 pick and a second-round selection in this weekend’s draft, along with promising defenseman Louis Crevier.
Kekalainen revealed Byram expressed no interest in wanting to remain in Buffalo after his current contract expired next summer.
The Calgary Flames dominated the NHL news cycle for much of Tuesday, acquiring Simon Nemec from the New Jersey Devils in a pre-Draft blockbuster. Just 24 hours later, the team is back making waves in the pond with breaking news from one of the NHL's top insiders, Darren Dreger, who says the club is actively shopping Connor Zary.
The Flames are trying to move Connor Zary. 24 year old forward has another year left on his contract at $3.775 mil. Sounds like Calgary is asking for a 2nd round pick in return.
Instead of holding on to the 24-year-old center, it appears General Manager Craig Conroy is actively seeking trade options for Zary, who is two seasons away from hitting free agency at 26.
Initially drafted 24th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, Zary has yet to reach 20 goals in a season, with a career high of 14 in 2023-24, dropping to 13 and 12 over the past two seasons. Meanwhile, he was plus-12 in his rookie season, and is now a minus player with seasons of minus-7 and minus-4.
A significant injury derailed his 2024-25 campaign, limiting him to only 54 games and 27 points. However, Zary was most likely going to post his best totals that year, but fate had other plans. Ultimately, that time off led to a slow start in 2025-26 with only two goals and four points in his first 25 games.
Between the start of January and the end of the season, Zary only collected six goals and 12 points in 36 games to finish the year.
As shocking as it is to hear that Conroy is actively shopping his young center, many amongst the fanbase have taken to social media to say they support the decision, hoping Zary can reach his potential with a fresh start somewhere else.
Alex Tuch #89 of the Buffalo Sabres celebrates after scoring a goal on Thatcher Demko #35 of the Vancouver Canucks during their NHL game at Rogers Arena October 22, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Alex Tuch is heading to the nation’s capital — and getting a massive contract in the process.
The Capitals are acquiring Tuch from the Sabres in a sign-and-trade that will see him get an eight-year, $84 million contract, per multiple reports.
Buffalo, where Tuch spent five seasons and served as an alternate captain, will get a third-round pick as part of the deal, The Athletic reports.
Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) is stick checked by Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Kaedan Korczak (6) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, March 3, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes
Tuch, 30, was sent to Buffalo in 2021 as part of the trade that sent Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights. The hometown kid grew up in Baldwinsville, N.Y., about two hours from Buffalo, rooting for the Sabres.
In 360 games for Buffalo, he recorded 309 points, with three 30-goal seasons. His career with the Sabres was highlighted by a 79-point season in 2022-23.
This past season, when the Sabres broke their 14-year playoff drought, Tuch put up 33 goals and 66 points. He recorded seven points in six games in the first round of the playoffs against the Bruins, a series the Sabres won in six games. His production slowed down significantly in the second round against the Canadiens, being held without a point. The Sabres lost a heartbreaking Game 7 in overtime.
Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres celebrates after scoring a goal on Thatcher Demko #35 of the Vancouver Canucks during their NHL game at Rogers Arena October 22, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Getty Images
Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen said earlier Wednesday that he expected Tuch’s time with the team to come to a close. Tuch was set to become an unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league year on July 1. Both sides publicly expressed their desire to negotiate a new contract, but the gap was too wide.
On the other side, the Capitals have had an active week. They acquired forward Jordan Kyrou from the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. They now await Alex Ovechkin’s decision on whether he will retire before next season, a decision he is not expected to announce before July 1, per The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun.
ST. LOUIS -- It finally got to a point for Jordan Kyrou and the St. Louis Blues that perhaps it was best for both sides to get a fresh start.
That's what Blues general manager Doug Armstrong and Kyrou, who was a second-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, both acknowledged on Wednesday, a day after the Blues shipped Kyrou, who has five years remaining on a contract that pays him $8.125 million per season and a full no-trade clause, to the Washington Capitals for a package that brought forward Connor McMichael, 2025 forward prospect Milton Gastrin and a 2026 first-round pick (No. 16) back to St. Louis.
"Jordan and his agent and I, Dave Gagner and I go way back to Minnesota," Armstrong said. "We've become friends over the years.
"It just felt the last little while, he wasn't getting the role that he had probably wished some nights. (Jimmy) Snuggerud had taken a little bit over. We talked and they talked about a change might be good for everyone at this point. You want to make work so we waited and tried to find different avenues where everyone could get what they want out of it, but in the end, both sides just felt potentially exploring different options would be in everyone's interests, so we started down that process and got comfortable in putting Jordan in a spot ... because of his no-trade clause, he had the opportunity to make sure he was going to a team that he felt like he could have success in, and we felt we were getting a return we believe is equivalent is to the player that I believe that Jordan is, which I believe is a 30-plus goal scorer that's got excellent speed. It was just something everybody was comfortable with at this time."
Kyrou was a healthy scratch under Jim Montgomery multiple times at points last season, with the coach usually citing he needed more from the 28-year-old winger who has three straight 30-plus goal seasons under him and is one of the faster skaters in the league. And with the emergence of Snuggerud, and other players with a similar skillset in the pipeline, likely made it more of the likelihood that at some point, Kyrou would be asked to waive his NTC.
"I don't want to say we try and take longer than necessary, but I'm a big believer, I'd rather work through ups and downs with people," Armstrong said. "... The value I put in my mind on Jordan and the organization ... he's a three-time 30-goal scorer in this league. He's under contract in a league where contracts are starting to increase exponentially. He's a fixed cost. There was a lot of boxes that I thought Jordan checked and if I was another manager, I would think he has a lot of boxes that checked. He's a dynamic skater, he can score, he's got a contract, so we wanted to make sure we were hopefully getting a value in return of what we think he is and can be. As we were doing that, you always hope that things can change, and it works out here. There becomes a point where if both sides feel that to explore something, you should do it. That's our last avenue, not our first avenue."
Kyrou acknowledged himself a fresh start was probably best but in no way shape or form was he looking to get out of St. Louis.
"Not really looking," he said. "I've loved St. Louis and have loved playing there, I've said it before. I've had a great time there and a lot of great memories in my career. Sometimes just people need a fresh start and a change of scenery.
"Definitely a crazy day for me. This is my first time getting traded, so I didn't really know what to expect. But a couple of days prior, I was hearing a couple of things. Then the day of, it was kind of just 'be by your phone.' My agent was calling me and there were talks back and forth. It took me pretty much all day to make a decision. It was definitely a tough decision. I've been in St. Louis for eight years and I've had an amazing time there. It was definitely a tough decision, but I'm excited to be joining Washington and having a fresh start here."
The Blues, who were 24th in the NHL averaging 2.8 goals per game a season ago, now must find out who can pick up the slack of Kyrou, who had 378 points (168 goals, 210 assists) in 488 games with the Blues; he dipped to 18 goals and 28 assists in 72 games last season.
"People are going to get the opportunity to pick it up," Armstrong said. "It's hard to replace. One of the things we're looking to build and organization, I'm bullish on (Justin) Carbonneau and on (Dmitry) Buchelnikov, the player we think will come over next year too (acquired from the Detroit Red Wings in the Justin Faulk trade). You're sometimes dealing from surplus too. Will we score as much this year, I don't know, but we also expect McMichael to come in and score. We think he's a good player. We think given an opportunity, he can be back to that 20-plus goal scorer. We expect him pick up and grow with some of these other guys that didn't have good years last year and need to play better. Maybe we can add some form of NHL players that can contribute with some of the assets that we have. I go back to the number of assets that we have added to our group over the last three trades, with all of them being except one, being a third-round pick or higher. The other one I think is the goalie that can go anywhere and still turn out well. It's not like we just added assets. I think we've added valuable assets and I think it gives this organization a great opportunity to get creative."
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The phone call that changed everything came at an ordinary moment for Joseph Woll.
The 27-year-old goaltender, a third-round 2016 draft pick who had spent the last decade inside the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, was sorting through his hockey card collection when the news arrived that he and defenseman Simon Benoit had been traded to the Philaddelphia Flyers.
“I think my initial reaction right when I got the call, as I imagine most people, was a lot of emotion. I’ve spent a long time in Toronto, so I was pretty sad to hear the news right when it happened. And went for a walk.”
The emotion lingered as Woll processed the end of his time with the only NHL organization he had ever known. Then a call came from his close friend and now-former teammate, Simon Benoit, who had also been dealt in the transaction. The excitement in Benoit’s voice helped reframe the moment.
“I didn’t know any details of the trade or anything,” Woll recalled. “I was really just focused on. At that point, I was thinking about leaving the Leafs, and Benny called me, and just the excitement of his voice, I think, really helped for me see how an unbelievable opportunity this was. And it was almost like from that initial reaction onward, there’s been, you know, almost a surplus of excitement on my part.”
For Woll, the trade marks the close of a journey that began when he was selected by Toronto in 2016. He spoke openly about what it meant to grow up inside the organization, to chase the dream he had carried since childhood, and to experience both the highs of playoff hockey and the lows of a difficult 2025-26 season.
“From when I was a kid it was my dream to play in the NHL and to be a great goalie. And to have the opportunities to play in Stanley Cup playoff games, to play in high pressure situations, to play as a starting goalie at times,” Woll said. “Ever since I was drafted to Toronto in 2016, I think that they’ve given me that opportunity. There’s been nothing but belief, support, and really just continually helping me to push to that spot. From the city, from the organization, to all my friends that I’ve made in Toronto, to my teammates. It’s been a very special, I believe, seven years with the organization and 10 of being a part of them since I got drafted. So even with all the positive and negative memories, I think it’s been a beautiful experience playing with them.”
Woll described the past season’s disappointment as part of a larger learning process that has shaped the goaltender he is today. He reflected on the ups and downs he witnessed and experienced since arriving in Toronto, including good runs, devastating losses, and a campaign that fell short of expectations.
“I think one of those things about goaltending, and probably like anything else in life, it’s a constant process that you’re honing your game over years and the big benefits I find in goaltending are experience,” he said. “Sometimes experience leads you to have positive outcomes, negative outcomes. And I think where a lot of the growth lies is in the negative outcomes, because that’s all a learning process and learning and honing your game is a continual thing. … It’s important not to take too much of that mindset because of what I’ve learned about myself, about the goalie I want to be from these experiences. … I think they were actually sometimes more beneficial than having success. Because it really pointed me in the correct direction.”
That growth included thriving in a tandem situation alongside Anthony Stolarz in previous seasons, learning he could step up when called upon, stay healthy, and prove his belief in himself through different roles, including early NHL experience backing up Jack Campbell. Woll credited those Toronto years with giving him the perspective and resilience he carries forward.
Simon Benoit’s notification came after a workout at his cabin. The defenseman, who played three or four seasons with the Maple Leafs after arriving via trade, described the call as surprising but part of the job, and said he was happy with where it sent him.
“It was the first time I spoke with (Maple Leafs GM John) Chayka,” Benoit said. “So obviously it was kind of surprising, but at the same time, it’s part of the job. I was just really happy where he sent me. So I was pretty excited for what’s to come.”
Benoit, who has a young child with his wife in Toronto, emphasized the personal roots he put down during his time with the organization and the warmth he felt from the people around him.
“They’re a good organization. They treated me so well. I have great memories for me, my wife, and my kid. Obviously, I have my kid there. So it’s always going to be special. And the guys there were just so welcoming to me. And we really had a good group. So it’s just going to be positive. And obviously, I’m bringing that baggage with me. And I learned a lot of stuff throughout those three or four years. So I’m going to be bringing that with me.”
“That was pretty exciting, obviously,” he said. “Playoffs are always fun. And I feel like it was my, I had the chance to play in my first playoffs with Toronto. And playoff hockey is so much fun. So I think I’ll just keep those moments.”
Benoit and Woll grew close during their overlapping years in Toronto. Often going out together on the road for dinners as part of a group that included Matthew Knies and former Leafs forward Bobby McMann.
Both players framed their departures as the closing of one chapter and the beginning of another.
“I know myself, I know my game more than I ever have before,” Woll said. “I’ve got a lot of experience under my belt and I’m excited for [what comes next]. Let my work speak for itself.”
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Chicago made the stunning move to ship that pick to the Sabres for Bowen Byram, a free agent after the 2026-27 season, in a package that also involves the No. 45 overall pick and Louis Crevier being sent to Buffalo while the Blackhawks absorb Jordan Greenway. It's the first time since 2008 a team has shipped off a known top-five pick, making it a wildly risky move for Chicago.
So why would the Blackhawks take such a desperate swing? The answer is that GM Kyle Davidson is, in a word, desperate. In the current iteration of the NHL postseason, it can be extremely easy to find yourself in purgatory. Teams can scratch and claw their ways to competing for a playoff spot until late February to early March, come up short of the playoffs after a push, and retool in the next offseason.
Retooling, however, isn't an option in this offseason. The free agent class is barren, with Rasmus Andersson and John Carlson likely set to get big contracts as the best defensemen available. And the Blackhawks have a former No. 1 overall pick in Connor Bedard that they have to build around now. Bedard is a restricted free agent, which means Chicago has exclusive negotiating rights with the 20-year-old budding star. But with the Blackhawks in a six-year playoff dearth, and an eight-year drought leaving out the shortened 2019-20 season, the trade for Byram is a swing made out of necessity verging into recklessness.
Why did the Blackhawks trade for Bowen Byram?
In short, Byram changes the timeline for the Blackhawks. At least, he hopefully does. When Chicago lost the first or second pick, it lost the chance to pick a player like Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg. That put Chicago in a position where it was drafting for need at No. 4, rather than the best player available.
The most likely picks in that slot would have been either Keaton Verhoeff out of North Dakota or Chase Reid from the Soo Greyhounds, both defensemen. While both will likely be solid blue-liners in their own right, it's hard to imagine either coming out of the draft as a top-four defenseman. That would set the Blackhawks back, and the Blackhawks don't have time for setbacks at this point. They were the last team in the Central Division last year and the second-to-last team in the league. With Jeff Blashill going into Year 2 and Chicago actively figuring out Bedard's future, there's a lot to hash out that a draft pick likely complicates.
Enter Byram, who will likely take point on a power play that ranked 29th in the league last season. He wasn't the main point-man in Buffalo — the Sabres had too many options for that — so this could present a new opportunity alongside Bedard.
To be abundantly clear: That does not entirely justify the move. It may rationalize it, but in the end, teams trying to speed up their rebuilds tend to fail. In a poetic bookend, the Blackhawks traded with the team who set the blueprint on how to fully rebuild. Now, they can only hope Byram becomes an immediate difference maker on one of their top pairings.
The Original Six problem
Hockey, arguably more than any other North American sport, places a lot of emphasis on team traditions. Floundering in obscurity as a relatively new franchise is treated differently than struggling as an Original Six team. If the Rangers, Red Wings, Canadiens, Bruins, Maple Leafs or Blackhawks struggle, it's simply viewed through a different scope.
So, with the Blackhawks in a six-year playoff drought, they don't have to look far to see what can happen. Indeed, they need only look at what's going on on the other side of I-94. The Detroit Red Wings are in a league-high 10-season playoff drought, and that's coming off a 25-year playoff streak. To make matters worse, their star Dylan Larkin's future is clouded with Larkin having requested a trade, they have no real options to immediately improve in free agency, and their first round pick has been shipped to the St. Louis Blues.
The New York Rangers may be entering an era of irrelevance of their own. While their situation isn't quite as dire, general manager Chris Drury tied up an outsized amount of money in the likes of J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck. It's likely going to take a few years to get that roster back into truly competitive shake, and that's making optimal moves.
In short, the Blackhawks' front office knows it needs to turn things around quickly. Byram gives the Blackhawks a top-four defenseman who will make an impact next year and doesn't tie up a bunch of money into a huge contract. So for Davidson, the hope will be to reset the clock for the time being and show Chicago, Bedard in particular, that the Blackhawks can be competitive again.
Bedard has said very publicly he loves playing in Chicago, wants to be there for a long time and even wants to be the captain. However, the Blackhawks have to build a team that can win around Bedard. In that sense, it's good to try to get his foot in the door of the postseason and try to reload and be seriously competitive in 2027-28. That might not be the way it pans out, but the vision is there.
This feels like a desperate move, but the Blackhawks feel desperate. It's not a team that should be finishing near the bottom of any standings, and Chicago is at risk of feeling the worst thing it can feel about a team: Apathy. When the Blackhawks are good, the city is abuzz. Banners fly and fans excitedly starting talking about their seventh date with Lord Stanley's Cup. Some course correction from Davidson, who promised a full rebuild due to the Blackhawks' lack of developmental talent ahead of 2022, has been needed.
This move flies in the face of that. It undermines the desire for developmental talent, but to Davidson's credit, he really has tremendously helped the Blackhawks' prospect pool. Anton Frondell, Roman Kantserov and Nick Lardis are all waiting in the wings as scorers, with Frondell in particular looking like a possible Bedard linemate. But Chicago has desperately craved defense.
The greatest risk Davidson runs is being perceived the same way his predecessor Stan Bowman is in Edmonton now. Someone who lucked into a potentially generational talent and was unable to build around them long-term. Bedard is nowhere near his prime and he is still on the first page of his legacy with the Blackhawks, if they retain him for a new contract in the seven- to eight-year range. But this trade is the move of someone worried they'll only be in the foreword.
If Byram brings the Blackhawks back to the playoffs, it's a wash. But if they come up short, Byram walks and Davidson traded No. 4 for nothing, expect the microscope zoom to increase that much more.
Ducks defenseman John Carlson speaks to the media during his 2025-26 exit interview.
The Ducks' 2025-26 season has been over for just over a month and with the 2026 NHL Entry Draft just around the corner, it feels like a good time to start recapping this past season for each player in the organization.
Today's edition of 'By the Numbers' will feature players who wore Nos. 71-80 this season.
If you missed the previous edition of 'By the Numbers', you can click here to read it.
Will Francis
Francis only played in two games this past season, but it wasn't due to your typical injury. Originally diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2020, Francis is now a four-time cancer survivor after battling a relapse this past October. His cancer again went into remission in December, but Francis did not play for the rest of the season as he recovered from his treatment.
He enters this offseason as a free agent after coming off a one-year, AHL-only deal. It's unclear if he'll remain with the Ducks organization, but if he does, it will likely be on a similar contract. Regardless if he continues his playing career, Francis' perseverance and courage should be lauded.
Noah Read
Selected in the third round of the 2025 draft, Read was expected to play a bigger role in 2025-26 for the London Knights after the departures of key players like Sam Dickinson, Denver Barkey and Easton Cowan. Unfortunately, that opportunity didn't materialize. Read played just 10 games for the Knights before being dealt to the Niagara IceDogs for Braidy Wassilyn.
Read had a hot start to his IceDogs career, scoring four goals in six games, though he struggled to find consistency afterwards, putting up just 16 points in the next 44 games. Some of that may have been due to his role as part of a checking line, but it would have been nice to see him build off of his first season in the OHL, when he had 26 points in 45 games.
He'll likely be back with the IceDogs next season and will look to have more of an impact on the scoresheet. His speed and dogged forechecking make him a good fit for the IceDogs system, it's just a matter of putting it all together on a more consistent basis.
Jan Myšák
Myšák was one of the Ducks' final cuts during training camp last fall, hoping to stake his claim as a bottom-6 forward. Coming off the best season of his pro career in 2024-25, Myšák looked like he was on the bubble for an NHL call-up. He spent the entire 2025-26 season in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls, serving mostly as their second line center, and had 23 points in 56 games. It was a far cry from his statistical production from the previous season.
In mid-February, Myšák suffered an injury that sidelined him for 14 games and kept him out for over a month. When he returned, he continued to fill the same role, but the offensive production was lacking. He had just two points in nine games after returning from injury.
Sep 22, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Jan Mysak (73) moves in for the puck against Utah Mammoth defenseman Veeti Vaisanen (51) during the second period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
After highly-touted prospect Roger McQueen joined the Gulls following the conclusion of his collegiate season with Providence in April, Myšák was demoted to the third line and was even healthy scratched for two games. In fact, Myšák was a healthy scratch for Game 2 of the Gulls' playoff series against the Colorado Eagles, with head coach Matt McIlvane opting to insert Coulson Pitre into the lineup.
Myšák may have seen the writing on the wall after his disappointing finish to the season, as he recently signed a two-year contract with HV71 in the SHL. Myšák was slated to be an RFA this summer, but it's now unlikely that he will be tendered a qualifying offer by the Ducks. Originally acquired from the Montréal Canadiens for former first round pick Jacob Perreault in 2024, this trade did not pan out for either team.
John Carlson
Carlson was a trade deadline acquisition for the Ducks, traded by the Washington Capitals in the wee hours of the night ahead of trade deadline day. His addition brought another veteran presence to the blue line alongside Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas, and provided another player on the team who had previously won the Stanley Cup.
A lingering lower-body injury that he suffered while still with the Capitals delayed his Ducks debut initially, but it took him little time to get adjusted. Having another offensive dynamo on the backend fed into the run-and-gun style that the Ducks had spent most of the season operating under. His presence also allowed Jackson LaCombe to man the second power play unit, creating two strong units for assistant coach Jay Woodcroft to work with.
Carlson finished the regular season with 14 points in 16 games with the Ducks, including his first career NHL hat trick on Apr. 9 against the San Jose Sharks. He continued to provide value in the Ducks' first round series against the Edmonton Oilers, averaging over 23 minutes of ice time and collecting five points in six games.
May 14, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman John Carlson (74) fights for the puck against Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) during the third period of game six of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
However, he was almost a detriment to the team in their second round series against the Vegas Golden Knights, struggling to adjust to the Golden Knights' ferocious forecheck and stingy penalty kill. Carlson logged a singular point in the six-game series and had a minus-4 rating.
The expectation is that Carlson, a pending UFA, will hit the open market on July 1. It's been reported that he is seeking a return to the East Coast and could command upwards of $9 million a year. His acquisition cost the Ducks their 2026 first-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick, which general manager Pat Verbeek viewed as an adequate cost to provide his team with a strong addition for their playoff run.
In the days leading up to the 2026 NHL Draft, first-round picks have been thrown around like candy to acquire players like Mackie Samoskevich, Brady Tkachuk, Jordan Kyrou, Šimon Nemec and Bowen Byram. The Ducks potentially could have been in that fold as well if they had retained their pick. Their first-rounder provided the Capitals with the necessary ammunition to acquire Kyrou, after all. Could the Ducks have made the playoffs without Carlson? Who knows. But his presence helped Pavel Mintyukov find consistency in his play down the stretch and provided another resource for the Ducks' young players to learn from.
Judd Caulfield
Caulfield just wrapped up his third season in the AHL, his best professional season to date. He played up and down the lineup, but most of his ice time down the stretch came alongside Nathan Gaucher as part of the Gulls' de facto checking line. Caulfield plays a prototypical power forward game, using his size and strength to keep the puck away from opponents and drive to the crease. He was originally acquired by the Ducks from the Pittsburgh Penguins in March 2023 and signed a two-year entry contract (ELC) just days later. He spent the past season on an AHL-only deal following the expiration of his ELC last summer.
Out of contract this summer, Caulfield was one of the Gulls' most productive players in 2025-26. If brought back, he may not have the same role that he did under a new head coach, with McIlvane now an assistant coach in Boston. But his physical attributes fall in line with what Verbeek values from his players and he was one of the few AHL-only deal players to play in preseason for the Ducks, so it's possible that Caulfield may get a shot at an NHL contract this summer.
Frank Vatrano
To say that Vatrano's 2025-26 season was tumultuous would be an understatement. He began the season on the third line, but had just three points through the first month of the season. A brief period on the fourth line helped Vatrano bag his first two goals of the season before he endured 14 consecutive games without a single point. A stint of productivity in mid-December provided hope that he could get back on the right track, but it was derailed when he suffered a fractured shoulder on Dec. 27 after falling hard into the boards.
Apr 14, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) plays the puck by the boards in the first period against the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
Vatrano did not return to the lineup until Mar. 4 against the New York Islanders. He had been healthy enough to play, but was away from the team after his brother, Sammy, passed away after a five-year battle with glioblastoma. Vatrano played in 12 regular season games upon his return, but was also a healthy scratch in 10 of the Ducks' last 22 games. He did not make a single appearance during the Ducks' playoff run, calling into question what his future holds.
There are two years left on the three-year, $13.71 million contract extension that Vatrano signed on Jan. 5, 2025, which includes a seven-team no trade list. Things can only go up from here for Vatrano, who endured the worst statistical season of his pro career while dealing with matters off the ice that are more important than hockey.
Tomáš Suchánek
After recovering from a ruptured ACL that forced him to miss the entire 2024-25 season, Suchánek began the 2025-26 season in the ECHL with the Tulsa Oilers, splitting time in net with fellow Ducks prospect Slava Buteyets.
He was recalled to the Gulls in late November and made a pair of starts before being reassigned to the Oilers. By this point, Buteyets had taken control of the crease and was the Oilers' regular starter. Suchánek made just two starts before again being recalled to the Gulls after the Ducks recalled Ville Husso in the wake of Petr Mrazek's season-ending hip surgery.
Suchánek operated as Calle Clang's backup for most of the rest of the season, up until Damian Clara joined the team from Brynäs following the conclusion of the SHL season. Once Clara arrived, Suchánek appeared in just one game leading up to the Gulls' playoff run, a relief appearance for Clang after he suffered an injury during the last game of the regular season. With Clang out for the playoffs, it was Clara who got the starting nod over Suchánek.
San Diego goaltender Tomas Suchanek (30) skates out of the goal during a break in play in the first period of their game at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023.
Clang is gone now, back in Sweden with his former club Rögle in the SHL. Buteyets may also be gone, out of contract this summer. That leaves Clara and Suchánek as the goaltending tandem in San Diego, with Husso now the full-time backup in Anaheim and Mrázek also expected to hit free agency.
It was a difficult season for Suchánek in his return from long-term injury. He made 11 appearances for the Oilers, going 3-8-0 with an .884 SV% and 4.27 GAA. He didn't fare much better with the Gulls, sporting a 5-7-4 record with an .879 SV% and 3.31. The hope will be that he can get back to form next season after having a full season to get adjusted after the long layoff.
Drew Schock
In his first season as a collegiate player, Schock had 10 points in 38 games. While it's easy to look at Schock's points total and assume that he didn't do very much offensively, he was part of the 7D rotation to start the season, often flip-flopping with Matthew Mania or even being a healthy scratch. As the season progressed, he began to find a role on the second pairing, playing on his off-side as a left-hander with Ben Robertson.
By the time Michigan was in the stretch run leading up to the NCAA tournament, Robertson and Schock had become a reliable pairing behind Tyler Duke and Luca Fantilli. Schock uses his skating and hockey sense to turn defense into offense and while he isn't very flashy, the tools that he has can help him become an NHLer down the line.
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BUFFALO, N.Y. — With little progress in talks to re-sign Alex Tuch, Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said he anticipates losing the veteran forward to free agency.
Though negotiations began last summer, the sides remain far apart on terms, with Kekalainen noting the Sabres are constrained by the salary cap. He also noted the element of risk of signing a 30-year-old player to a long-term contract.
“I don’t think at this point that we’ve come to any point in our talks that would indicate that he’d want to sign with us,” Kekalainen said. “So I think he’s moving on and getting into free agency, and now we’ve got to look at our options.”
One option is a sign-and-trade deal to get something in return for a player the Sabres elected to retain at the trade deadline in March to spur the team’s push in making the playoffs for the first time in 15 seasons.
Tuch would become one of the more prized free agents once the NHL’s signing period opens on July 1. He’s a 10-year veteran who has topped 20 goals in four of his five seasons in Buffalo — including scoring 33 or more in each of the past two years.
In Buffalo, he had 139 goals and 309 points in 360 games in filling a top-line role. Overall, he has 200 goals and 448 points in 615 NHL games.
Tuch had an inconsistent postseason. After scoring four goals and three assists in Buffalo’s six-game series win against Boston in the first round, he was held with a point in a seven-game loss to Montreal in the second round.
The Sabres acquired Tuch and forward Peyton Krebs in a trade that sent former captain Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights in November 2021. Tuch is from Syracuse, New York, and welcomed the trade because he grew up rooting for the Sabres.
“He’s a good player but we have a lot of faith in our group,” said Kekalainen, who took over in December after Kevyn Adams was fired. “He’s is going to be missed but we’ll be fine.”
The Sabres have numerous promising young forwards in position to step up, including Noah Ostlund, Konsta Helenius and Jiri Kulich, who is expected to be healthy after missing much of last season with a blood clot issue.
The news on Tuch comes a day after Buffalo lost another key contributor from a team that led to the Sabres winning their first Atlantic Division title and win its first playoff round since 2007.
The Sabres traded defenseman Bowen Byram and checking line forward Jordan Greenway to the Chicago Blackhawks. Buffalo acquired Chicago’s No. 4 pick and a second-round selection in the draft, along with promising defenseman Louis Crevier.
Kekalainen revealed Byram expressed no interest in wanting to remain in Buffalo after his current contract expired next summer.
“He didn’t want to negotiate; he wasn’t gonna sign with us. So, that didn’t leave us an option to do anything else,” Kekalainen said.
With the fourth pick, the Sabres are positioned to land a top prospect in a draft class that’s loaded with highly regarded defenseman in a draft Buffalo is hosting. Among the defensive candidates expected to be available at No. 4 are Carson Carels (WHL Prince George), North Dakota’s Keaton Verhoeff and Latvia’s Alberts Smits.
Kekalainen said he’s taking a wait-and-see approach as to whether he’ll consider trading the selection for a more NHL-ready asset.
“We’ll gather that information around the league and see what the value is, and if we don’t think it’s as much as making the pick, then we make the pick,” he said.
That, of course, makes life a little different for the club’s amateur scouting staff leading up to the 2026 NHL draft. Barring a trade, the Flyers will pick at 21st overall. It’s their lowest first-round spot since 2020.
So the Flyers know the draft is still critical to what they want to do, even when they’re lower in the order.
“We’ve said it for a long time, we wanted to build a team that was going to be here for a long time; not just to go for it for a year or two,” general manager Danny Briere said last month. “That’s still the same approach on my end.”
After the recent trade with the Maple Leafs, the Flyers have only four picks in this draft, which will be held June 26-27. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11 a.m. ET.
“I’ll tell you how I feel about drafts and I’ll be totally blunt with you,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said June 2 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think it’s f—ing bulls–t when I hear about, ‘Oh, this draft isn’t as good.’ Here are the numbers. Approximately 45 players from any draft will play 350 games or more in the NHL. It might be 47 one year, 42 another year. That’s the number — you get 45 players that’ll play 350 games or more with varying degrees of success.
“And I know this about the draft. The teams that get good players from the draft say it was a good draft. The teams that don’t get good players from the draft say it wasn’t a good draft. So when people start telling me about a draft ahead of time, I call bulls–t.”
“What you’re trying to do is find a player that you feel has the potential to be an NHL player,” Button said. “That might be a third-line center, that might be a second-line scoring winger. Hey, listen, maybe you get David Pastrnak, who’s a superstar (drafted 25th overall in 2014).
“But the focus has to be on, ‘OK, what type of player do we like, what type of player do we think the guy can be?’ And then get after it and understand what the development path is, and then try to help that player be the best he can be. Put a stake in the ground and celebrate who you’re drafting.”
Before the draft arrives, we’ve been breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers.
To wrap things up:
Wyatt Cullen
Position: Winger Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 183 Shoots: Left Team: USNTDP
Scouting report
There’s a ton to like about Cullen’s makeup.
He’s a dynamic playmaker with shiftiness and skill. He has impressive hockey bloodlines. And he doesn’t turn 18 years old until September.
“I think there’s a raw talent there, his base is there,” Daily Faceoff associate editor and prospect analyst Steven Ellis said June 9 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. … “Give him a year or two and I think he’s going to make a lot of teams that passed on him look bad.”
Cullen put up over a point per game this season in the U.S. national team development program. He had 16 goals and 29 assists over 40 games on the under-18 team that wasn’t nearly as loaded as it has been in the past.
“I feel like what we saw from him was a player that was limited offensively because of the team he played for,” Ellis said. “Part of that is when you look at the NTDP, there’s not a lot of high-end talent there.”
Thanks in part to a serious growth spurt, Cullen has been viewed as one of the draft’s top risers. In the last two years, he has grown by eight inches and 56 pounds, according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic.
At the 2026 IIHF U-18 World Junior Championship, a tournament that ended last month, Cullen delivered nine points (three goals, six assists) in five games for Team USA.
“His favorite player is Jack Hughes and that’s one the scouts have kind of thrown around for him a couple of times,” Ellis said. “There’s a two-way game, it’s something where he’s a hard-working guy for someone who primarily plays on the wing. He has some center experience, but mostly on the wing.”
“Every time he played at a showcase event, he was outstanding,” Ellis said. “He was a legitimate MVP candidate for USA at the under-18s. … Every game was explosive from him. Great plays, smart, outstanding skill, great skater.”
“I think the biggest thing for him is figuring out how to use his bigger frame,” Ellis said. “If he can do that and allow himself to kind of overpower opponents on the boards or through the middle, I think that’s where he gets really exciting.”
Final draft rankings have been updated in this story.
(Michael Miller/Getty Images)
Fit with Flyers
Interestingly, Cullen’s father played for Rick Tocchet when the Flyers’ head coach was an assistant with the Penguins. Matt Cullen suited up for 1,516 career NHL games and won three Stanley Cup titles, two of which came with Tocchet in Pittsburgh.
But connections aside, the 17-year-old Cullen would be a fine pick for the Flyers. He has some positional versatility, too, which should only help his projection.
It’s feeling more and more likely, though, that Cullen won’t be there for the Flyers unless they trade up.
When the 2026-27 NHL season begins, the Florida Panthers will have one of the deepest and most talented groups in the league.
It’s not debatable. It’s a fact.
The addition of Brady Tkachuk only added to what was already a Stanley Cup caliber squad, but there are still some holes that will need to be filled.
Obviously, the Panthers need to add a couple of goaltenders.
THN Florida has previously reported the team is giving a good look to several veterans who would not demand high salaries, putting faith in the Goaltending Excellence Department to continue finding tendies whose skillset would allow them to excel inside the Panthers’ systems.
That being said, don’t count the Panthers out quite yet in regard to a big-name goaltender who may be looking for an exit from his Canadian Western Conference team.
Even after using much of their trade capital to acquire Tkachuk, it seems Florida has not closed the door on Connor Hellebuyck and are seeing if they can find a deal that works for both sides.
Currently, the Panthers have just over $7 million in cap space, according to PuckPedia, and Hellebuyck is playing on a deal that runs through 2030-31 and carries an average annual value (AAV) of $8.5 million.
Another area the Panthers are looking to bolster is their third defensive pairing.
One veteran blueliner Florida is considering is former Cats defender Radko Gudas.
The bearded butcher spent three seasons in South Florida before signing a three-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks during the summer of 2023.
Gudas, who turned 36 years old at the beginning of June, very much enjoyed his time with the Panthers and was viewed as a leader in the locker room during his tenure with the team.
Those leadership attributes followed him to Anaheim, where Gudas was named the ninth captain in Ducks franchise history.
Regarding quality of play, his advanced metrics were better last season than in either of his first two years in Anaheim, and the physical Gudas is well aware of what Florida asks of their defenseman after playing under Paul Maurice with the Panthers in 2022-23.
The Ducks signed Gudas to a three-year deal that carried an AAV of $4 million, and that came after he played in Florida on a deal that paid him $2.5 million annually.
We’re exactly one week away from the start of free agency, and the NHL Draft is Friday.
Things remain fluid and there are several moving parts, but no matter what happens, it should be fun to see play out.
Photo caption: Jan 25, 2026; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas (7) against the Calgary Flames during the third period at Scotiabank Saddledome. (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)
