Mike and Dan recap the Islanders picks in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, look ahead to a shallow free agency pool and bring forth a new, delusional Master Leaf Theatre.
The Islanders didn’t make any big splashes in Buffalo but didn’t come away as one of the draft’s big losers, either. By focusing on defensemen – highlighted by first round pick Malte Gustafsson, who sounds like a Swedish clone of Adam Pelech – they went the safest route possible. Which is fine, but hardly sexy. And while some fans wonder why so many of their defensive prospects shoot from the same side, the fact is there’s no guarantee any of these guys make the big club any time soon. We also discuss Matthew Schaefer’s entertaining performance at this draft and the re-signing of Tony DeAngelo to another safe, fine deal.
In the second half, we talk about some free agents we could see (and would rather not see) the Islanders take a run at. None of these older guys deserve any kind of term, but some might be helpful on shorter, more frontloaded deals. We also look at how some teams in the Metro Division got much better over the weekend, which is never not annoying, and serve up a Master Leaf Theatre that not only boosts the Boys in Blue and White but also changes the trajectory of the NHL and every American player in it. Cancel those plane tickets to Florida, fam.
Luke Fox really let his galaxy brain do the walking on this one.
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Toronto Maple Leafs GM John Chayka insists that there are holes in his roster that need to be filled.
The Maple Leafs seem to improve on paper, especially with the addition of defenseman Darren Raddysh, as well as drafting Gavin McKenna first overall in the 2026 NHL draft.
The first overall pick revealed that he received a text message from Patrick Kane after he was drafted. It was a particularly neat moment for McKenna because not only is that an idol of his, but one player whom he's modelled part of his game after.
"He's who I grew up watching," McKenna said after he was drafted. "I don't know if it was all the YouTube highlights that kind of made me play like him. But, yeah, he's someone I always watched, and just how creative he was and how smart he was. Someone that's just, I don't know, he kind of rubbed off on me, I guess."
With all the talk about Kane, a future Hall of Famer, the veteran right winger is available on the free-agent market this summer.
So, would the three-time Stanley Cup champion, Conn Smythe Trophy winner and Hart Trophy winner make a good fit with Toronto?
There's no doubt that he'd have an impact with some of the young players on the Leafs, specifically McKenna, as well as 21-year-old Easton Cowan. In that sense alone, he'd be a great veteran leader who knows how to be successful in the NHL.
To add to the leadership that the 37-year-old Kane would bring to the roster, he's still a talented and effective player.
In his third season with the Detroit Red Wings this past year, Kane finished fifth on the team in scoring, putting up 16 goals and 57 points in 67 games. His 0.85 points-per-game average was an improvement from the 2024-25 season.
That should allow the Maple Leafs to compete for a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Not to mention, there will still be scoring depth in the bottom six with the likes of Cowan, Nick Robertson and Matias Maccelli (if the latter two are re-signed).
Ultimately, with the talent and youth to support Kane in case his age begins to show, the only issue that could present itself is who wears the No. 88 between him and Nylander.
It should be noted that Kane coming in would add another left-handed shooter to Toronto's forward group, a group that only has one right-handed player on the projected roster.
However, the longtime member of the Chicago Blackhawks didn't cost a whole lot against the salary cap on his previous contract. Kane signed a one-year contract at $3 million with the Red Wings. He signed three one-year deals during his tenure with Detroit.
His cap hit last season was lower than that of players like Maccelli, Dakota Joshua and Max Domi. Furthermore, ignoring the players with expiring contracts, a $3-million cap hit for Kane would rank 13th on Toronto's main roster.
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The Montreal Canadiens should be looking to add to their forward group this off-season. One of their needs is another impactful winger for their top nine.
Due to this, one player who the Canadiens could be worth targeting if he hits the free agent on July 1 is New York Islanders captain Anders Lee.
If the Canadiens signed Lee, he could slot well in their middle six. This is because the 35-year-old winger is still capable of producing solid offense at this point in his career. He would also provide the Habs with another option to work with on their power play.
Lee would also be a valuable addition if signed by the Canadiens because he is a well-respected veteran leader. This could make him a good player to have for a young Canadiens club that is on the rise.
In 82 games during this past season with the Islanders, Lee posted 19 goals, 23 assists, and 42 points. This was after the veteran forward posted 29 goals, 25 assists, and 54 points in 82 games with the Islanders during the 2024-25 campaign. With numbers like these, he would have the potential to provide the Canadiens with a bit more secondary offensive production if signed.
However, given how important of a player Lee is to the Islanders, there is certainly a chance that he will end up re-signing there. If he does not, the Canadiens should consider targeting him.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Nashville Predators signed forward Jack Drury to a five-year, $22.5 million contract on Sunday night, four days after he was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche.
The 26-year-old Drury had a career-high 10 goals last season and matched his personal best with 27 points while playing in all 82 regular-season games for the Avalanche.
He was acquired by the Predators on Wednesday along with forward Chase Bradley and a third-round pick in the 2029 NHL draft from the Avalanche for forwards Zachary L’Heureux and Fedor Svechkov.
“Jack Drury is a hard-working, reliable, full-sheet of the ice center who can handle the tough assignments while being elite in the faceoff circle,” Predators general manager and president of hockey operations Chris MacFarland said after the trade. “His addition to our forward group bolsters our depth in the middle of the ice, and we’re thrilled to have him.”
Drury established himself as one of the NHL’s top faceoff players by winning 58.1% of his draws — the fifth-highest percentage among players who took at least 900 faceoffs last season. He also had three goals and two assists in 13 playoff games while helping the Avalanche reach the Western Conference Final.
Drury is the son of former NHL center Ted Drury and nephew of former NHL center and current New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury. He was a second-round draft pick of Carolina in 2018. When MacFarland was with Colorado as the Avalanche’s GM, he acquired Drury from the Hurricanes in 2025.
In 268 career regular-season games, Drury has 30 goals and 52 assists and a 57.1 faceoff percentage.
Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.
The Sharks have signed Michael Kesselring.
San Jose signed the 26-year-old defenseman to a three-year, $13.5 million contract ($4.5 million AAV), buying up two of his UFA seasons. There were no trade protections. Kesselring was a pending RFA.
The #SJSharks signed recently acquired 26 y/o RFA RD Michael Kesselring to 3 year $4.5M Cap Hit Deal.
Kesselring is an RFA. The deal covers 1 RFA & 2 UFA seasons.
Contract is $4.5M salary each season and does not include trade protection.
Kesselring was coming off a tough season with the Sabres, posting two assists in 34 games. He was a frequent healthy scratch and also dealt with injuries.
But Kesselring broke out with the Utah Mammoth in 2024-25, notching seven goals and 29 points, skating 17:41 per game. He also was used on the second-unit power play.
The Sharks are hoping for at least that type of return to form from Kesselring.
The Buffalo Sabres are keeping one of their pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) around.
According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Sabres are signing forward Beck Malenstyn to a six-year contract extension with an average annual value around $3 million.
It was known that the Sabres were working hard to keep Malenstyn in Buffalo. Now, once this deal comes to fruition, the big winger will be a long-term part of the Sabres' roster.
Malenstyn's grit and speed make him a valuable asset to the Sabres' bottom six, and they are rewarding him for it with this six-year deal.
The 28-year-old appeared in 81 games last season for the Sabres, where he recorded seven goals, seven assists, 14 points, and a franchise-record 282 hits.
The Sabres acquired Malenstyn from the Washington Capitals during the 2024 NHL off-season. In 157 games over two seasons with the Sabres since then, the 6-foot-3 winger has posted 11 goals, 13 assists, 24 points, and 473 hits. It will be interesting to see how he builds upon these stats after landing this long-term deal from Buffalo from here.
With Malenstyn staying in Buffalo, the Sabres' most notable pending UFAs remaining are Logan Stanley, Luke Schenn, Joshua Dunne, and David Kampf, who was recently acquired from the Washington Capitals in the Alex Tuch trade.
In two days, the Philadelphia Flyers will lock down their starting goalie for another five years, finally finding some security between the pipes.
On Sunday, TSN NHL insider Pierre Lebrun reported that the Flyers and Dan Vladar have agreed to a five-year contract extension worth $27.5 million ($5.5 million AAV), with some final details, likely to be pay structure or trade protection, still to be ironed out.
The Flyers, Vladar, and his camp have plenty of time to work that out, as the extension cannot officially be signed, sealed, and delivered until Wednesday, July 1, anyway.
Vladar's new contract was consistent with my reporting from last month, when the expectation was a five-year deal worth somewhere between $5- and $5.5 million annually.
Of note, Vladar still has one year remaining on his current contract at a $3.35 million cap hit, and his new contract extension will officially begin next July 1.
The 28-year-old Czech netminder will turn 29 on Aug. 20, which means that, next year, Vladar will play his first game on the new extension at the age of 30.
That will invariably carry some risk for the Flyers, who now have Vladar signed until he's 34 years old.
But, so long as Joseph Woll lives up to expectations, plays to his potential, and stays healthy, the Flyers will be able to preserve Vladar and run an efficient platoon in goal.
It helps, too, that the Flyers just drafted Martin Psohlavec and Marek Sklenicka in the 2026 NHL Draft, adding two more promising prospects to a goalie prospect group that also features Carson Bjarnason, Aleksei Kolosov, and Egor Zavragin.
Vladar figures to be the first of many re-signings in Philadelphia in the coming days and weeks, as the Flyers also need to extend forward Trevor Zegras, defenseman Jamie Drysdale, and winger Nikita Grebenkin, among other players.
The Chicago Blackhawks have been a team involved in all sorts of NHL conversations over the last couple of weeks.
That has to do with a big transaction that they made, along with some of the selections that they made in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Originally, the Chicago Blackhawks held the 4th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, but they traded it to the Buffalo Sabres in a deal that acquired them defenseman Bowen Byram.
At first, the move was met with criticism. They also had to give up pick 45 and Louis Crevier to acquire Byram. After some reflection and seeing what the Sabres did in the draft, it is clear that the Blackhawks made a move that will help their organization more than it hurts it.
With the 4th overall pick in the draft, Buffalo selected defenseman Daxon Rudolph. That was a shock, as he was expected to be the fifth blue-liner taken.
The Blackhawks believe that Byram will be a more impactful player over the next 8 years than whoever they would have gotten at four, and they feel the need to take a step in 2026-27. Byram will help them do that more than any prospect at the same position.
The Blackhawks then made two selections in the second round. First, they took Xavier Villeneuve with the 34th overall pick. This prospect had first-round grades for some scouts, and the Blackhawks made a great choice with him early in the second.
Villenueve is a slightly undersized defenseman, but he skates incredibly well and has undeniable puck-handling skills. It's trendy to compare defenders with his overall type to Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens, especially since he's going to Boston University next year, but the profiles are similar.
Obviously, a lot of development will be required for him to reach that ceiling, but the tools are there. If he were two inches taller, which isn't much in the grand scheme of things, he would have been taken much higher.
One selection later, the Chicago Blackhawks traded up from 37 to 35 to make back-to-back selections. With the pick, they took forward Ryan Roobroeck, who was once a top-ten prospect in an issue of The Hockey News.
Kyle Davidson confirmed that there was no intel that Roobroeck would have been off the board by his original pick of 37, but he felt that giving up pick 119 was worth it to make sure he got the player he wanted in Roobroeck.
This is a power forward who moves well for a big kid, has a physical element to his game, and can score goals. His compete level has been questioned in the past, but good coaching and hungry players around him should allow that to be a non-issue.
In the 3rd round, 66th overall, the Blackhawks selected defenseman Samu Alalauri. This is a player who leaves a lot to be desired offensively with his production, but his defensive game has a lot of promise.
Alalauri is always in the right spot, and he makes great breakout passes to exit his zone. These skills make it seem like there is a chance that he can develop some offense in his game, but it will never come at the expense of his defense.
After this third pick of the second day, over three hours of real time passed before the Blackhawks got back on the clock. They made two seventh-round picks in defenseman Alexander Ivanov and forward William Sorbrand.
When the draft concluded, Director of Amateur Scouting Mike Doneghey said that skating was the most important attribute they look for when they make selections this late in the draft. Everyone is a lottery ticket at this stage, so they look for the ones who are good at skating, which is the most important component for a hockey player.
Draft Grade: A
The Chicago Blackhawks get a solid A for this draft class, including the Bowen Byram trade. Instead of using an early selection in a weak draft for a player who might be good, they landed Byram, who is absolutely great.
In the second round, they took two players with high ceilings and low floors. If one or both of them hit, this draft will already be a win. There is great upside to Alalauri, who would fit in well as a third-pair guy in a few years.
The seventh round picks can't really be truly judged just days after the draft, because the odds are that every player in that round doesn't make it. However, a gem comes out now and again, just ask Louis Crevier.
The team gets an A for making a bold trade that is likely to add a number one defenseman for years to come, and volume in potential when it comes to prospects post-first round.
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While they have plenty of room to chase after UFAs, Leafs GM John Chayka has some internal business to take care of, because Toronto has four players on the roster who will be RFAs as of July 1.
Forwards Jacob Quillan, Nick Robertson, and Matias Maccelli are all pending RFAs, as is defenseman Emil Andrae, who was acquired this off-season.
Of those four players, who are all eligible for salary arbitration, here's a ranking on who is most likely to receive a qualifying offer and to be extended by the Maple Leafs ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
4. Matias Maccelli, LW
Maccelli is coming off his first season with the Maple Leafs. Last off-season, he came in a trade from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2027 draft.
In 2025-26, the Finnish left winger scored 14 goals and 39 points in 71 appearances. That was an improvement on his previous campaign in Utah, when he put up just eight goals and 18 points in 55 games.
The 25-year-old is yet to reach the numbers he set in his second and third years in the NHL. Specifically in his third NHL season, in 2023-24 with the Arizona Coyotes, Maccelli set a career-high with 17 goals and 57 points, showing signs of a top-six forward.
Though last year was an improvement for him from the season prior, there's certainly room to improve for the playmaker.
There was a nine-game span in which Maccelli did not feature for the Maple Leafs, as he was a healthy scratch for a portion of the campaign.
Before that time in the press box, Maccelli played 22 games and had four goals and nine points. Since being reintroduced into Toronto's lineup on Dec. 20, his scoring consistency improved as he registered 10 goals and 30 points in his final 50 games of the year.
It's time for the Maple Leafs and Nick Robertson to go through another contract negotiation. Last season, he filed for salary arbitration. As a result, he earned a one-year deal at $1.825 million.
The 24-year-old will likely find himself signing another short-term deal when the time comes, considering the limited opportunity he's seen in the Leafs' lineup. Luckily, he's in another position to prove himself again with a new front office and head coach behind the bench.
Despite his limited role this past year, Robertson set career-highs in nearly all major categories. The 5-foot-9 left winger recorded 16 goals and 16 assists for 32 points in 75 appearances and averaged 12:40 of ice time, all of which are personal bests.
Even with steady improvement in terms of his production and numbers each season, it's been a challenge for Robertson to find a regular spot in the lineup. Even with left winger Bobby McMann out the door and to the Seattle Kraken, Easton Cowan and 2026 first overall pick Gavin McKenna are expected to have roles on the NHL roster next season.
And that's without mentioning Matthew Knies, William Nylander, Dakota Joshua and Maccelli (if re-signed) as wingers on Toronto's depth chart. If Chayka goes out and acquires another winger in free agency, that's another player to add to that list, creating a tougher path for Robertson.
Nonetheless, Robertson is a player who is capable of scoring 20 goals in the NHL.
A qualifying offer for Robertson would cost $1.825 million.
Quillan, 24, featured in about a quarter of the Maple Leafs' games this past regular season. He finished the year with one goal and three points in 23 contests for Toronto, with two of his points coming in the final two outings of the campaign, including his first NHL goal in Game 81.
Considering Quillan doesn't have much NHL experience - playing just 24 career games in the league - it wouldn't be very challenging, expensive or inconvenient for the Leafs to re-sign him. After all, he's filled in as a bottom-six center who can take shifts on the penalty kill and is relatively responsible behind the puck.
Most of his time was in the minors this past year. He contributed 14 goals and 36 points in 40 regular-season games, followed by three goals and nine points in 19 post-season affairs.
The Maple Leafs signed Quillan to a two-year contract in April 2024 after he went undrafted. That contract came after his third season with Quinnipiac University, when he provided 17 goals and 46 points in 39 NCAA games.
That deal saw the 6-foot-1 center earn $875,000 against the salary cap each year. With that, it would cost the Maple Leafs $850,000 to qualify Quillan.
1. Emil Andrae, D
Andrae seems like the most likely pending RFA to sign a contract with the Maple Leafs. He hasn't played a minute for Toronto, but the Maple Leafs acquired him from the Philadelphia Flyers, along with Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit.
In that trade, along with Andrae and a 2026 third-rounder (which was used to select goaltender Juuso Ainasto), was also goalie Samuel Ersson, who was also a pending RFA. Ersson ended up getting moved to the Ottawa Senators for a 2027 fifth-round pick.
Nonetheless, because Andrae was practically the main piece of that return from the Flyers, Chayka must have plans to sign the Swedish defenseman to a contract this summer.
The 5-foot-9 blueliner played 64 NHL games last season for Philadelphia. In that span, he scored two goals and 13 points while averaging 15:20 of ice time. Andrae had the second-best plus-minus rating with a plus-15, only behind left winger Noah Cates' plus-26.
He also featured in four playoff games out of the Flyers' 10 post-season contests, providing one assist and averaging 11:05 of ice time per game.
Andrae, 24, is set to hang around the bottom pair or a seventh-defenseman role with the Leafs next season, as Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Darren Raddysh, Morgan Rielly, Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe all sit ahead of him on the depth chart.
Regardless, it's expected that Toronto inks Andrae eventually. He's coming off his three-year entry-level contract, which paid him $903,333 against the salary cap. It would cost the Maple Leafs $874,125 to give Andrae a qualifying offer.
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A recap of the 2026 draft class for the Devils: [Devils NHL]
“Alexander Command, the 12th overall pick, highlights the Devils’ draft class, but Mehta selected a few other intriguing prospects in the later rounds. Let’s review the Devils’ 2026 draft class and which prospects you should be most excited about moving forward.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]
“Mehta’s first draft as GM of a team was one in which cardio merchants were off the table, highly preferring productive players with dynamic qualities and the ability to play with the puck on their stick. I loved it.” [Devils’ Advocates]
Hockey Links
Could we see a Zach Werenski trade?
Nothing imminent, but the Blue Jackets have started listening to teams calling on Zach Werenski, sources confirm. The CBJ are aware that the Norris Trophy winner is unlikely to extend past his deal. No guarantee he’s dealt this summer but Jackets’ best deal could be now versus…
“The Winnipeg Jets are listening to trade offers for Connor Hellebuyck, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said Friday. Cheveldayoff, however, would not provide a definitive answer as to whether his franchise goalie has requested a move.” [NHL.com]
Jack Drury gets a five-year deal:
After being acquired by the Predators, Jack Drury has signed a five-year extension, per Chris Johnston. pic.twitter.com/GxxxtQBuiN
“The 2026 NHL draft is complete and there were some truly wonderful moments. From the Ruck twins going together to the Pittsburgh Penguins, to the reaction of Jaxon Cover’s family to the Cayman Islands product being selected with the final pick in the first round, and much more over the course of 224 picks in two days. Now, it is time for draft grades. These marks are about what the teams did with their selections, how they maneuvered the draft board and how much value they gained or left on the board where they picked.” [ESPN]
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - JUNE 27: (L-R) Markus Ruck, 39th overall of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Liam Ruck, 22nd overall of the Pittsburgh Penguins, pose for a photo during Day Two of the 2026 NHL Draft at KeyBank Center on June 27, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Andrea Cardin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Over the weekend, the Pittsburgh Penguins added six new prospects to the organization at the 2026 NHL Draft. Those prospects will not have to wait long to make an impression on the fans in Pittsburgh as they make their way to the city this week to take part in the Penguins annual development camp set to open today at the team’s UPMC Lemieux facility in Cranberry.
Which of the draftees will be in attendance at development camp has yet to be announced, but the Ruck twins Liam (22nd overall) and Markus (39th overall) are both expected to participate. They will be joining 22 others who were previously announced by the Penguins, including defenseman Jake Livanavage who signed as a college free agent in April and made his NHL debut in the final game of the season against the St. Louis Blues.
Other prospects on the development camp roster for this week include forwards Will Horcoff* (2025 24th overall; University of Michigan) and Travis Hayes (2025 105th overall, brother to Avery Hayes), defensemen Peyton Kettles (2025 39th overall) and Quinn Beauchesne (2025 148th overall, Boston College commit), and goaltender Gabriel D’Aigle (2025 84th overall).
All full camp roster, minus 2026 draft picks and any late additions, can be found here, courtesy the Penguins. There is expected to be a full development camp roster released once the final skaters have been confirmed by the team.
As for the development camp schedule, action begins bright and early on Monday morning and runs through Friday, with four days of practice on and off the ice for the prospects, all culminating in a tournament set for Friday between the participants.
You can find the full schedule from the team’s website below.
All sessions are held at the UPMC Lemieux team facility in Cranberry. Each session is open to the public and is free of charge to attend so if you’re itching for some Penguins hockey, consider heading up to Cranberry to see the prospects in action because it will be your last chance to see live hockey in Pittsburgh until September.
Development camp serves as an opportunity for fans to see and learn about some of the prospects in the Penguins system, especially the new players drafted this past weekend. There will be some well deserved buzz surrounding the Ruck twins, but it will also be a showcase for players like Jake Livanavage to put on a show and make an early case to push for an NHL roster spot.
The team announced prospects including 2025 first round pick Will Horcoff and Melvin Fernstrom will not take part in on ice activity due to undisclosed injuries.
So if you have some free time this week, maybe consider on spending some of that time at UPMC Cranberry to check in on the talent in the Penguins system that got a new infusion of prospects from the draft over the weekend and see what lies in store for the franchise in the future.
It's becoming abundantly clear that the landscape of player acquisition in the National Hockey League is evolving.
And, if one was to take anything from what Pittsburgh Penguins' president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas said during the 2026 NHL Draft, it's that his team is ready to adapt.
On Friday, Dubas met with the media following the first round of the draft - when he used his 22nd overall pick to select right wing Liam Ruck - and discussed the changing landscape of player acquisition in a rising-cap environment. He had said during his season-ending press conference that he wished to target "20-something" difference-makers, many of whom - such as Brady Tkachuk and Bowen Byram - have already been dealt this summer.
Dubas wants to be in on the "big guns" - the elite-level players who can help along the Penguins' rebuild and their future quite nicely. Names like Elias Pettersson, Alexander Nikishin, and Jason Robertson - who the Penguins are reported to have had discussions with - are ones who can help in the short- and long-term, but he also acknowledged that the cost to acquire such talent isn't quite what it used to be.
"I think, in some of them, we just really haven't had the assets to get there," Dubas said. "You know, if you go through the younger guys that have been traded, it was a fourth overall pick. And, obviously, the Florida-Ottawa trade was the ninth overall pick. We were at 22. And then, some of the deals [Friday], again, some of the picks were a little bit higher than ours. I think what we found in this last stretch is that teams also want the exact guys that we're looking for in exchange in those deals. It's players in that group that we lack."
Dubas added: "It's a shifting landscape, as everybody's seen. But, it might not be the one gigantic type of transaction. We'll try to stay active on those. But, it might be more of a brick-by-boring-brick style."
Of course, that doesn't mean the door is closed on a bigger deal. Dubas reiterated that's very much not the case, as the Penguins will continue to engage in discussions on the kinds of players who can become integral parts of a future Stanley Cup contender. And that's especially relevant, given the lack of free agent talent available this summer.
Beyond defenseman Rasmus Andersson, it's not the best class. Alex Ovechkin will re-sign with the Washington Capitals if he decides to keep going, and John Carlson's rights were traded by the Anaheim Ducks to the Carolina Hurricanes. Dubas - quite literally - shot down any idea that they're going to be handing out big money in the free agent market.
"We can be as aggressive as we want on Jul. 1, but if you look at what's available, it could be an expensive mistake," Dubas said. "And I try to learn from the past. We'll try to steer clear of that."
So, can the Penguins make the kind of big move they desire to?
Part of the equation will be continuing to acquire players in the Egor Chinakhov and Hendrix Lapierre molds - players in need of a change of scenery but who have relatively significant untapped upside at the NHL level. But, if they do choose to swing bigger, waiting things out might actually work to their advantage this summer and beyond.
With the shifting landscape, not only are teams still in the early stages of figuring out exactly what star players - as well as role players - are worth in the rising cap world, players also seemingly have more agency in contract negotiations than ever before.
If a star player like Robertson wants big money - and he does, reportedly, want $14 million - and to go to a contender in the event that he is traded, that costs Dallas leverage in negotiations when teams won't trade for him if he's not interested in extending long-term. Allegedly, it's already happened with the Seattle Kraken and St. Louis Blues. So, they either need to open up to the possibilities of dealing him for less to a team he may not extend to or of waiting it out to the point that the asking price drops.
Teams were asking for top-10 picks prior to the draft. Without the assurance of guaranteed top-10 picks, first-rounders aren't necessarily quite as valuable later in the summer as they are before the draft. So, maybe, a player like him can be had for less if a team like the Penguins is willing to be patient with the process.
"I think we continue to work away at it," Dubas said. "As it's happened, you go in, and what I wanted to have was - maybe not so much late-20s - but in the range of some of the guys that have been moved. And, in past years, they haven't gone for that level of asset. There was multiple top-10 picks moved, which isn't overly common. So, for us, we would aspire to be involved in every one of those conversations, it's just that we didn't have a top-10 pick because of the season that the team had."
But, in order for players of that caliber to even want to come to Pittsburgh, the organization has to show a tangible effort and attitude toward winning. Balancing the priority to compete with the developmental window is a tough needle for the Penguins to thread, but going big-game hunting could marry those windows nicely.
If Dubas truly wants to bring in an elite talent, it may still be possible. But it will come with the understanding that gone are the days when players like this can be had for steals of deals. It's going to cost a lot, and that cost will continue to rise in the coming years - but some patience could be a virtue in certain situations such as Robertson's, where the desperation to trade into the top-10 isn't as much a factor later in the summer.
"I don't know that we'll pivot," Dubas said. "We'll continue to stay involved in all those discussions and see where it lands. But, it's still an area where we lack. We've got, obviously, the incredible veteran group that everyone here has known for two decades or more, and then we've got the forming of a good group of younger players. It's trying to find that 'in the middle' kind of bridge.
"And we'd love to have it done already, but it might be something that's later in the summer, or in the year, or next summer. We'll stay after it for sure."
Earlier this month, the Buffalo Sabres traded Michael Kesselring and the 27th overall pick of this year's draft to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for the 20th overall pick of this year's draft. Seeing Kesselring get moved was not surprising, as he struggled with the Sabres last season and had been the subject of trade rumors.
Now, Kesselring has landed his new contract with the Sharks, and he has gotten himself a nice payday.
According to PuckPedia, Kesselring has signed a three-year, $13.5 million ($4.5 million cap hit) deal with the Sharks.
When noting that Kesselring had a tough season for the Sabres, this is a good contract for him to land. The right-shot defenseman has gotten a significant raise from his previous $1.4 million cap hit and has landed himself some security by signing for three years.
Kesselring should now be a key part of the Sharks' blueline as they look to continue to trend in the right direction. With the Sharks' defensive depth not being strong, Kesselring should have a real shot of playing top-four minutes next season.
Kesselring was acquired by the Sabres this past off-season in the deal that sent JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth. In 34 games this past season with Buffalo, Kesselring had zero goals and two assists. This was after he set career highs with seven goals, 22 assists, and 29 points in 82 games.
Overall, the fit between the Sabres and Kesselring was just never there. The same can be said between Peterka and Utah, though, as the Mammoth traded the former Sabres winger to the Boston Bruins on Friday.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Nashville Predators signed forward Jack Drury to a five-year, $22.5 million contract on Sunday night, four days after he was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche.
The 26-year-old Drury had a career-high 10 goals last season and matched his personal best with 27 points while playing in all 82 regular-season games for the Avalanche.
He was acquired by the Predators on Wednesday along with forward Chase Bradley and a third-round pick in the 2029 NHL draft from the Avalanche for forwards Zachary L’Heureux and Fedor Svechkov.
“Jack Drury is a hard-working, reliable, full-sheet of the ice center who can handle the tough assignments while being elite in the faceoff circle,” Predators general manager and president of hockey operations Chris MacFarland said after the trade. “His addition to our forward group bolsters our depth in the middle of the ice, and we’re thrilled to have him.”
Drury established himself as one of the NHL's top faceoff players by winning 58.1% of his draws — the fifth-highest percentage among players who took at least 900 faceoffs last season. He also had three goals and two assists in 13 playoff games while helping the Avalanche reach the Western Conference Final.
Drury is the son of former NHL center Ted Drury and nephew of former NHL center and current New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury. He was a second-round draft pick of Carolina in 2018. When MacFarland was with Colorado as the Avalanche's GM, he acquired Drury from the Hurricanes in 2025.
In 268 career regular-season games, Drury has 30 goals and 52 assists and a 57.1 faceoff percentage.
