Draft day has arrived, and it represents one of the most important dates on the Calgary Flames’ calendar.
The Flames enter the 2026 NHL Entry Draft in an enviable position, with an abundance of draft capital and the chance to further accelerate the organization’s rebuild. With multiple selections in the opening rounds, Calgary has the flexibility to add high-end prospects, package picks to move up the draft board, or use those assets in trades for NHL-ready talent.
The club currently holds two first-round selections; sixth overall and 30th overall, the latter acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights, along with three second-round picks and additional selections throughout the draft.
That collection of picks gives general manager Craig Conroy several options as he looks to strengthen both the present and future of the franchise. Whether Calgary stands pat, moves around the draft board, or swings a trade, the decisions made over the next two days could play a significant role in shaping the next phase of the team’s retool.
For Conroy, however, the priority remains straightforward: select the best players available, regardless of where the Flames are picking.
“We’re looking for best player,” Conroy told FlamesTV. “We want to have the best player at each pick, but really, with all those picks we want to make sure - whether you’re the sixth overall pick or our last pick in the sixth round - we want to make sure the guys are ready and we want to be excited about the player we pick at that position.”
The Ottawa Senators announced on Friday afternoon that they have acquired goaltender Samuel Ersson from the Toronto Maple Leafs for their fifth-round selection in the 2027 NHL Draft.
The acquisition is an odd one.
Ten days ago, the Leafs sent goaltender Joseph Woll and defenceman Simon Benoit to the Philadelphia Flyers for defenceman Emil Andrae, Ersson, and a 2026 third-round pick.
The inclusion of Ersson in that deal was a head-scratcher, simply because the Leafs already had a ton of goaltending depth in the form of Dennis Hildeby and the Calder Cup-winning Artur Akhtyamov.
Considering that Ersson was coming off a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.4 million, as an impending restricted free agent (RFA), he would need a qualifying offer of $1.6 million for the Maple Leafs to retain his rights.
While playing professionally over parts of five seasons across the AHL and NHL, Ersson has never recorded a season with a save percentage greater than .900. In 33 appearances with the Flyers this past season, the 26-year-old posted a 14-11-5 record, a 3.12 goals against average, and an .870 save percentage.
According to Evolving-Hockey’s model, Ersson’s -6.09 goals saved above expected (GSAx) was the fifth-lowest total in the league. In 2024-25, his GSAx of -22.09 was the league’s worst.
Using their ‘wins above replacement’ model, Ersson has been worth -3.3 wins over the course of his NHL career. Meaning, had he been replaced by a league-average goaltender over the same period, it would have benefited the Flyers by three wins. The only season in which he posted a positive GSAx was his rookie 2022-23 campaign.
Ersson is still relatively young at 26, but he has not performed well in North America. Albeit, his experiences in the NHL, with the exception of this season, came while playing in front of a porous Philadelphia Flyers team.
It is worth noting that Ersson is arbitration-eligible, but a player must still be qualified by a club to maintain his rights and take him to arbitration. Given his ineffectiveness and the relatively high cost to qualify him as a RFA, there were rumours that the Maple Leafs were not going to qualify Ersson, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA).
The Maple Leafs obviously exhausted the market trying to trade Ersson’s rights, but the Senators must have had confidence that another team was close to acquiring his services. Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense to give up any assets for a player that they could have likely signed as an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.
On many levels, it would make sense for the organization to target Ersson as a young goaltender with NHL experience who could be called up from Belleville in the event that injuries or ineffectiveness beset other options, but on the surface, this feels like the Senators have tabbed Ersson as their backup.
There is simply no reason for Ersson to turn down his qualifying offer. Given his body of work, a $1.6 million one-way salary would be way too expensive as a luxury in Belleville.
It is a puzzling move given the team’s goaltenders' performance this past season.
Until Linus Ullmark returned from his leave of absence in late January, the Senators’ goaltending collectively let the organization down. Despite some of the best defensive metrics in the league, they had created a deficit in the standings that the team just barely overcame.
In his end-of-season media availability, general manager Steve Staios acknowledged that his greatest misstep was not insulating Ullmark with a veteran option, because of the pressure it put on him and rookie Leevi Merilainen. The addition of veteran James Reimer had a noticeable effect on the dressing room and on Ullmark, but Ersson has only 143 games of experience, and the performances have not been particularly inspiring.
In consideration of Ullmark’s mental health battles and the fact that he has never appeared in more than 50 games in a regular season, entrusting the backup duties to an unproven Ersson feels like a massive gamble with the Senators taking on a lot of risk.
In fairness to Staios, however, the free agent market is not exactly brimming with desirable options. And of the veteran goaltenders who are somewhat intriguing, like Stuart Skinner or Connor Ingram, they are not going to come cheaply.
It feels odd to hang hopes on the fact that goaltending is such a volatile position and that maybe there’s a reality where Ersson comes in and does a great job. But the organization obviously has some measure of familiarity and confidence in its ability to turn around Ersson’s game.
If anything, the acquisition may speak to the influence of the newly-hired director of goaltender development, Maciej Szwoch. There does not appear to be any overlap in the respective careers of Ersson and Szwoch from their time in the SHL. Szwoch worked as a goaltending coach for MODO and Färjestad BK, while Ersson played for Brynäs IF.
If Ersson can't turn it around, it could be one of those moves that gets heavily scrutinized in retrospect.
By Graeme Nichols The Hockey News
This article first appeared at The Hockey News/Ottawa, where you can read more articles at the links below:
The Boston Bruins have finally made a meaningful upgrade to their roster, and it’s come right before the 2026 NHL Draft is scheduled to start Friday night.
The B’s have acquired Utah Mammoth forward JJ Peterka in exchange for their 2026 first-round pick (No. 23 overall) and the Florida Panthers’ 2028 first-round pick, the team announced. If the Panthers pick lands in the top 10, the Bruins can keep it and instead send their unprotected 2029 first-rounder to the Mammoth.
It’s not a small price, but it’s not an overpay, either. The Panthers pick is expected to be a late first given the fact that Florida is a Stanley Cup contender. The B’s still have their own 2027 and 2028 first-round picks, plus the Toronto Maple Leafs’ first-rounder in 2027 or 2028.
Peterka had a somewhat disappointing 2025-26 season in Utah, but he still managed to score 25 goals with 22 assists while playing all 82 games.
He has actually scored 25-plus goals in three straight seasons. Peterka spent his previous four NHL seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, including a 68-point campaign (27 goals, 41 assists) in 2024-25.
The Bruins desperately needed to add more high-end skill and speed to their lineup over the offseason, and Peterka helps address both of these concerns. Peterka has the ability to be a consistent 30-plus goal scorer.
He’s only 24 years old and projects to be a top-six right wing for the foreseeable future. He’s especially dangerous off the rush, which is a skill set the Bruins need more of. They were not very dangerous in transition against the Buffalo Sabres during the first round of the 2026 playoffs.
In short, Peterka is the kind of player the Bruins should be betting on.
JJ Peterka, reportedly acquired by BOS, is a top six rushing winger with a great release, slick hands, and nice timing off the puck. Rounded his game out a bit this season but there might have been too many cooks for him to be as impactful offensively as in the past. pic.twitter.com/MYxku5vUjv
His current contract runs through the 2029-30 season with a salary cap hit of $7.7 million — a figure that will look cheap as the salary cap continues to rise.
The Bruins still need to upgrade the right side of their blue line this offseason, but this trade for Peterka is a good first step in bolstering the roster.
The Chicago Blackhawks were in line to buy out Andre Burakovsky this offseason. After a decent start to the first half of his 2025-26 season with the Chicago Blackhawks, he had just 4 points in his final 37 games.
In those 37 games, it wasn't like Burakovsky made up for it in other areas of the game either. There was a lot of turning the puck over and frustrating defensive plays.
Instead of being forced to eat some money and buy him out, however, the Blackhawks were able to find a trade partner in the Ottawa Senators. Burakovsky goes to Canada's capital in exchange for a 6th-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. Chicago will not retain any of Burakovsky's contract.
It isn't a consequential draft pick, but Burakovsky's lackluster play for a $5.5 million cap hit is off the roster. That is a tremendous amount of flexibility added when it comes to cap space.
Burakovsky has a strong past of productive NHL play, and the Ottawa Senators are going to try to rekindle that for him. They just traded Brady Tkachuk earlier in the week, so they need forwards who can bring some offense, assuming Burakovsky (somewhat) gets back on track.
The fact that the Senators were willing to give up a draft pick on a risky player shows that it is a legitimate seller's market in the NHL right now. Teams are desperate to add on and are willing to overpay for it. More of that is on the way as draft weekend heats up.
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.
The Sharks made a big move with their third pick of the 2026 NHL Draft’s first round, trading up to No. 21 overall and selecting another Canadian defenseman, Ryan Lin of the Vancouver Giants.
San Jose certainly wanted Lin, sending Nos. 27, 62 and 120 to the Philadelphia Flyers to move up six spots and draft the 18-year-old. The mobile, right-shot defender grew up in Richmond, across the Fraser River from Vancouver, and posted 14 goals and 57 points in 53 games for the Giants this past season.
The Sharks originally acquired the 27th pick from the Buffalo Sabres, along with defenseman Michael Kesselring, in exchange for the No. 20 selection. Now they’ve utilized that trade to make another in search of talent that can help shore up their blue line.
To the delight of many, Sharks general manager Mike Grier got greedy in the first round, and San Jose certainly hopes it pays off.
The Ducks' 2025-26 season has been over for just over a month and with the 2026 NHL Entry Draft just around the corner, it feels like a good time to start recapping this past season for each player in the organization.
Today's edition of 'By the Numbers' will feature players who wore Nos. 91-98 this season.
If you missed the previous edition of 'By the Numbers', you can click here to read it.
Leo Carlsson
Carlsson had a productive season in his third year in the league. He came one goal away from a 30-goal season and was second on the team with 67 points despite missing 12 games due to surgery to remove a Morel-Lavallée lesion on his thigh. If not for that, he likely would have reached 70 points and likely also reached the 80-point threshold.
His hot start to the season gave him early Hart Trophy consideration, as he put up 34 points in 25 games through the first two months of the season. December is when things started to take a downturn, around when the lesion became an issue for him. But once he returned following the Olympic break, he was firing on all cylinders again, putting up 15 points in 16 games in March.
Because he underwent surgery in mid-January, Carlsson was unable to compete for Sweden in the Winter Olympics. He had been named to the Olympic squad, but the recovery period (three to five weeks) put any chance of him competing to bed. Due to his pending RFA status, Carlsson also did not compete for Sweden in the IIHF World Championship this past May, after being part of last year's team.
Mar 30, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (91) reacts before the first overtime period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images
Now firmly established as the Ducks' No. 1 center, Carlsson––like many others on the team––got his first taste of the Stanley Cup Playoffs this past season. He had a strong first round against the Edmonton Oilers with eight points in six games. Things were a little more difficult against a stouter Vegas Golden Knights team in the second round, where he had three points in six games.
With another year of NHL experience under his belt, it's starting to feel like Carlsson is breaking through the surface as a true star in the league. His skating, which was noted to be an issue coming out of the draft, has now become one of his strengths, allowing him to burst past opponents and use his vision to set up teammates or pick a corner. When rush opportunities are stifled, he does still have trouble creating in those instances. But at 21, he is also learning how to combat those adjustments.
The expectation is that general manager Pat Verbeek will try to lock Carlsson down to a long-term deal this summer. He's established himself as the centerpiece of the Ducks' core and will likely be the next captain.
Roger McQueen
McQueen was one of the many young players who made the transition from the CHL to the NCAA this past season. In his freshman season with Providence, he had 27 points (11 goals) in 36 games and was named the Hockey East Rookie of the Year. He also earned a spot on the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.
It was slow going at first for McQueen, but once he picked up his first collegiate point, the wheels started turning. He was the top line center for Nate Leaman's team, which focused on having a strong defensive structure and a good forecheck. Perhaps that system isn't the most optimal for McQueen's playstyle, but it helped him become a stronger 200-foot player.
After his collegiate season concluded, McQueen signed an amateur tryout (ATO) with the San Diego Gulls in the AHL. He also signed his entry-level contract (ELC) with the Ducks, with the deal beginning in the 2026-27 season. He played in seven games for the Gulls and had three goals while serving as the team's second line center. He also got his first taste of the Calder Cup Playoffs, but failed to register a point in two games against a powerhouse Colorado Eagles team.
This fall, McQueen will compete for a spot on the NHL roster, much like Beckett Sennecke did last season. With how uncertain the future is for Mason McTavish and 34-year-old Mikael Granlund having just two years remaining on his deal, there may be an opportunity for McQueen to seize. Assistant general manager Martin Madden said that expectations for McQueen should be tempered going into next season, with this progression not quite at the point where Sennecke was going into last season. Nevertheless, McQueen is expected to have a large role next season, whether he is in the NHL or AHL.
Pavel Mintyukov
Mintyukov played the most games of his professional career in 2025-26, appearing in 73 of 82. He missed a few games towards the end of the regular season due to a lower-body injury, but returned and played in all 12 playoff games.
He began the season as part of the bottom defensive pair alongside Drew Helleson, with Jackson LaCombe and Olen Zellweger above him in the pecking order on the left side. Radko Gudas' early-season injury elevated Helleson to the top pair alongside LaCombe and inserted Ian Moore next to Mintyukov on the bottom pair.
The Mintyukov-Moore pairing showed promise, though the offensive upside that Mintyukov had displayed early into his career was not seen as frequently. Gudas' return rendered Mintyukov a healthy scratch for three consecutive games, which gave the Ducks' fanbase nightmares of last season's defensive carousel between Mintyukov and Zellweger.
Upon his return to the lineup, Mintyukov continued to be part of the bottom pair, whether it was with Helleson or Gudas. He received a pair of healthy scratches at separate points of the season, but otherwise was a regular in the lineup for the rest of the season.
May 14, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov (98) controls the puck during the first period against the Vegas Golden Knights in game six of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
When John Carlson was acquired from the Washington Capitals in early March, he started out as Zellweger's defensive partner. But Mintyukov and Carlson quickly became a pairing that head coach Joel Quenneville relied on down the stretch, and that carried into the playoffs. While Mintyukov was touted as more of an offensive-focused player coming out of the draft, the switch has now flipped into more of a steady, defensive-minded player who is also capable of breaking out the puck offensively.
With Carlson hitting the open market, Mintyukov will have a new defensive partner next season. He himself is also a pending RFA and will likely receive a bridge deal. With Olen Zellweger dealt to the Buffalo Sabres on Friday morning, the left side of the Ducks' defense looks to be set for the 2026-27 season. Mintyukov and Zellweger had frequently been compared and had been competing for a regular spot in the lineup over the past couple of seasons, with neither able to gain a foothold. Removing Zellweger from the picture now gives Mintyukov ample opportunity to do so.
The Buffalo Sabres continued their string of transactions prior to hosting the NHL Draft on Friday night, acquiring defenseman Olen Zellweger from the Anaheim Ducks for minor leaguer Anton Wahlberg, and a 2026 second-round pick (45th overall). Zellweger, 22, is a restricted free agent after completing his entry-level deal with the Ducks.
Last season with Anaheim, he scored 22 points (7 goals, 15 assists) in 76 games and has played 164 NHL games over three seasons, but in the playoffs, the 5'10", 194 lb. blueliner played only three of the Ducks 12 games against Edmonton and Vegas.
We have acquired defenseman Olen Zellweger from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for forward Anton Wahlberg and the 45th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Wahlberg, the Sabres second round pick in 2023 and played two-plus seasons for the AHL Rochester Americans. The 6'4", 205 lb. forward scored only 21 goals in 140 AHL games, and never appeared to be making any offensive progress, but does have the size that could eventually lead him to the NHL.
The second-round pick was acquired from Chicago in the Bowen Byram deal earlier this week. Zellweger played for Canada in two World Junior Championships, and after four years in the WHL, split time between AHL San Diego and the Ducks. He is known as a good skater, who moves the puck well, and has solid offensive instincts, but with Jackson LaCombe and RFA Pavel Mintyukov on the left side, it is likely that GM Pat Verbeek was looking to move out the 22-year-old rather than use up significant cap space on his next contract.
Zellweger will likely be added to the mix with Conor Timmins, Louis Crevier, and Zach Metsa for a spot in the top four with Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Mattias Samuelsson next season.
The Senators appear to be back to an all-Swedish goaltending combo.
On Friday, in the lead-up to the NHL Draft, the Senators acquired goalie Samuel Ersson from the Toronto Maple Leafs. In return, Toronto gets Ottawa’s fifth-round draft selection in next year's NHL Draft.
Here's the catch, though. Ersson still needs a new contract. The 26-year-old will be a restricted free agent on July 1. He's coming off a two-year deal at $1.45 million a year.
Ersson spent each of the past four seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers and played a career-high 51 games in 2023-24. In 2025-26, Ersson appeared in 33 games for the Flyers, posting a 14-11-5 record with a 3.12 GAA.
The 6-foot-3 is regarded as one of Sweden's finest goaltenders, just like the man he'll be backing up.
Ersson represented his country at the 4 Nations Face-Off in a third-place finish. He also represented Sweden twice at the World Hockey Championship, winning bronze in 2024 and 2025. He played for Sweden at last year's worlds, even though Linus Ullmark expressed a desire to play at season's end.
The Sens goaltending was all-Swedish two seasons ago when Ullmark was backed up by Anton Forsberg, who has since moved on to Los Angeles in free agency. Last year, the backup duties were split between Leevi Merilainen and James Reimer.
The Ersson acquisition speaks volumes about how mightily Merilainen's stock has fallen. He was anointed as the undisputed backup last season, and the Sens clearly aren't ready yet to give him that opportunity again.
The trade market around the NHL continues to heat up ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft, and another former member of the Minnesota Wild has found a new home.
It marks the second consecutive offseason Chisholm has been dealt after the Wild traded him to Washington during last year's draft.
Chisholm, 26, spent the 2025-26 season with the Capitals, appearing in 26 NHL games while recording one goal and seven points.
Wild fans remember Chisholm from the 2024-25 campaign when he enjoyed the best season of his NHL career.
After being claimed off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets midway through the 2023-24 season, Chisholm became a regular in Minnesota's lineup.
He played a career-high 66 games during the 2024-25 season, posting two goals and 10 assists for 12 points while showcasing his skating ability and puck-moving skills.
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.
A feverish start to the 2026 NHL offseason just got a tad bit more interesting, as a former Philadelphia Flyers starting goalie, who was already traded once, finds himself on the move again.
On Friday, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that former Flyers goalie Sam Ersson, first acquired in the Joseph Woll trade, has been traded to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round pick.
The Senators have done plenty of wheeling and dealing the last two weeks, moving on from captain Brady Tkachuk and replacing him with William Eklund and two prospects.
This new Maple Leafs trade confirms two things: Toronto will be sticking with a combination of Anthony Stolarz, Dennis Hildeby, and Artur Akhtyamov, and Ottawa has found its backup goalie… at least for now.
Last season was a tough one, both for Ersson and for Senators prospect Leevi Merilainen, who were among the two worst goalies in the entire NHL statistically.
Ersson, a pending RFA, at least has some experience as a starter for the Flyers and shown his potential when the environment around him is strong.
The Flyers obviously did not feel that this kind of form was sustainable (it wasn't), prompting them to go and get Woll as an upgrade behind incumbent starter Dan Vladar.
It is interesting, though, that Ersson was included in the Woll trade, only for the Maple Leafs to turn around and flip him for a late-round draft pick.
And it is interesting that Ersson, who had a dreary end to his Flyers career, fetched a useful asset in return at all after the way last season went.
In any case, Ersson needs a new contract, and we will soon find out if he's the next successful goalie to take off after leaving Philadelphia.
The Colorado Avalanche have announced they have re-signed Brent Burns to a one-year deal worth $850 thousand. Still, he can earn just over $2 million in performance bonuses, and Brett Kulak to a five-year deal worth $22.50 million with a $4.5 million AAV. Both contracts come with no trade protection.
Brett Kulak, five years x $4.5M AAV Brent Burns, one year, base salary is $850k but can earn just over $2M more in performance bonuses. Great to have Burns back for another year! https://t.co/Ceecg90PdB
After being acquired by the Avalanche from the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he had one goal and six assists for seven points, he finished with three assists in 27 regular-season games with the Avalanche. While the production was lower than his time with the Penguins, the playoffs were where he really shone. In 13 games, he had one goal and five assists, with that one goal coming against the Minnesota Wild in Game 5 as the game-winner.
Despite the offensive numbers, Kulak's game is all about what he does on the defensive side of the ice, and it really showed. Paired with Sam Malinski, Kulak delivered a quality defensive pairing that showed great offensive play from Malinski and allowed him to show off his skills while having a reliable defensive structure with Kulak in case of any mistakes, something Malinski has struggled with at times when paired with other defensemen.
Playing just over 19 minutes a game last season, there were times when they needed him more to hold onto leads and help kill penalties on the penalty kill, where there were games where he played less because they were behind, so they ran Malinski and Makar more for the offensive push.
Burns joined last offseason and finished with 12 goals and 23 assists for 35 points. In the playoffs, he finished with four assists in 13 games. For what was, at the time, a relatively small signing, often seen as a 6-7 man in the defensive pairings, Burns at times showed his importance to the team.
Though at times his age did show, especially on the defensive end, where he would either be beaten by a faster player or make a defensive mistake, compared with his AAV and production, there were often bigger faults than the ones he made.
Entering his 23rd NHL season, he would tie for ninth place in most seasons played in league history, joining players like longtime teammate Patrick Marleau, Ron Francis, and Al MacInnis.
With this move, the Avalanche now round out their defense with the same players as last season and have $5.6 million in cap space to either spend in free agency or make a trade. With the 2026 NHL Entry Draft tonight, we shall see if the Avalanche make any other moves with the draft capital and cap space they have.
Congratulations to Brett Kulak. The former Edmonton Oilers defenseman just signed a five-year extension with the Colorado Avalanche, reportedly worth $4.5 million per season.
The ex Oiler was moved as part of the trade to acquire Tristan Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was ultimately flipped by the Penugins to the Avalanche this past season.
Kulak will go down as one of the big blunders last season by Edmonton. He was essentially a throw-in on a trade that saw Edmonton and Pittsburgh swap goaltenders. Stuart Skinner went to the Penguins (along with Kulak), and Jarry came back. Part of the issue wasn't just that the Jarry trade hasn't worked out well for the Oilers, but that Kulak was overlooked.
He was an essential part of two playoff runs for Edmonton and was a depth guy who could play a bigger role if required. He had speed, hockey smarts, and wasn't afraid to chip in offensively. The Oilers badly missed him last season as they struggled and lost out in the first round to the Anaheim Ducks.
The Avalanche have recognized what they have. Given that he's 32 years old, it is a bit of risk to give him five years, but the cap hit is friendly.
With the deal, the Avalanche keep Kulak from testing the free agency market. They also locked up veteran Brent Burns to a new one-year deal.
The Toronto Maple Leafs traded away the rights to goaltender Samuel Ersson to the Ottawa Senators on Friday, in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round draft pick.
Toronto acquired Ersson in the trade with the Philadelphia Flyers earlier in the month. They also received defenseman Emil Andrae and a 2026 third-round pick while sending away defenseman Simon Benoit and goaltender Joseph Woll.
In the end, it seemed unlikely that Maple Leafs GM John Chayka was going to qualify Ersson. The Swedish goaltender is coming off the worst season of his young career, posting a .870 save percentage and a 3.12 goals-against average in 33 games last year.
With no intention of keeping the 26-year-old Ersson, Toronto recouped an asset that they had lost in a separate deal, in a sense.
Though the 2027 fifth-round pick they received from Ottawa isn't from the same draft, the value of that fifth-round pick returns to the Leafs organization and faces zero consequences with this move in the meantime.
The Maple Leafs now have three goaltenders in their main system, with Anthony Stolarz assuming the starting role, while 24-year-olds Dennis Hildeby and Artur Akhtyamov are next in line for NHL jobs.
Freeing up a goaltending spot may either allow the young netminders to come through and prove themselves in the NHL, or something else could be brewing in terms of bringing in another veteran goaltender to play alongside Stolarz for the Leafs.
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 Chicago Blackhawks no longer hold a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. They traded the 4th overall pick to the Buffalo Sabres earlier in the week as part of a deal to acquire Bowen Byram.
That doesn't make the first round irrelevant for them, however, as there are still plenty of reasons to stay locked in. For one, there has to be knowledge about where other top prospects are going around the league.
Also, Kyle Davidson has traded into the first round every single year that he's been the GM of the Blackhawks.
The opening round will take place on Friday night. The rest of the draft will be on Saturday morning into the afternoon.
Over the course of the event, which takes place at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, the Blackhawks have picks 34, 37, 66, 119, 194, and 200. Despite not being first-rounders, these are all lottery tickets that could turn into regular NHL players with good development. With a little bit of luck, they could be more than just regular NHL players.
More Trades
There are plenty of trade conversations taking place around the league. The Chicago Blackhawks, according to multiple reports, have a seat at the table for a lot of these players on the market, including Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson.
Over the course of the entire draft, these trade possibilities are ones to monitor. If the Blackhawks are serious about continuing to build a winning team, making bold moves is a must.
How To Watch
For people in the United States, the 1st round can be seen on ESPN and ESPN+. It begins on Friday at 6:00 PM CT. Rounds 2-7 can be seen on NHL Network or ESPN+, beginning at 11 AM CT. In Canada, Round 1 is on Sportsnet while the rest is on Sportsnet+.
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.
