Category: NHL

June 29, 2016, will forever remain a big day in NHL history. On that day, two blockbuster trades took place, and one NHL star announced he would be remaining with the only team he ever played for. At 3:34 PM, the New Jersey Devils announced that they had acquired Taylor Hall from the Edmonton Oilers in return for Adam Larsson, and just 20 minutes later, the Montreal Canadiens announced that they had acquired blueliner Shea Weber from the Nashville Predators in exchange for P.K. Subban. Just three minutes later, news came that Steven Stamkos had signed a new contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

In Montreal, the second announcement took the spotlight. While Subban will always remain a polarizing figure with Canadiens’ fans, there is no denying that when he played for the Habs, he was an extremely entertaining player. Not only because of his persona, but because of his playing style. He was one of the few players of the Carey Price era who were first and foremost about offense. When he took flight in his own zone and carried the puck to the other end of the ice, the Bell Centre would buzz with excitement. When Lane Hutson started his career with the Habs, he was the first defenseman since Subban to generate that kind of buzz with his exciting manoeuvres all over the ice.

Former Canadiens Player Held Retirement Weekend
Were The Canadiens Draft Losers?
Canadiens Fans Shower Gallagher With Gifts

When Marc Bergevin traded the blueliner to the Preds, Subban had spent seven seasons in Montreal, skating in 434 games, putting up 278 points, and winning the James Norris Trophy as the league's best defenseman after the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. In 42 games that season, he put up 38 points. In his final season in Montreal, the flashy rearguard put up 51 points in 68 games as his season ended early because of an injury suffered in what would turn out to be his final game as a Hab on March 10, 2016, against the Buffalo Sabres. He had spent 29:55 on the ice before being taken off the ice on a stretcher following a collision with Alexei Emelin. Needless to say, that wasn’t how he had pictured his time with the Canadiens ending.

Subban would play only six more seasons in the NHL, three with the Predators and three with the New Jersey Devils, before retiring. As for Shea Weber, he played just five seasons with the Canadiens before being forced to retire by injuries. In his five years in Montreal, Weber only skated in 275 games out of a possible 373 games and put up 146 points, including 58 goals.

Weber had a rugged style of play and could land some game-altering hits on opponents all over the ice, providing a much more physical presence than Subban ever did, a style better suited to the Bergevin brand of hockey. The big defenseman also had a booming shot from the blueline, which became the Canadiens’ default play on the power play. While Weber could never lead the Canadiens to their 25th Stanley Cup conquest, he did captain them to the Stanley Cup final in his final season, in 2020-21. Although no one knew back then, when the Lightning beat the Canadiens in five games, the curtain fell on Weber’s career. He played with a torn meniscus, a broken ankle, torn thumb tendons, and a torn groin. It was when Weber was left unprotected for the expansion draft that doubts about his future surfaced, before the GM announced in October 2021 that he would sit out the season and may never play again. Which unfortunately turned out to be true.

In the end, the trade that promised to alter both franchises for years to come saw both players retire earlier than anyone thought, but both athletes will forever hold a special place in Canadiens’ fans hearts; one for being a rare offensive bright spot and giving so much to the city and the other for getting the Habs nearer to the Cup than they had been since 1993, when they won their 24th.

---

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

Subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. 

Key takeaways from Bruins' 2026 NHL draft class, JJ Peterka trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins, for the first time since 2023, did not make a first-round pick.

They entered the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft on Friday with the No. 23 overall pick, but they traded it as part of a package to acquire left wing JJ Peterka from the Utah Mammoth.

The B’s ended up making seven picks by the end of Saturday.

Let’s look at a couple key takeaways from Boston’s 2026 draft class:

JJ Peterka gamble was worth taking

The odds of the Bruins drafting and developing a player as talented or better than JJ Peterka with the No. 23 overall pick was low. Therefore, trading for the speedy top-six left wing and giving up the No. 23 pick and the Panthers’ 2028 first-rounder (top-10 protected) was a risk worth taking.

Peterka is dangerous off the rush and should be a consistent 30-goal scorer in Boston, especially if he plays alongside David Pastrnak.

“He’s got an elite shot,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney told reporters Friday night. “Probably gives us another look on the elbows in a power-play situation. His power-play minutes dipped a little bit last year. His 5-on-5 production has been really good. Plays both wings. Could probably play with a couple different types of centers, help drive a line, but also complement the better guys in situations that we’re certainly trying to improve.”

Peterka is only 24 years old, too, so he can help the B’s win now and be part of the team’s next core. He’s also signed through 2029-30 with a reasonable salary cap hit of $7.7 million.

Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Taking goalie in second round was bold

The Bruins need more forwards with speed and skill, and there’s a severe lack of high-end talent on the blue line in their prospect pool (more on that below). So it was surprising that Boston decided to take Russian goalie Yury Ivanov with the No. 56 overall pick in the second round.

Not only that, Ivanov wasn’t even one of the highest-rated goalies in this class. NHL Central Scouting had him ranked 10th among international goalies.

The B’s were well-aware of these rankings, but they like Ivanov’s potential.

“Certainly we’re cognizant of the public lists and what’s out there, but for us, we’ve got to look at the attributes and value the players the way we value them. We had the opportunity to watch him play live a number of times,” Bruins director of amateu scouting Ryan Nadeau told reporters Saturday. “We watched him on video, we tracked him. Certainly as the year went on, we got a little bit more excited about his game…We’re just really excited about where his game could get to.”

The Bruins have plenty of depth in net. Jeremy Swayman was a Vezina Trophy finalist this past season and is only 27 years old. His contract runs through the 2031-32 season. Michael DiPietro is coming off a fantastic campaign for the AHL’s Providence Bruins in which he went 34-8-1 with a .930 save percentage. He’s also just 27 and deserves a chance at the backup job in Boston at some point.

Even if the point of the Ivanov pick was to give Boston depth at the position well into the future, it felt odd to use the Bruins’ most valuable pick in this draft (after trading No. 23 overall on Friday) on a player who might not step onto the TD Garden ice for many more years.

In fairness, the Bruins develop goalies better than most teams, but they had much more glaring roster needs to address in Round 2.

Bruins waited too long to take a defenseman

The No. 1 weakness in the Bruins’ prospect pool is a lack of skilled defensemen. If you look at their top 10 prospects, Frederic Brunet is the only defenseman who would make the list, and he’s not a slam dunk to have a successful NHL career.

The Bruins didn’t take a defenseman in this draft until the fifth round. They selected Jacob Vandeven at No. 157 overall. It was another reach.

#NHLBruins select Jacob Vandeven 157th overall. I ranked him 307th overall. pic.twitter.com/CyhJAlu8GM

— Patrick Bacon (@TopDownHockey) June 27, 2026

Vandeven does have an intriguing skill set and physical profile. He became a full-time defenseman this past season. He’s 6-foot-6 and 207 pounds, and he does bring some offensive ability to the ice. There’s definitely some potential there.

But when blue line depth is a major weakness in your prospect pool and you don’t take a defenseman until Round 5 (and then again in Round 7), that’s not a great outcome.

Zero centers drafted

The Bruins have made a strong effort in recent seasons to find a top-six center through the draft. They selected James Hagens at No. 7 overall in the first round last year, as well as his Boston College teammate Dean Letourneau in Round 1 in 2024. Both players had fantastic 2025-26 seasons for the Eagles.

In total, the Bruins drafted four centers in 2025, two in 2024, two in 2023 and three in 2022. So it wasn’t too surprising that the B’s focused on other positions this year.

Early grades are not promising

Here’s a roundup of Bruins draft class grades. They haven’t received high marks so far.

Corey Pronman, The Athletic: C

“After trading its first-round pick, Boston was limited in what it could walk away with. Nils Bartholdsson in the third round brings some interesting traits, and I liked Oscar Olsson where the Bruins got him. I could see one depth player emerging, or Yuri Ivanov getting some games as a backup goalie.”

Rachel Kryshak, ESPN: C+

“Acquiring a proven NHL player is almost always better than taking a chance with a draft pick. JJ Peterka is who the Bruins opted for, sending a first-round pick to Utah in the deal. Yuri Ivanov is a very young goaltender who is going to take time but has solid NHL potential. Oscar Olsson is a decent bet in the fourth round with potential.

“The Bruins might not get any NHL players from their draft class, but using their first pick as part of a package to acquire a proven talent is good business for where the team is in its competitive window.”

David St-Louis, Elite Prospects: C-

“Yuri Ivanov may have carried Spartak Moskva to the MHL finals, but our team didn’t believe much in his upside due to play-reading and postural issues, giving him late-round value. Boston is banking on athleticism with that selection.

“For our staff, their most exciting pick was Roberto Leonardo Henriquez, who we ranked at No. 71 and went 170th. The dynamic-skating goaltender became a high-end puck stopper in the USHL, and has the tools to be an undersized NHL tandem-level goalie.”

(Click the link above for St-Louis’ full analysis)

Bruins still in good shape for future drafts

The Bruins own all of their future first-round picks, and they’ll also get a 2027 or 2028 first-round pick from the Maple Leafs to complete the Brandon Carlo trade.

They also picked up an extra fourth-rounder in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. The B’s sent the Penguins a 2026 fourth-round pick (No. 111 overall) for a 2026 sixth-rounder (No. 170 overall) and the Winnipeg Jets’ 2027 fourth-rounder.

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.

REFERENCES:

• Tony is back. It’s fine.
• Welcome to the newest Islanders including extra large Malte Gustafsson and late trade Ryan Healey.
• Luke Fox really let his galaxy brain do the walking on this one.

---

Subscribe to our Patreon! Members get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Or follow us for free to get announcements and our weekly release calendar. Try a free 7-Day trial of our Country Club tier to sample what we offer.

---

PLUGS!

• Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research.
• The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena.
• Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion.
• Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN).

Theme song: “Morning Haze” by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music on Spotify.

---

Please subscribe, download, rate, review or spread the word about Islanders Anxiety, Weird Islanders: The Podcast! and all of our podcasts any way you can. All of it helps to raise the show’s profile and maybe could get us another fancy sponsor to sell out to in the near future. Leave us a five star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

All Islanders Anxiety podcasts are available on:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Amazon Music
• Audible.com
• I Heart Radio
• YouTube and YouTube Music
• And everywhere podcasts are found

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.

Nonetheless, there are still opportunities for enhancement in terms of Toronto's roster, and after McKenna was officially introduced as a member of the Maple Leafs, an idea sparked.

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?

Maple Leafs GM John Chayka Leaves Door Open On Goaltending Upgrade Ahead Of NHL Free Agency, What About Sergei Bobrovsky?Maple Leafs GM John Chayka isn't ruling out a goaltending upgrade before July 1 and with $22 million in cap space and Sergei Bobrovsky hitting the open market. Maple Leafs GM John Chayka isn't ruling out a goaltending upgrade before July 1 — and with $22 million in cap

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.

The potential addition of Kane would give the Maple Leafs a top-six forward group that could look something like this:

Gavin McKenna - Auston Matthews - Patrick Kane

Matthew Knies - John Tavares - William Nylander

Ranking The Likelihood Of Each Maple Leafs RFA Signing A Contract ExtensionToronto Maple Leafs GM John Chayka has some housekeeping on the cards this summer, with four players becoming RFAs as of July 1. Here is a ranking of the likelihood of each RFA signing a contract with the Leafs.

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.

See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source

---

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.

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. 

Colorado Avalanche News

• The Colorado Avalanche selected nine players in the 2026 NHL Draft. [Colorado Avalanche]

• Joe Sakic praises Nichushkin after trade, Avs ‘don’t win Cup’ without him. [Denver Sports]

• Predators acquire forward Ross Colton in trade with Avalanche. [Sportsnet]

• Bruins acquire Ivan Ivan from Avalanche for Fabian Lysell. [TSN]
• Drury traded to Predators by Avalanche. Colorado receives forwards Svechkov, L’Heureux; Nashville also gets Bradley, 3rd-round pick. [NHL]
• The Predators sign recently acquired Jack Drury to five-year contract with a $4.5 million annual average value. [Sportsnet]
• Brent Burns signs on for another season with the Avalanche. [The Hockey News]
• Joe Sakic already making big deals, bringing back veterans in return to Avalanche GM role. [KDVR]

News Around the League

• Maple Leafs make forward Gavin McKenna first pick of NHL draft. [CBC]

• Joe Iginla out to prove ‘haters’ wrong after Calgary Flames draft son of franchise legend Jarome. [Calgary Herald]

• More Evidence Emerges of Senators’ Locker Room Rift With Brady Tkachuk. [PFSN]

Sharks sign defenseman Michael Kesselring to a three-year, $13.5M contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• 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.

Rep'd by Matt & Ryan Keator WIN Hockey…

— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) June 29, 2026

The Sharks acquired the 6-foot-5 right-hander and the No. 27 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft from the Buffalo Sabres on Jun. 17, in exchange for the No. 20.

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.

Read the full article at San Jose Hockey Now

Download and follow the San Jose Hockey Now podcast

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. 

TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported later that Malenstyn's six-year deal will come with a $2.9167 M AAV.

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. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay up to date on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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 on the article below on THN.com or by creating your own post in our community forum.

Going into Wednesday, the official marking date of the NHL's free agency period, the Toronto Maple Leafs have $22.28 million in salary cap space.

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.

Maccelli previously earned $3.425 million against the salary cap on what was a three-year contract. A qualifying offer for him would cost $4.11 million.

Maple Leafs GM John Chayka Leaves Door Open On Goaltending Upgrade Ahead Of NHL Free Agency, What About Sergei Bobrovsky?Maple Leafs GM John Chayka isn't ruling out a goaltending upgrade before July 1 and with $22 million in cap space and Sergei Bobrovsky hitting the open market. Maple Leafs GM John Chayka isn't ruling out a goaltending upgrade before July 1 — and with $22 million in cap

3. Nick Robertson, LW

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.

Report: Maple Leafs Interested In Reunion With Left Winger Mason MarchmentThe Toronto Maple Leafs, among "several other clubs," have shown interest in Columbus Blue Jackets left winger Mason Marchment. Acquiring the 31-year-old would mark a reunion for Marchment and the Leafs.

2. Jacob Quillan, C

Fresh off a Calder Cup-winning campaign with the AHL's Toronto Marlies, Quillan will be looking to jump right back into contention for the NHL lineup next year.

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.

Are The Marlies Staff, Players Destined For Maple Leafs And NHL Roles?: Comparing This Year's Marlies To The 2018 Calder Cup ChampionsWith the Toronto Marlies advancing to the Calder Cup final, how does this team compare to the 2018 Calder Cup champions, and what staff members or players are destined for the NHL?

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.

Why The Maple Leafs Traded Goaltender Samuel Ersson To SenatorsHere's why the Toronto Maple Leafs flipped the rights to goaltender Samuel Ersson to the Ottawa Senators just 10 days after acquiring him from the Philadelphia Flyers.

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.

See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source

---

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

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…

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 26, 2026

“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

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) June 28, 2026

Rangers bet on Pavel Dorofeyev:

7 years x $11M AAV for Pavel Dorofeyev after being dealt from Vegas to the New York Rangers, per Pierre LebBrun pic.twitter.com/N0G6UPjW0Z

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) June 27, 2026

DOROFEYEV IS HEADED TO THE BIG APPLE 🗽

Pavel Dorofeyev is the newest member of the @NYRangers!

Powered by @SAPpic.twitter.com/cePHZ7nekD

— NHL (@NHL) June 27, 2026

Mason McTavish heads to St. Louis:

THE BLUES LAND MCTAVISH 🎶

The @StLouisBlues acquire Mason McTavish from the @AnaheimDucks for two first round-picks in the 2026 #NHLDraft!

Powered by @SAPpic.twitter.com/mKESCy1bjD

— NHL (@NHL) June 27, 2026

“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]

More draft grades: [Daily Faceoff] [The Athletic ($)]

A cool moment for the Iginla family:

All of Jarome Iginla's kids have now been drafted into professional hockey 😳🏒

Joe Iginla was drafted in the third round of this year's NHL draft by the Calgary Flames! pic.twitter.com/cUQodpFvCG

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 27, 2026

Seth Jarvis will miss some time for the Hurricanes:

Seth Jarvis will be out 4-6 months after undergoing shoulder surgery, GM Eric Tulsky announced. pic.twitter.com/f1CCbfgvwJ

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 27, 2026

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

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.