Category: NHL

Should Bruins trade or extend Pavel Zacha? Weighing pros and cons originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins have to make a decision on Pavel Zacha at some point over the next year.

The veteran forward has one more season left on his contract. He can become an unrestricted free agent in July of 2027.

The B’s need to determine whether it makes sense to give Zacha an extension or consider trading him.

The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported last Friday that the Bruins are “listening” to teams that call about Zacha.

“There’s a big difference between listening and wanting to move him, though,” LeBrun wrote.

“My understanding is that the Bruins’ top priority this summer is to extend Zacha if possible. That can happen as of July 1. He’s got one year left on his deal at a $4.75 million AAV and obviously will be looking for a raise after posting career bests with 30 goals and 65 points this past season. But how those talks go will be balanced with whether teams step up in a real way in trade talks.

“This is an intriguing situation to monitor, to say the least. So many teams are looking to upgrade at center, and some of them have called over the past week or so. Zacha has a no-trade list that allows him to say no to eight teams, and I’m told he submitted that list to Boston on April 1.”

Does it make more sense for the Bruins to trade Zacha or extend him? Let’s break down the pros and cons.

The case for trading Zacha

Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

The list of unrestricted free agent centers who could be available July 1 is pretty weak. In fact, if Zacha was a free agent this summer, he’d easily be the best center on the market. Boone Jenner is probably the best center who can be a UFA in July, and Zacha is absolutely better than him.

Centers are highly coveted. It’s a very important position. And with not many good ones seemingly available, it might make sense for the Bruins to capitalize on Zacha’s value because it might never be higher, especially when you consider he’s coming off a fantastic season in which he tallied career highs of 30 goals and 65 points.

The Florida Panthers traded forward Mackie Samoskevich to the Seattle Kraken last week in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick (No. 25 overall) and a conditional second-round pick. Samoskevich had a career-high 32 points last season — less than half of Zacha’s output. He’s also six years younger than Zacha, but the B’s forward is easily a better player right now.

That kind of package would be too low of value for Zacha. There’s zero point in trading him for future assets (like a late first-round pick) unless a team like the Winnipeg Jets, who need a second-line center, was willing to give up the No. 8 pick in this year’s draft. The No. 8 pick could allow the B’s to draft a potential franchise defenseman.

If trading Zacha could fetch a veteran right-shot defenseman with offensive skill, that would be worth considering as well. The Bruins desperately need another legit top-four defenseman on the right side of the blue line. If the B’s could trade Zacha as part of a package for a better center, that would be worth exploring, too. Red Wings captain and No. 1 center Dylan Larkin reportedly has requested a trade.

One argument for trading Zacha is if you don’t think it makes sense to give him a long-term extension with a potential salary cap hit in the range of $7-8.5 million. Charlie Coyle just signed for six years at $6 million per season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. It wouldn’t make sense for Zacha to take a penny less than that. Zacha is five years younger and more productive offensively than the 34-year-old Coyle.

Zacha has been a reliable 20-plus goal scorer for Boston, but he’s only hit the 30-goal mark once and he has scored only two goals in 31 career playoff games between the Bruins and Devils. He has consistently underwhelmed in the postseason.

Another reason to trade Zacha would be looking at the landscape in the Eastern Conference and determining the Bruins are unlikely to contend with teams such as the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres. But after making the playoffs this past season, it doesn’t seem that the B’s want to take a step back, even if that would make the most sense long term.

If the Bruins could upgrade at center in a Zacha trade, or acquire a lottery pick that would get them a top prospect, it should be considered.

The case for keeping and extending Zacha

The Bruins are already thin at center. Taking Zacha off the roster makes one of the team’s most glaring weaknesses even worse.

If Elias Lindholm was producing at a real top-six center level, then it would make more sense to cash in on Zacha’s value after his great season. But Lindholm, who signed a seven-year, $54.25 million deal just two years ago, has been a major disappointment.

Zacha is the Bruins’ best center. He centered a line with Casey Mittelstadt and Viktor Arvidsson — a trio which, according to MoneyPuck, ranked fifth in goals scored per 60 minutes (4.21) among all lines that played 350-plus minutes last season.

So if the B’s traded him without finding a comparable player or an upgrade at the position, it would make the offense worse next season.

Young forwards James Hagens and Fraser Minten have a ton of potential and could be top-six centers in the near future. But they aren’t performing to that level right now, and there’s no guarantee they will ever reach that level. If Hagens and/or Minten do reach their potential, the B’s could always slide Zacha into a third-line role.

Zacha has averaged 21 goals and 57 points in his first four seasons with the Bruins. He’s a reliable player. He’s not elite, but his floor is higher than most forwards on the roster. A healthy Zacha can be penciled in for 20-30 goals and around 60 points. That’s valuable for a team like the B’s that lacks a ton of offensive firepower.

Any extension for Zacha that carries a cap hit between $7-8 million wouldn’t be an albatross given how much the salary cap is supposed to rise over the next few years. He shows no signs of slowing down. He’s also very durable and hasn’t missed more than four games during any of his four seasons in Boston.

The biggest reason to keep Zacha is to contend with the core of David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman. Many of Boston’s best players are in the win-now stage of their careers:

• Morgan Geekie, LW, 27 years old
• Jeremy Swayman, G, 27
• Charlie McAvoy, D, 28
• Pavel Zacha, C/W, 29
• David Pastrnak, RW, 29
• Elias Lindholm, C, 31
• Nikita Zadorov, D, 31
• Hampus Lindholm, D, 32
• Viktor Arvidsson, LW, 33 (UFA this summer)

Trading Zacha for draft picks and/or prospects — assets that won’t make the 2026-27 roster better — does not give Pastrnak/McAvoy/Swayman the best chance to win in the short term.

Verdict

Keeping and extending Zacha makes the most sense for the Bruins unless they can trade him in a package for a better center or acquire a top 10 pick. He’s a good two-way player with enough versatility to be productive at center or on the wing.

The Ottawa Senators shook the NHL to its core on Father's Day, trading away their captain, Brady Tkachuk, to the Florida Panthers in exchange for the 9th overall pick, the 25th overall pick, a 2029 first-round pick, and a 2027 second-round pick.

The move ranks among the most seismic trades in recent memory. Tkachuk had two years left on his contract and was slated to hit free agency in 2028.

One Year After Noah Dobson, Another NHL Franchise Makes A Blockbuster Draft-Week TradeThe Florida Panthers shook the hockey world by acquiring Brady Tkachuk, sparking a sibling reunion and setting a high bar for value ahead of the draft.

There had always been noise about Tkachuk maybe not wanting to commit to Ottawa, or wanting to leave via free agency in 2028.

Publicly, Tkachuk always said the right things, declaring loyalty to Ottawa as its captain.

Still, behind closed doors, Tkachuk reportedly remained uncertain. According to Elliotte Friedman, when Senators General Manager Steve Staios met with Tkachuk and his camp following the end of this season to gauge interest in extending, there wasn't certainty.

The uncertainty was something Ottawa could not live with, and they quietly began exploring the market for him.

Tkachuk holds a full no-move clause, so he handpicked the usual suspects-Florida, Vegas, Minnesota, and Carolina-with almost everyone involved knowing he wanted to unite with his brother Matthew in Florida.

Staios received a massive haul for Tkachuk, setting Ottawa up to immediately acquire a game-changer to keep their opening window of contention going.

It's something out of an alternate universe for the New York Islanders.

Back in 2016, the Islanders had just won their first playoff series in over 20 years. The vibes were great, and the team felt like they were on an upswing.

That summer, talk quietly began in Canadian markets, specifically Toronto and Montreal, about John Tavares becoming a massive free-agent target in two years' time.

At the time, the New York Islanders dismissed it and kept trying to build upon the success of the 2015-16 season.

Tavares had a no-move clause, which was modified to a no-trade clause that kicked in on July 1, 2016.

Then, in 2016-17, the team missed the playoffs. The Islanders had one year until Tavares hit free agency. When then-general manager Garth Snow presented options, Tavares refused to commit to the Islanders. 

Publicly, Tavares said everything right. Behind closed doors, uncertainty grew. Tavares had a list of teams he would accept a trade to; there's no question.

Unlike Ottawa, the Islanders took their chances, hoping a strong 2017-18 season would convince Tavares to stay.

Instead, the team regressed even further. They held two first-round picks for the 2018 draft entering the season, thanks to the Travis Hamonic trade with the Calgary Flames at the 2017 Draft.

So, with renewed optimism and assets to dangle, the Islanders hoped 2017-18 would go well.

It did not. The Islanders were not in contention for the playoffs most of the season, but hung around just enough to leave a little doubt.

At the 2018 trade deadline, Tomas Tatar went for a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks. Evander Kane went for a 1st and a 4th. Ryan Hartman went for a 1st, 4th, and a prospect. 

Paul Stasney, the top center dealt on deadline day, went for a 1st, 4th, and a prospect.

Seven first-round picks changed hands at the 2018 deadline, with teams eager to wheel and deal.

The Islanders stood pat, and just months later, John Tavares walked away for nothing.

It was a total catastrophe for the Islanders, one that could've set the Islanders back for a very long time.

If not for a pair of Hall of Famers arriving that same summer in Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz, the Islanders could've seen their young core featuring the emerging Mathew Barzal, Brock Nelson, Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock, and more all go to waste.

While it all ended up working out ok for the Islanders, it's still worth thinking about what could have been had the Islanders stockpiled assets for Tavares, a player who would've fetched the Islanders two first-round picks and more just at the 2018 deadline, let alone a year or two in advance of free agency.

Ottawa, with their trade of Brady Tkachuk yesterday, claimed complete control of the situation this entire summer. 

No leaks, no hints this was coming.

Just a quiet, efficient business that ends with three first-round picks to go out and get a different playmaker, one who wants to make it work in Ottawa.

The Florida Panthers are a much scarier team than they were a week ago. The NHL was stunned on Sunday by the news that the Ottawa Senators were trading Brady Tkachuk to the Panthers in exchange for three first-round picks (two in 2026 and one in 2027), as well as a second-round pick in the upcoming draft. It’s a mammoth deal that unites the Tkachuk brothers on one team, gives Florida the scariest three-line offensive depth chart in the NHL, and seemingly puts them on a collision course with another Stanley Cup run. The near-universal reaction to the trade was some variation of “they’re going to be unbeatable for years.

Just one problem: the Stanley Cup isn’t won on paper. In making the deal, we have a Panthers team that is accentuating its strengths, but also opening up its weaknesses even further. They are now a team that is wholly reliant on a handful of superstars to get the job done, killing what little depth they had in the process. As easy as it is to opine that Florida is now “unbeatable,” they have some significant issues holding them back.

No. 1: What is this team doing in goal?

There is a mammoth question mark in net for Florida as they prepare for the 2026-27 season. Veteran legend Sergei Bobrovsky is coming off a down season, but still remains the best clutch playoff goaltender in the NHL by a significant margin.

The goaltending problem is compounded by the fact that backup Daniil Tarasov is also an unrestricted free agent. If the Panthers try to re-sign him it would be with the understanding that he would become the starter, which means he’s going to want starter money — and that’s an iffy prospect because Tarasov hasn’t neccesarily shown the ability to be “the guy” in net.

That brings us back to Bobrovsky, and any hopes that Florida would get him to take a hometown discount are out the window. Bob is reportedly looking for a multi-year, $42M deal at age 37, wanting something in the $6-7M AAV range is simply impossible for the Panthers, as is any dream of making another trade to somehow land Connor Hellebuyck from the Jets. That’s because …

No. 2: The Panthers have put themselves in a dangerous cap position

Florida was in good shape prior to the Brady Tkachuk trade to be able to make some smart deals and bolster their roster at several positions. Instead, this deal essentially made the Panthers stronger at their best position, without allocating resources to their other needs.

As it stands, the Panthers have $7.5M in open cap space and significant holes they need to patch. The goaltending is a mammoth problem, but so is their back-line depth. This Brady Tkachuk deal could have priced them out of both making a deal for Hellebuyck, as well as reliably retaining A.J. Greer — who will have suitors in the open market. This is compounded by the fact that they have now opened up multiple high-value prospects to being poached through RFA, with teams knowing the Panthers are in a vulnerable cap spot.

Ben Steeves showed enormous AHL promise this season while playing for the Charlotte Checkers. Steeves made his first All-Star Game and registered 45 points in 72 games. The 24-year-old forward figured to be part of the Panthers’ long-term plans, but now he could easily be signed for a mid-level contract that would put him out of range that Florida could match, but not give them great compensation either. The same could happen with Mikulus Hovorka.

If the Panthers want to actually solve their net problem by trading for Hellebuyck, it will require clearing salary. Reports are that the team nixed any discussion of Anton Lundell to the Senators in the Tkachuk deal, which could mean they intend to hold him for a separate trade — but that doesn’t sound great either from a roster perspective. Let’s assume they find a way to get Hellebuyck for Lundell (and something). They will have essentially traded one of the best young forechecking centers in the NHL for Brady Tkachuk, changing their forward dynamic — while getting only slightly better in goal. That seems like a really iffy tactic.

No. 3: … if they’re healthy

The huge caveat to the Panthers’ chances is “if they’re healthy.” It’s a refrain you tend to hear a lot when it comes to the Florida Panthers. They would have won this year “if they were healthy,” they will win for the next four years — “if they can stay healthy.”

Florida can’t stay healthy. This isn’t a genie that can be stuffed back in the lamp. Numerous skaters at numerous positions have established injury concerns, and the physical way the Panthers play isn’t going to make that easier.

Sam Bennett hasn’t played a full regular season in a decade. Matthew Tkachuk is still coming back from surgery. Brad Marchand was hurt in 2025-26, and he’s also 37-years-old. None of these are really issues in isolation, but there are going to be injuries when you go so profoundly all-in on stars while requiring them to play physical, Florida Panthers hockey.

Imagining a world where the Panthers are always healthy just isn’t a reality at this point. Will their injuries be as bad as last season? Probably not, but something will pop up and the depth has never been more thin than it is right now.

The Brady Tkachuk trade is a make-or-break for next season

Florida pushed all its chips to the middle, and they’re going for it. On paper, the roster looks absolutely terrifying, with the Panthers leveraging their winning pedigree and their state’s tax-free status to assemble a unit that nobody else could. The issue is that they have left themselves open on various fronts to see it all go up in smoke.

Brady Tkachuk is a good player, but he’s not his brother. The Panthers made a superstar-level trade for a player who isn’t a superstar. The hope is that Brady will have a Mitch Marner-esque breakout now that he has fresh scenery, but that is wishful thinking. The likelihood is that he will be a very good player for Florida and add to the team’s overall ethos — but it’s difficult to fall head-over-heels in love with the trade, considering what they have lost and will lose because of getting Brady Tkachuk.

Like any all-in deal: If they win the cup next year it’s worth it, anything less will have made this trade a failure.

A blockbuster trade hit the NHL world on Father’s Day with the Ottawa Senators sending Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers for a bundle of draft picks, including both of Florida’s first-round picks in this week’s draft. The former Ottawa captain joins his brother Matthew in Florida.

While the trade itself isn’t all that surprising, the timing of the move was never quite clear. Tkachuk has two years remaining on his seven-year, $57.5 million contract, so it wasn’t inevitable that Tkachuk would be moved this summer. But at some point, Ottawa got the message from Tkachuk and his agent.

In recent weeks, Tkachuk’s agent, Craig Oster of Newport Sports, had conversations with Senators general manager Steven Staios about the captain’s future. At some point, it was conveyed that Tkachuk wouldn’t look to re-sign with the team when his contract expires in 2028, and that the Senators should get ahead on trading their captain, according to The Athletic.

It’s a similar sentiment to the one conveyed to the Vancouver Canucks when they traded captain Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild in December. Had the Sens waited too long, they might’ve put themselves in a situation similar to the one the Rangers faced with Artemi Panarin, who began the 2025-26 season on the final year of his contract. The Rangers sent Panarin, who had a no-move clause, to the Los Angeles Kings in February for a lackluster return of prospect Liam Greentree and a conditional 2026 third-rounder.

Oster presented four teams where Tkachuk would consider accepting a trade: the Panthers, the Wild, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights, per The Athletic. Florida has one thing that the other three teams, while all very attractive destinations, cannot replicate, and that’s the presence of Matthew Tkachuk.

By making a move early, the Senators eliminate the possibility of locker-room distraction and potential turmoil surrounding their captain, and they develop for the future or have assets to play with in the trade market with multiple picks.

Tkachuk gets to play with his brother on a team that will surely be back in contention and leaves Canada, where he was booed in Edmonton and Calgary every time he touched the puck after returning from the Milan Olympics.

Tkachuk’s move is just the start of what is sure to be a busy summer around the NHL.

One of the Chicago Blackhawks' top needs this off-season should be to add another left-shot defenseman to their roster. It is clear that the left side of their blueline could use a boost as they look to take a step forward in 2026-27.

When looking at this year's pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs), Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ryan Shea stands out as an interesting potential option for the Blackhawks to consider. 

Shea just had a big breakout year for the Penguins in 2025-26, posting new career highs with six goals, 25 assists, 35 points, and a plus-30 rating in 80 games. With numbers like these, he would have the potential to be a nice pickup for a Blackhawks club that needs help on its blueline. 

Besides seeing a surge with his offense this season, Shea's steady defensive play also led to him receiving time on the Penguins' penalty kill. He could hold a similar role with the Blackhawks if signed as well.

Overall, with the Blackhawks needing some help on their blueline, it could make sense for them bring in Shea. He would give them an upgrade on their bottom pairing at a minimum, but he also could move up to to their top four if needed. 

Joe Sakic didn’t say much at the end of Colorado’s season—and in hindsight, that silence might have said plenty.

You can certainly credit Sakic for the way he handled the Avalanche’s end-of-season media availability earlier this month, especially in light of recent developments across the Stanley Cup Final picture.

Typically, at the end of a season—particularly for teams that fall short in the playoffs—you get the full medical rundown: the bumps, bruises, injuries that shaped the outcome but only come to light afterward. Sakic didn’t go there. No list. No explanations. No built-in caveats.

In hindsight, it was a deliberate and effective choice to keep the discussion of injuries as minimal as possible. No excuses. The message was straightforward: everyone is expected to be healthy heading into training camp, and that was the extent of it. Whether a team chooses to disclose injuries publicly is ultimately its prerogative. In Colorado’s case, the organization opted for discretion, even if it meant fewer storylines for the media and more room for speculation.

That context becomes more interesting given what the Vegas Golden Knights have since revealed about their own playoff health situation. By all accounts, they were dealing with significant injuries of their own.

Captain Mark Stone played through a torn adductor. William Karlsson underwent surgery for a broken wrist that ultimately sidelined him for the final game of the Stanley Cup Final, a 3-0 loss that clinched the championship for the Carolina Hurricanes. Defenseman Noah Hanifin was managing an upper-body injury that, under normal regular-season circumstances, likely would have kept him out for roughly two months. Brayden McNabb, according to both teammates and management, battled through multiple injuries during the playoff run, including the facial injury he sustained in Game 2 of the Final that quickly made the rounds on social media.

Yet much of the conversation following Vegas’ sweep of Colorado in the Western Conference Final centered on the Avalanche’s injuries. And to be clear, they were real and they mattered. Several key players were clearly playing through issues, including Cale Makar, Artturi Lehkonen, Brent Burns, Sam Malinski, and Nathan MacKinnon, who took a puck to the knee in Game 3 and was noticeably limited afterward. However, he was held scoreless in the series, marking the first time in his playoff career that had happened in a postseason matchup.

But that’s the point.

Vegas was dealing with injuries, too—those are simply the ones they chose to acknowledge publicly. And even then, the focus remained on core pieces, not the full scope of what depth players may have been battling through behind the scenes.

Injuries, however, weren’t the reason Colorado lost control of the series.

The Avalanche surrendered leads in two of the four games, including a 3-0 advantage in Game 3 that ultimately swung the series. At that level, against a team as structured as Vegas, those moments matter more than any post-series injury ledger.

As Jared Bednar noted several times throughout the postseason, that’s exactly what makes the Stanley Cup so unforgiving. It’s not just talent. It’s not just cap construction. It’s not even just surviving four rounds. Everything has to align at the right time.

“It’s partly why I think it is the hardest trophy to win just because of the grind of it all,” Bednar said. “Not only do you have to be good; you have to be healthy, you have to be lucky, you have to be tough, playing through injuries.

“You have to be mentally tough, too, because it is a grind every day; every game is a Game 7. Every game feels like it is Game 7 because you need to win it.”

That reality makes Colorado’s playoff exit even harder to reconcile when set against what was, by almost every measure, the strongest regular season in franchise history.

The 2025-26 Avalanche finished with a franchise-record 121 points, surpassing the mark set by the 2000-01 Stanley Cup-winning team. They also captured the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s top regular-season club and were dominant at both ends of the ice from start to finish.

Colorado led the league with 298 goals scored while allowing a league-low 197 goals against. Their plus-101 goal differential paced the NHL, and they finished first in both goals per game and goals against per game. On paper and over 82 games, no team was more complete.

That’s what makes the ending so difficult to process.

The Avalanche didn’t lose because they lacked talent. They didn’t lose because they weren’t an elite team. They lost a series where execution, structure, and in-game details ultimately decided outcomes—and Vegas, when it mattered most, was simply sharper in those moments.

In a playoff environment where margins are razor-thin, that’s often all the difference there is.

And if you're the Vegas Golden Knights, it came down to something much simpler: cleaner execution, tighter structure, and the ability to consistently take away the Avalanche’s biggest strengths when it mattered most.

But as the saying goes, there’s always next season.

When Mark Giordano’s 18-year playing career began to transition into its next phase, the veteran defenseman wasn’t entirely sure what the future held beyond his days on the ice.  

Although he hasn’t suited up for an NHL game since the 2023-24 campaign, the long-time blue-liner never formally announced his retirement from professional hockey. But after going unsigned through the 2024-25 season, the 42-year-old local product began to realistically map out his next steps in the game.  

That’s when Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brad Treliving—who shares a long history with Giordano dating back to their days with the Calgary Flames—reached out with an opportunity to join the organization's player development pipeline with the AHL's Toronto Marlies.  

“They called me a coaching advisor to start,” Giordano said.  

What initially looked like a part-time player development role, however, expanded at a rapid pace.  

Climbing the Coaching Ladder

Giordano immediately went to work mentoring the Marlies' young defensive corps—a natural fit for a man who won the Norris Trophy in 2019 and logged over 1,100 NHL games on the blue line. But a mid-season coaching shakeup within the organization accelerated his timeline.  

When the Maple Leafs parted ways with NHL assistant coach Marc Savard and promoted Marlies assistant Steve Sullivan to the big club, a vacant spot opened up on John Gruden’s bench in the American Hockey League. Giordano seamlessly slid into the role on a full-time basis.  

“I worked with the D a lot at the start of the year, I worked with the forwards and the power play at the end of the year. So I gained a lot of experience,” Giordano told The Hockey News amid the on-ice celebrations following the Marlies’ 2026 Calder Cup championship victory. “I think it was good for me to actually see it from a different point of view. I've always been on the D side my whole career. And I had a lot of fun. These guys were a cool group to be around and a really close group. I know everyone says that, but we really came together.”   

Winning the Ultimate Prize

Giordano’s resume as a player is incredibly decorated. In addition to his top-defenseman honors, he captured a Spengler Cup and earned a silver medal with Team Canada at the 2008 IIHF World Championship. Yet, outside of those short tournament formats, a major professional championship ring had always eluded the veteran during his lengthy NHL career.  

Mark Giordano hoists the Calder Cup. pic.twitter.com/DzGdy82fAR

— David Alter (@davidalter) June 20, 2026

That missing piece of the puzzle is exactly what made watching Giordano hoist the Calder Cup so unique.  

“I definitely have the coaching bug,” Giordano admitted. “I've played a lot of different roles, and I think that's where I can help these guys. I've played in the American League. I've been a healthy scratch. I've been a six-seven defenseman. I think my biggest asset to them is I've been in all those shoes.”   

What’s Next?

As the Marlies prepare to celebrate their AHL title with fans at Real Sports on Monday, questions will naturally shift to what the future holds for Toronto's coaching staff.  

With a Calder Cup now on his resume, a head coach like John Gruden will undoubtedly be in high demand for NHL bench vacancies down the road. But Giordano has quickly proven that he is far more than just a sounding board; he is a versatile mentor capable of contributing to all facets of the game.  

It should shock anyone to see Giordano flourish in his role behind the bench. There's a reason he was named the first captain in Seattle Kraken franchise history when he was claimed in the expansion draft.

At 42, Giordano is still incredibly young in coaching terms, and his passion for the whistle is undeniable. While jumping straight into an NHL head coaching gig might be a stretch at this stage of his second career, it shouldn't surprise anyone if he lands an NHL assistant coaching job sooner rather than later.

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Former Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet once preached about protecting the guts of the ice. He wasn't wrong — but eventually, you need players who can attack through the guts of the ice, too.

That's why the debate between Caleb Malhotra and Ivar Stenberg has become so fascinating.

The Canucks need more than another center to fix this. They need players who can drive play through the middle of the ice for the next decade.

That doesn't mean they should pick one this draft. 

Six months ago, this wasn't even a debate. If the Canucks landed the third-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, Stenberg always felt like the obvious choice.

Today, Malhotra's rise has made that decision far less straightforward.

But at the end of the day, the best player available is still the right choice.

In this case, that's Stenberg.

The Case for Caleb Malhotra

When people talk about Malhotra, the first thing they mention is that he's the best center in this draft. You could even argue he and Viggo Björck have the best chance to become long-term first- and second-line centers from this class.

Honestly, if the Canucks somehow managed to get both, that would be the dream scenario.

But that's a story for another day.

The reality is Vancouver still needs help down the middle. Elias Pettersson has looked closer to a 50-point center than the 90-point version from three years ago, Marco Rossi still needs to prove he can be a permanent 2C on a contender, Filip Chytil is coming off another significant injury, and Aatu Räty and Braeden Cootes are still developing.

That's exactly why the argument for Malhotra is so compelling.

Watching Malhotra, it's easy to see a player who impacts every area of the game. His hands are elite. His reaction time is outstanding. He has high-end vision, a legitimate NHL shot, and competes every single shift.

Malhotra separates himself away from the puck. He's relentless on the forecheck, strong on the backcheck, wins battles, and impacts the game without needing possession.

That's why the Dylan Larkin comparison makes sense — not because he skates like Larkin, but because of the role: a trusted, all-situations center who drives play through all three zones.

Even if Malhotra never reaches that level, his floor still looks outstanding. At worst, you're getting a high-end 2C. At best, a legitimate No. 1 center.

The Canucks would still be getting an outstanding player if they called his name.

Why Stenberg Still Gets the Edge

Here's where the argument shifts.

If Stenberg is still available when Vancouver picks third, that's the pick.

This isn't about drafting the best center — it's about drafting the best player available.

And that's still Stenberg.

Watching the Swedish winger, it's easy to find yourself rewinding the tape. Not because of what he did with the puck, but because of what he saw before everyone else did.

That's what stands out the most. Stenberg doesn't force offence; he creates it.

He arrives early, protects pucks, wins them back, extends possessions and always seems to stay one step ahead. Those are NHL habits, and they're why his game should translate.

There's real substance underneath the skill.

Many scouts believe Stenberg has the second-highest offensive ceiling in this draft behind Gavin McKenna.

That's what makes him so intriguing. You don't often find players who combine elite offensive upside with pro habits away from the puck. He's just as comfortable creating off the rush as he is extending possessions below the goal line.

That's the type of player every team spends years trying to find.

When drafting third overall, that's exactly the type of upside worth betting on.

Malhotra projects as the player every coach wants.

Stenberg projects as the player every opposing coach has to game plan for.

That's the swing worth taking.

One Final Wrinkle

One final wrinkle came when the San Jose Sharks, who currently hold the second-overall pick, acquired Michael Kesselring.

Kesselring doesn't eliminate Chase Reid going second-overall, but it does give the Sharks another NHL-calibre defenceman. If Kesselring stabilizes part of San Jose's blue line, the Sharks may be more willing to pivot away from a defenceman like Reid and target a dynamic forward instead. That decision could completely reshape Vancouver's draft board at No. 3.

If that happens, Stenberg's chances of reaching Vancouver probably become much slimmer.

Still, the chances of Stenberg falling to Vancouver are a whole lot better than McKenna falling to No. 3.

The Final Pick

The Canucks need a center.

They just shouldn't draft one if they believe the best player on the board is still Stenberg.

If Stenberg is the better player, then the answer is simple; take the best player, and figure out the next center later.

This team isn't one player away from contending in the first place. There will be other opportunities to address the middle of the ice through future drafts, trades, or player development. That's a much easier problem to solve than finding another game-breaking talent.

If Stenberg becomes the player many believe he can be, nobody in Vancouver will care that he wasn't a center.

They'll just be glad the Canucks drafted the best player available.

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

How The Canucks' 2025 NHL Draft Class Performed One Year After Selection: Part 2

How The Canucks’ 2025 NHL Draft Class Performed One Year After Selection: Part 1

Canucks Need To Be More Selective With Their No-Movement Clauses

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News Around the League

• Senators send captain Brady Tkachuk to Florida Panthers after he informed them he would not re-sign with the team. [Ottawa Citizen]

• Florida had made an earlier trade with the Seattle Kraken sending Mackie Samoskevich there for a first and second round pick. [Florida Panthers]

• What will replace Hockey Night in Canada? Women’s sports! [CBC]

• Jonathan Toews annnounces retirement after 16 seasons and three Stanley Cups. [NHL]

Colorado Avalanche News

• Zach Stortini named as ECHL expansion franchise (and new Avalanche minor league affiliate) New Mexico Goatheads’ first head coach. [Colorado Avalanche]
• ICYMI: Pros and Cons of Jared Bednar returning to the Avalanche bench. [MHH]
• The Avs have lost another depth player; this time to the KHL as reports are surfacing that indicate Zakhar Bardakov is leaving for Russia. [Denver Sports]
• Goodbye Ross Colton as he is now a member of the Nashville Predators reuniting with former Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland. [Sportsnet]

Ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft, the New York Islanders completed a blockbuster trade with the Montreal Canadiens. 

Defenseman Noah Dobson was dealt for the No. 16 and No. 17 picks, along with pending restricted free agent Emil Heineman.

On Sunday, we saw our first blockbuster trade of this draft season. 

The Florida Panthers acquired Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for No. 9 and No. 25 in this year's draft, a 2029 first-round pick (top-10 protected), and a 2027 second-round pick.

Panthers Acquire Brady Tkachuk From Ottawa In Blockbuster Trade Florida weaponizes newfound draft capital to unite the Tkachuk brothers in Sunrise, fortifying a championship roster for another aggressive pursuit of NHL dominance.

The two deals aren't comparable, in the slightest, but it is interesting to look at value.

Dobson, despite being overrated by many within the Islanders' fan base, is an offensive defenseman who recorded a 70-point season at age 24 before a down season. 

He was also a pending restricted free agent who forced general manager Mathieu Darche to trade him after the two sides couldn't agree on a contract extension, before he inked an eight-year deal worth $9.5 million annually. 

Tkachuk, who won gold with his brother Matthew representing Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics, is a three-time 30-goal scorer, a now former captain, and some teams hate to play against him given his grit. 

In terms of the returns, there's no question Darche got back a lot for Dobson, especially given the little leverage he did have.

Victor Eklund, who they took at No. 16, and Kashawn Aitcheson, who they took at No. 17, are likely big pieces of their future alongside Calder winner Matthew Schaefer. 

Tkachuk's package is significantly stronger, even if Senators fans don't see it that way right now.

While general manager Steve Staois didn't have leverage and Florida was really the only team he was going to go to, despite having the Vegas Golden Knights and the Carolina Hurricanes as options, he also didn't have to trade Tkachuk at this moment. 

He had two seasons left at $8.205 million annually, and Staios could have forced his star to add more teams to his willing-to-be-traded-to list like Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman did with Dylan Larkin. 

Obviously, Brady's dream was to play with Matthew, and with NTC handed out like candy, he made that a reality. 

Honestly, is it fair to say that Ottawa got back what Tkachuk is worth if not more?

We are talking about three first-round picks and a second-round pick, with a few of them likely on the move to add a top-six scorer like Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson or St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou. 

The real question is, how many more blockbuster trades are coming before Friday's NHL Draft?

After the Toronto Maple Leafs hired Jim Hiller as their head coach on Wednesday, the opportunity for other candidates to lead the team from behind the bench expired, and that includes Joe Pavelski.

Pavelski, a former star NHL center who played for the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars, was surprisingly in the running for the Maple Leafs' coaching vacancy, despite never having a role on an NHL coaching staff.

In the aftermath of being considered for the head coach job in Toronto, Pavelski spoke on the process of interviews and what it was like being contacted by the Leafs regarding the role.

"It was awesome, it was interesting," Pavelski told The Athletic. "When I got the call, if I had interest in the job, yeah, I mean, it’s Toronto. It kind of takes your breath away to be thought about as a head coach. So it definitely had my attention."

Though Pavelski has never coached in the NHL, the Maple Leafs were seriously considering Pavelski's services behind the bench as he was reported to be one of the few remaining candidates for the job.

Report: Joe Pavelski Confirms Ongoing Process With Maple Leafs For Head Coach RoleAfter multiple reports of Joe Pavelski being in the running to be the next head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the former NHL star has confirmed those reports himself.

"After they first reached out, I took a couple of days to think about it," he said. "It’s a process you definitely want to go through and see how it really looks. I have so much respect for what these coaches do, and that’s one of the reasons you really have to look at it. You know the time they put into it and the care they put into it and everything that comes with it. "I definitely wanted to follow up on the process and see where it went."

Since retiring from the NHL in 2023-24 has found some time to coach. This past year, he led the Madison Capitols U-15 AAA team, coaching his son, Nate.

The Montreal Canadiens hired Martin St-Louis, who had only experience coaching his son at the youth level, too.

Since then, St-Louis has had success in Montreal as its bench boss, making the possible hire of Pavelski in Toronto all the more sensible. 

What Will Jim Hiller Bring To The Maple Leafs, What Could Make Him A Good Fit?Looking at Jim Hiller's head coaching history with the Los Angeles Kings, what will he bring to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and what makes him a good fit?

Even Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour just led his team to the 2026 Stanley Cup. He also had a successful playing career and was able to transfer his knowledge to coaching and relate with his players.

"Even to have that opportunity (of interviewing with the Leafs), I probably owe Marty St-Louis a big thank you, or to Rod, for what those guys have done and what they’ve meant to their teams," he said. "Those guys have done a tremendous job. And you definitely see how it might benefit you in some ways."

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

“I can’t promise any fireworks for the Devils this week, but there is potential for some in the lead-up to the draft and at the draft on Friday and Saturday. Devils’ ownership hired Mehta to make some changes, and I expect we’ll see some as the week moves along.” [Devils on the Rush]

“Knies isn’t the player that most think he is, a sort of Brady Tkachuk-lite — he’s a lot closer to Mercer than he is to those upper-echelon power wingers. The Devils are much better off sending a premier package for a legitimately premier player, one who has the capability to impact the game positively without being carried by his linemates.” [Devils’ Advocates]

Hockey Links

Well that’s certainly one way to kick off the week:

Darren Raddysh heads to the Leafs:

Mackie Samoskevich heads to the Kraken:

Jason Dickinson gets a five-year deal in Edmonton:

“The Stanley Cup has been passed out, and the sprint toward NHL free agency begins. It’s no secret that the unrestricted free agent Class of 2026 is relatively underwhelming, but the news leading up to July 1 isn’t all bad for prospective shoppers.” [Daily Faceoff]

“The NHL’s skyrocketing salary cap has made it much easier for teams to trade away overpriced contracts — provided the remaining term isn’t too long — compared to the flat-cap era. Gone are the days when a team like Calgary paid Montreal a first-round pick in the summer of 2022 for taking on just the final year of Sean Monahan’s $6.375 million cap hit.” [The Athletic ($)]

“The Winnipeg Jets face a franchise-altering decision regarding Connor Hellebuyck. Do they keep their franchise goaltender, who is on the short list for best in the world? Or do they cash in on a potential bidding war that his sudden availability would create? There are cases to be made for both courses of action.” [The Athletic ($)]

“The Hockey Hall of Fame Selection Committee meets Monday to vote on the Class of 2026, with an announcement to follow in the afternoon. The list of candidates is long, led by a six-time Selke Trophy winner in his first year of eligibility, an Olympic gold-medal winning goalie in his second year of eligibility, and the fourth person to win the Stanley Cup as a captain and coach of the same franchise. So, who are the top candidates to become Hall of Famers next year?” [NHL.com]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

Knowing what we know about Kyle Dubas draft tendencies, who could be some targets for the Pittsburgh Penguins with the 22nd pick at Friday night’s NHL draft?

It’s a loaded question to consider, since Dubas is always active in terms of desire to move up or down in the draft. His real target could be different from the pick that the Pens currently possess.

Assuming he stays in the neighborhood, who are some players in this pool that tend to fit the profile they like?

To determine that, we’ll stick with Corey Pronman’s player profiles and check in on the three first round picks from last year. As determined in the link above, Dubas frequently has selected forwards in the first round so for today we’ll narrow the focus to just that position.

On Kindel’s pre-draft report, Pronman wrote in part: “Kindel was one of the best forwards in the WHL this season. He’s small but checks every other box you want. He’s a very good skater with the first few steps and top speed to play at the higher levels. He’s a skilled, creative offensive player who sees the ice well and has scored in large numbers in junior”

Bill Zonnon was the second pick last year for Pittsburgh, from Pronman again: “Zonnon checks a lot of boxes NHL teams will be looking for. He’s a big, fast center with a skating stride that will easily translate to the NHL. He has good stick skills and can create offense on the move.”

Finally, Will Horcoff was the last first round pick for the Pens where last year Pronman wrote: “He left midseason to join Michigan where his game took off from that point, making a real difference for his team at the college level as a U18 player. He’s a very skilled big man who can make small-man-type plays in tight areas. He sees the ice at a high level and has a creative offensive mind.”

–

This doesn’t necessarily narrow things down, since many first rounders tend to carry similar traits, but the Pens ended up nabbing players with plus puck skills and who tended to be very productive players. That wasn’t a hard and fast rule since Horcoff was a projection pick, but in all three cases some similarities emerge for small-area players who excel in thinking the game and show skill at the lower levels.

It can be pointed out that the Penguins still selected three players with three different profiles. Kindel was an ultra-productive center/wing combo from the WHL that was seen as undersized. Zonnon was a big-body, high-motor type from Quebec and Horcoff was a massive player with offensive intrigue and a longer development curve. Other than all being forwards there wasn’t too much exact commonality on the styles.

Here’s some players that fit that type of general mold this time around.

Liam Ruck

Pronman says: “Ruck is a dangerous scoring winger. He’s a very slick and intelligent player who creates a lot with the puck. His pure athletic tools don’t jump out: he’s not that big, and he’s a below-average skater. He does work hard, though, and gets to the hard areas to generate offense, earning his coach’s trust consistently.”

In a lot of ways, Ruck sounds like Kindel in the pre-draft process, not that anyone would be expecting Ruck to play in the NHL next season. Ruck produced 104 points in the WHL last year, Kindel put up 99 points in that league in his draft year. There’s differences in position with Ruck being exclusively a winger and Kindel offering center ability but their frames (almost 6’ and 177 pounds for Ruck, 5’10 and 176 in the pre-draft process for Kindel) are the same. Kindel finished ranked 21st in Central Scouting’s NA skater ranking, Ruck checked in at 20th this year.

Kindel wasn’t expected to be selected 11th overall and taking Ruck 22nd would be slightly on the high-end of his most common projections, though he is generally seen as an expected late-first round pick. The main area to consider might be that Ruck is only going to project as a wing, and there are slight knocks on how his skating will translate. (Some might remember similar questions in the process with Kindel, which mostly looked unfounded from the get go).

JP Hulbert

Pronman: “Hurlbert is a very skilled scoring winger. He’s very creative and dynamic as a puck handler and passer while also having a good shot. With the puck, he looks like an NHL player, but his effort level and speed are average, and he can be pushed to the outside too easily”

A lot of the notes above about Ruck/Kindel apply equally to Hulbert. It’s another case of a creative, not large but talented forward (nearly 6’ and 183 pounds) from the WHL, who again was productive with 97 points in his draft year. Dobber Hockey said of Hulbert, “an offense-minded forward who is committed to playing at both ends of the ice with excellent puck-handling ability and a great wrist shot”, which again, sounds very much like Kindel’s reports coming out of the WHL.

Hulbert played on the same Kamloops team that Harrison Brunicke did – and sometimes as a center- he’ll be a player the Pens are well aware of. Hulbert, ranked 12th as NA skater by CSB, has a pre-draft expectation in most places to go in the 18-24 range, so if he’s even available at 22 that would be right in-line with where most are expecting that he comes off the board on draft night.

Nikita Klepov

Pronman: “Klepov is a highly skilled and intelligent winger. He has the ability to run a pro power play and make difficult plays consistently at the next level. He’s a solid skater who can generate chances with pace. His effort level is fine, although he’s not that physically imposing ”

Klepov (a league-high 97 points in the OHL) fits the mold of Ruck/Hulbert as well as an offensive winger. His puck skills and production are his calling cards that would be well within the norms of the type of player that Pittsburgh has targeted with high picks lately. There’s a chance Klepov, the eighth ranked NA skater, could be selected in the first 21 picks, which could become an issue for Pittsburgh sitting at 22, barring a move up the board via trade.

Jack Hextall

Pronman: “Hextall is a skilled center with excellent offensive sense. He’s a slick playmaker who executes difficult passes with consistency. He’s a diligent pivot who can play both ways and doesn’t shy away from going into traffic. His skating is solid, albeit not a standout trait”

Hextall, no relation to the former general manager, breaks the mold of the players listed above who could be seen as Kindel-esque types of profiles. Hextall is more along the lines of a Horcoff/Zonnon mashup as a center that hasn’t been a prolific scorer but one that will require more patience and development time. The Pens have prioritized boosting their centers, which might be the call again early in the draft. Unlike a prospect like Ruck or Klepov, Hextall isn’t seen as a prospect with a power play-type of future in the NHL at this point. Pronman listed a comparable as Peyton Krebs, who has at least made the NHL and scored 39 points last season. Hextall probably wouldn’t be a home run type of pick, but if the Pens are looking to make a solid choice that seems like a sturdy chance of becoming an NHL player of some sort, he could add value and depth to the center position down the line.

Casey Mutryn 

Pronman: “Mutryn is a hardworking, physical 6-foot-3 winger. He’s a good skater who can play at an NHL tempo and carry pucks up ice competently at the top level. His offensive game has developed more than expected. He has some puck skills and scoring touch.”

Mutryn’s profile sounds a lot like a bigger version of Rutger McGroarty, a prospect the Pens didn’t draft but traded for early in his development cycle. Both Mutryn and McGroarty were Team USA captains at their respective U-18 WJC’s. Mutryn would break past tendencies since he is known more for size and rugged play a bit more than short area work but sounds like the type of player that would fit right into some of the desires Dubas has skated to create a big, aggressive team in the future. Mutryn isn’t always seen as a first round lock in mock drafts, but the Pens do have another pick high in the second round (39th overall) and may even look to trade down and move back a few spots from their first pick at 22. If they’re super sweet on Mutryn, moving down to get an extra pick might mean angling for taking him a little later on. Then again, the Pens had no problem ranking (and actually drafting) someone like Kindel 10-20 picks higher than a lot of his pre-draft expectations, so Mutryn shouldn’t be ruled out straight up at 22 if he is a player Pittsburgh wants that much.

—

Of course, Dubas and the Pens could always easily decide to veer in another direction and target a defenseman with their first pick, later in the week we’ll take a look at yet more candidates that make sense as possibilities in their draft range. The need within the organization is certainly there for any way that want to go when it comes to identifying who the best pro available could be when they pick. The five names above would be fitting options but when a team picks deep in the first round there could be any number of ways they decide to go, with what happens before they pick sure to influence the night as well.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram is one of the NHL's top trade candidates to watch this off-season. He is entering the final season of his contract in 2026-27 and could be a player Buffalo moves if extension talks between him and the Sabres do not go well.

With Byram being a 25-year-old top-four defenseman coming off a strong season, there is no question that several teams would love to acquire him. Now, a few suitors have been named for the Sabres blueliner.

According to The Fourth Period, the Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks, and San Jose Sharks are linked to Byram at this stage of the off-season.

The Flyers have long been connected to Byram, and it makes sense when noting that they could use another high-impact left-shot defenseman. Furthermore, with Byram being just 25 years old, he would be an excellent fit on a Flyers club that is on the rise. 

Byram would be a strong pickup for the Ducks as well. With Byram being able to play both sides, he could help the Ducks out tremendously if they acquired him. Keep in mind, the Ducks are entering the summer with Jacob Trouba, John Carlson, and Radko Gudas all as pending UFAs. 

As for the Sharks, it is no secret that they need to continue to improve their blueline. They recently acquired Michael Kesselring from the Sabres, but they still need serious help on defense. Bringing in a young blueliner with plenty of skill, like Byram, would make a lot of sense for them because of it.