The Buffalo Sabres have made major moves in back-to-back days. They first traded defenseman Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks and then moved forward Alex Tuch to the Washington Capitals in a sign-and-trade.
Now, the Sabres are being linked to one of the NHL's top trade candidates from the New York Rangers.
The Sabres making a push for Trocheck is not too difficult to understand. They could use another high-impact forward in their top six after trading Tuch, and landing Trocheck would provide them with just that.
If the Sabres acquired Trocheck, he could slot nicely on their first or second line, assuming Tage Thompson plays at right wing. In addition, Trocheck would give the Sabres another center who is capable of working on both the power play and the penalty kill if acquired.
Trocheck would be a long-term addition for the Sabres if they landed him, too, as he has a $5.625 million cap hit through the 2028-29 season. In 67 games last season with the Rangers, he recorded 16 goals, 37 assists, 53 points, and 193 hits.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres have agreed to a sign-and-trade deal in sending veteran forward Alex Tuch to the Washington Capitals, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
In order to make the trade, the Sabres first signed Tuch to an eight-year, $84 million contract, the person told the AP, and spoke on the condition of anonymity because the agreement and trade had not yet been announced.
The sign-and-trade option was all that was left for the Sabres to get anything in return for Tuch. Earlier in the day, Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said there was no progress in contract talks with Tuch, and was anticipating the player to hit the free-agent market once the NHL’s signing period opened next week.
By signing with Buffalo first, Tuch received the benefit of landing an eight-year contract. In free agency, he would have been limited to signing a seven-year deal with another team.
The 30-year-old Tuch is a 10-year NHL veteran who has topped 20 goals in four of his five seasons in Buffalo — including scoring 33 or more in each of the past two years.
In Buffalo, he had 139 goals and 309 points in 360 games in filling a top-line role. Overall, he has 200 goals and 448 points in 615 NHL games.
Trading Tuch comes a day after Buffalo lost another key contributor from a team that led to the Sabres winning their first Atlantic Division title and win its first playoff round since 2007.
The Sabres traded defenseman Bowen Byram and checking line forward Jordan Greenway to the Chicago Blackhawks. Buffalo acquired Chicago’s No. 4 pick and a second-round selection in this weekend’s draft, along with promising defenseman Louis Crevier.
Kekalainen revealed Byram expressed no interest in wanting to remain in Buffalo after his current contract expired next summer.
The Calgary Flames dominated the NHL news cycle for much of Tuesday, acquiring Simon Nemec from the New Jersey Devils in a pre-Draft blockbuster. Just 24 hours later, the team is back making waves in the pond with breaking news from one of the NHL's top insiders, Darren Dreger, who says the club is actively shopping Connor Zary.
The Flames are trying to move Connor Zary. 24 year old forward has another year left on his contract at $3.775 mil. Sounds like Calgary is asking for a 2nd round pick in return.
Instead of holding on to the 24-year-old center, it appears General Manager Craig Conroy is actively seeking trade options for Zary, who is two seasons away from hitting free agency at 26.
Initially drafted 24th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, Zary has yet to reach 20 goals in a season, with a career high of 14 in 2023-24, dropping to 13 and 12 over the past two seasons. Meanwhile, he was plus-12 in his rookie season, and is now a minus player with seasons of minus-7 and minus-4.
A significant injury derailed his 2024-25 campaign, limiting him to only 54 games and 27 points. However, Zary was most likely going to post his best totals that year, but fate had other plans. Ultimately, that time off led to a slow start in 2025-26 with only two goals and four points in his first 25 games.
Between the start of January and the end of the season, Zary only collected six goals and 12 points in 36 games to finish the year.
As shocking as it is to hear that Conroy is actively shopping his young center, many amongst the fanbase have taken to social media to say they support the decision, hoping Zary can reach his potential with a fresh start somewhere else.
Alex Tuch #89 of the Buffalo Sabres celebrates after scoring a goal on Thatcher Demko #35 of the Vancouver Canucks during their NHL game at Rogers Arena October 22, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Alex Tuch is heading to the nation’s capital — and getting a massive contract in the process.
The Capitals are acquiring Tuch from the Sabres in a sign-and-trade that will see him get an eight-year, $84 million contract, per multiple reports.
Buffalo, where Tuch spent five seasons and served as an alternate captain, will get a third-round pick as part of the deal, The Athletic reports.
Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) is stick checked by Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Kaedan Korczak (6) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, March 3, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes
Tuch, 30, was sent to Buffalo in 2021 as part of the trade that sent Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights. The hometown kid grew up in Baldwinsville, N.Y., about two hours from Buffalo, rooting for the Sabres.
In 360 games for Buffalo, he recorded 309 points, with three 30-goal seasons. His career with the Sabres was highlighted by a 79-point season in 2022-23.
This past season, when the Sabres broke their 14-year playoff drought, Tuch put up 33 goals and 66 points. He recorded seven points in six games in the first round of the playoffs against the Bruins, a series the Sabres won in six games. His production slowed down significantly in the second round against the Canadiens, being held without a point. The Sabres lost a heartbreaking Game 7 in overtime.
Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres celebrates after scoring a goal on Thatcher Demko #35 of the Vancouver Canucks during their NHL game at Rogers Arena October 22, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Getty Images
Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen said earlier Wednesday that he expected Tuch’s time with the team to come to a close. Tuch was set to become an unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league year on July 1. Both sides publicly expressed their desire to negotiate a new contract, but the gap was too wide.
On the other side, the Capitals have had an active week. They acquired forward Jordan Kyrou from the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. They now await Alex Ovechkin’s decision on whether he will retire before next season, a decision he is not expected to announce before July 1, per The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun.
ST. LOUIS -- It finally got to a point for Jordan Kyrou and the St. Louis Blues that perhaps it was best for both sides to get a fresh start.
That's what Blues general manager Doug Armstrong and Kyrou, who was a second-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, both acknowledged on Wednesday, a day after the Blues shipped Kyrou, who has five years remaining on a contract that pays him $8.125 million per season and a full no-trade clause, to the Washington Capitals for a package that brought forward Connor McMichael, 2025 forward prospect Milton Gastrin and a 2026 first-round pick (No. 16) back to St. Louis.
"Jordan and his agent and I, Dave Gagner and I go way back to Minnesota," Armstrong said. "We've become friends over the years.
"It just felt the last little while, he wasn't getting the role that he had probably wished some nights. (Jimmy) Snuggerud had taken a little bit over. We talked and they talked about a change might be good for everyone at this point. You want to make work so we waited and tried to find different avenues where everyone could get what they want out of it, but in the end, both sides just felt potentially exploring different options would be in everyone's interests, so we started down that process and got comfortable in putting Jordan in a spot ... because of his no-trade clause, he had the opportunity to make sure he was going to a team that he felt like he could have success in, and we felt we were getting a return we believe is equivalent is to the player that I believe that Jordan is, which I believe is a 30-plus goal scorer that's got excellent speed. It was just something everybody was comfortable with at this time."
Kyrou was a healthy scratch under Jim Montgomery multiple times at points last season, with the coach usually citing he needed more from the 28-year-old winger who has three straight 30-plus goal seasons under him and is one of the faster skaters in the league. And with the emergence of Snuggerud, and other players with a similar skillset in the pipeline, likely made it more of the likelihood that at some point, Kyrou would be asked to waive his NTC.
"I don't want to say we try and take longer than necessary, but I'm a big believer, I'd rather work through ups and downs with people," Armstrong said. "... The value I put in my mind on Jordan and the organization ... he's a three-time 30-goal scorer in this league. He's under contract in a league where contracts are starting to increase exponentially. He's a fixed cost. There was a lot of boxes that I thought Jordan checked and if I was another manager, I would think he has a lot of boxes that checked. He's a dynamic skater, he can score, he's got a contract, so we wanted to make sure we were hopefully getting a value in return of what we think he is and can be. As we were doing that, you always hope that things can change, and it works out here. There becomes a point where if both sides feel that to explore something, you should do it. That's our last avenue, not our first avenue."
Kyrou acknowledged himself a fresh start was probably best but in no way shape or form was he looking to get out of St. Louis.
"Not really looking," he said. "I've loved St. Louis and have loved playing there, I've said it before. I've had a great time there and a lot of great memories in my career. Sometimes just people need a fresh start and a change of scenery.
"Definitely a crazy day for me. This is my first time getting traded, so I didn't really know what to expect. But a couple of days prior, I was hearing a couple of things. Then the day of, it was kind of just 'be by your phone.' My agent was calling me and there were talks back and forth. It took me pretty much all day to make a decision. It was definitely a tough decision. I've been in St. Louis for eight years and I've had an amazing time there. It was definitely a tough decision, but I'm excited to be joining Washington and having a fresh start here."
The Blues, who were 24th in the NHL averaging 2.8 goals per game a season ago, now must find out who can pick up the slack of Kyrou, who had 378 points (168 goals, 210 assists) in 488 games with the Blues; he dipped to 18 goals and 28 assists in 72 games last season.
"People are going to get the opportunity to pick it up," Armstrong said. "It's hard to replace. One of the things we're looking to build and organization, I'm bullish on (Justin) Carbonneau and on (Dmitry) Buchelnikov, the player we think will come over next year too (acquired from the Detroit Red Wings in the Justin Faulk trade). You're sometimes dealing from surplus too. Will we score as much this year, I don't know, but we also expect McMichael to come in and score. We think he's a good player. We think given an opportunity, he can be back to that 20-plus goal scorer. We expect him pick up and grow with some of these other guys that didn't have good years last year and need to play better. Maybe we can add some form of NHL players that can contribute with some of the assets that we have. I go back to the number of assets that we have added to our group over the last three trades, with all of them being except one, being a third-round pick or higher. The other one I think is the goalie that can go anywhere and still turn out well. It's not like we just added assets. I think we've added valuable assets and I think it gives this organization a great opportunity to get creative."
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The phone call that changed everything came at an ordinary moment for Joseph Woll.
The 27-year-old goaltender, a third-round 2016 draft pick who had spent the last decade inside the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, was sorting through his hockey card collection when the news arrived that he and defenseman Simon Benoit had been traded to the Philaddelphia Flyers.
“I think my initial reaction right when I got the call, as I imagine most people, was a lot of emotion. I’ve spent a long time in Toronto, so I was pretty sad to hear the news right when it happened. And went for a walk.”
The emotion lingered as Woll processed the end of his time with the only NHL organization he had ever known. Then a call came from his close friend and now-former teammate, Simon Benoit, who had also been dealt in the transaction. The excitement in Benoit’s voice helped reframe the moment.
“I didn’t know any details of the trade or anything,” Woll recalled. “I was really just focused on. At that point, I was thinking about leaving the Leafs, and Benny called me, and just the excitement of his voice, I think, really helped for me see how an unbelievable opportunity this was. And it was almost like from that initial reaction onward, there’s been, you know, almost a surplus of excitement on my part.”
For Woll, the trade marks the close of a journey that began when he was selected by Toronto in 2016. He spoke openly about what it meant to grow up inside the organization, to chase the dream he had carried since childhood, and to experience both the highs of playoff hockey and the lows of a difficult 2025-26 season.
“From when I was a kid it was my dream to play in the NHL and to be a great goalie. And to have the opportunities to play in Stanley Cup playoff games, to play in high pressure situations, to play as a starting goalie at times,” Woll said. “Ever since I was drafted to Toronto in 2016, I think that they’ve given me that opportunity. There’s been nothing but belief, support, and really just continually helping me to push to that spot. From the city, from the organization, to all my friends that I’ve made in Toronto, to my teammates. It’s been a very special, I believe, seven years with the organization and 10 of being a part of them since I got drafted. So even with all the positive and negative memories, I think it’s been a beautiful experience playing with them.”
Woll described the past season’s disappointment as part of a larger learning process that has shaped the goaltender he is today. He reflected on the ups and downs he witnessed and experienced since arriving in Toronto, including good runs, devastating losses, and a campaign that fell short of expectations.
“I think one of those things about goaltending, and probably like anything else in life, it’s a constant process that you’re honing your game over years and the big benefits I find in goaltending are experience,” he said. “Sometimes experience leads you to have positive outcomes, negative outcomes. And I think where a lot of the growth lies is in the negative outcomes, because that’s all a learning process and learning and honing your game is a continual thing. … It’s important not to take too much of that mindset because of what I’ve learned about myself, about the goalie I want to be from these experiences. … I think they were actually sometimes more beneficial than having success. Because it really pointed me in the correct direction.”
That growth included thriving in a tandem situation alongside Anthony Stolarz in previous seasons, learning he could step up when called upon, stay healthy, and prove his belief in himself through different roles, including early NHL experience backing up Jack Campbell. Woll credited those Toronto years with giving him the perspective and resilience he carries forward.
Simon Benoit’s notification came after a workout at his cabin. The defenseman, who played three or four seasons with the Maple Leafs after arriving via trade, described the call as surprising but part of the job, and said he was happy with where it sent him.
“It was the first time I spoke with (Maple Leafs GM John) Chayka,” Benoit said. “So obviously it was kind of surprising, but at the same time, it’s part of the job. I was just really happy where he sent me. So I was pretty excited for what’s to come.”
Benoit, who has a young child with his wife in Toronto, emphasized the personal roots he put down during his time with the organization and the warmth he felt from the people around him.
“They’re a good organization. They treated me so well. I have great memories for me, my wife, and my kid. Obviously, I have my kid there. So it’s always going to be special. And the guys there were just so welcoming to me. And we really had a good group. So it’s just going to be positive. And obviously, I’m bringing that baggage with me. And I learned a lot of stuff throughout those three or four years. So I’m going to be bringing that with me.”
“That was pretty exciting, obviously,” he said. “Playoffs are always fun. And I feel like it was my, I had the chance to play in my first playoffs with Toronto. And playoff hockey is so much fun. So I think I’ll just keep those moments.”
Benoit and Woll grew close during their overlapping years in Toronto. Often going out together on the road for dinners as part of a group that included Matthew Knies and former Leafs forward Bobby McMann.
Both players framed their departures as the closing of one chapter and the beginning of another.
“I know myself, I know my game more than I ever have before,” Woll said. “I’ve got a lot of experience under my belt and I’m excited for [what comes next]. Let my work speak for itself.”
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Chicago made the stunning move to ship that pick to the Sabres for Bowen Byram, a free agent after the 2026-27 season, in a package that also involves the No. 45 overall pick and Louis Crevier being sent to Buffalo while the Blackhawks absorb Jordan Greenway. It's the first time since 2008 a team has shipped off a known top-five pick, making it a wildly risky move for Chicago.
So why would the Blackhawks take such a desperate swing? The answer is that GM Kyle Davidson is, in a word, desperate. In the current iteration of the NHL postseason, it can be extremely easy to find yourself in purgatory. Teams can scratch and claw their ways to competing for a playoff spot until late February to early March, come up short of the playoffs after a push, and retool in the next offseason.
Retooling, however, isn't an option in this offseason. The free agent class is barren, with Rasmus Andersson and John Carlson likely set to get big contracts as the best defensemen available. And the Blackhawks have a former No. 1 overall pick in Connor Bedard that they have to build around now. Bedard is a restricted free agent, which means Chicago has exclusive negotiating rights with the 20-year-old budding star. But with the Blackhawks in a six-year playoff dearth, and an eight-year drought leaving out the shortened 2019-20 season, the trade for Byram is a swing made out of necessity verging into recklessness.
Why did the Blackhawks trade for Bowen Byram?
In short, Byram changes the timeline for the Blackhawks. At least, he hopefully does. When Chicago lost the first or second pick, it lost the chance to pick a player like Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg. That put Chicago in a position where it was drafting for need at No. 4, rather than the best player available.
The most likely picks in that slot would have been either Keaton Verhoeff out of North Dakota or Chase Reid from the Soo Greyhounds, both defensemen. While both will likely be solid blue-liners in their own right, it's hard to imagine either coming out of the draft as a top-four defenseman. That would set the Blackhawks back, and the Blackhawks don't have time for setbacks at this point. They were the last team in the Central Division last year and the second-to-last team in the league. With Jeff Blashill going into Year 2 and Chicago actively figuring out Bedard's future, there's a lot to hash out that a draft pick likely complicates.
Enter Byram, who will likely take point on a power play that ranked 29th in the league last season. He wasn't the main point-man in Buffalo — the Sabres had too many options for that — so this could present a new opportunity alongside Bedard.
To be abundantly clear: That does not entirely justify the move. It may rationalize it, but in the end, teams trying to speed up their rebuilds tend to fail. In a poetic bookend, the Blackhawks traded with the team who set the blueprint on how to fully rebuild. Now, they can only hope Byram becomes an immediate difference maker on one of their top pairings.
The Original Six problem
Hockey, arguably more than any other North American sport, places a lot of emphasis on team traditions. Floundering in obscurity as a relatively new franchise is treated differently than struggling as an Original Six team. If the Rangers, Red Wings, Canadiens, Bruins, Maple Leafs or Blackhawks struggle, it's simply viewed through a different scope.
So, with the Blackhawks in a six-year playoff drought, they don't have to look far to see what can happen. Indeed, they need only look at what's going on on the other side of I-94. The Detroit Red Wings are in a league-high 10-season playoff drought, and that's coming off a 25-year playoff streak. To make matters worse, their star Dylan Larkin's future is clouded with Larkin having requested a trade, they have no real options to immediately improve in free agency, and their first round pick has been shipped to the St. Louis Blues.
The New York Rangers may be entering an era of irrelevance of their own. While their situation isn't quite as dire, general manager Chris Drury tied up an outsized amount of money in the likes of J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck. It's likely going to take a few years to get that roster back into truly competitive shake, and that's making optimal moves.
In short, the Blackhawks' front office knows it needs to turn things around quickly. Byram gives the Blackhawks a top-four defenseman who will make an impact next year and doesn't tie up a bunch of money into a huge contract. So for Davidson, the hope will be to reset the clock for the time being and show Chicago, Bedard in particular, that the Blackhawks can be competitive again.
Bedard has said very publicly he loves playing in Chicago, wants to be there for a long time and even wants to be the captain. However, the Blackhawks have to build a team that can win around Bedard. In that sense, it's good to try to get his foot in the door of the postseason and try to reload and be seriously competitive in 2027-28. That might not be the way it pans out, but the vision is there.
This feels like a desperate move, but the Blackhawks feel desperate. It's not a team that should be finishing near the bottom of any standings, and Chicago is at risk of feeling the worst thing it can feel about a team: Apathy. When the Blackhawks are good, the city is abuzz. Banners fly and fans excitedly starting talking about their seventh date with Lord Stanley's Cup. Some course correction from Davidson, who promised a full rebuild due to the Blackhawks' lack of developmental talent ahead of 2022, has been needed.
This move flies in the face of that. It undermines the desire for developmental talent, but to Davidson's credit, he really has tremendously helped the Blackhawks' prospect pool. Anton Frondell, Roman Kantserov and Nick Lardis are all waiting in the wings as scorers, with Frondell in particular looking like a possible Bedard linemate. But Chicago has desperately craved defense.
The greatest risk Davidson runs is being perceived the same way his predecessor Stan Bowman is in Edmonton now. Someone who lucked into a potentially generational talent and was unable to build around them long-term. Bedard is nowhere near his prime and he is still on the first page of his legacy with the Blackhawks, if they retain him for a new contract in the seven- to eight-year range. But this trade is the move of someone worried they'll only be in the foreword.
If Byram brings the Blackhawks back to the playoffs, it's a wash. But if they come up short, Byram walks and Davidson traded No. 4 for nothing, expect the microscope zoom to increase that much more.
Ducks defenseman John Carlson speaks to the media during his 2025-26 exit interview.
The Ducks' 2025-26 season has been over for just over a month and with the 2026 NHL Entry Draft just around the corner, it feels like a good time to start recapping this past season for each player in the organization.
Today's edition of 'By the Numbers' will feature players who wore Nos. 71-80 this season.
If you missed the previous edition of 'By the Numbers', you can click here to read it.
Will Francis
Francis only played in two games this past season, but it wasn't due to your typical injury. Originally diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2020, Francis is now a four-time cancer survivor after battling a relapse this past October. His cancer again went into remission in December, but Francis did not play for the rest of the season as he recovered from his treatment.
He enters this offseason as a free agent after coming off a one-year, AHL-only deal. It's unclear if he'll remain with the Ducks organization, but if he does, it will likely be on a similar contract. Regardless if he continues his playing career, Francis' perseverance and courage should be lauded.
Noah Read
Selected in the third round of the 2025 draft, Read was expected to play a bigger role in 2025-26 for the London Knights after the departures of key players like Sam Dickinson, Denver Barkey and Easton Cowan. Unfortunately, that opportunity didn't materialize. Read played just 10 games for the Knights before being dealt to the Niagara IceDogs for Braidy Wassilyn.
Read had a hot start to his IceDogs career, scoring four goals in six games, though he struggled to find consistency afterwards, putting up just 16 points in the next 44 games. Some of that may have been due to his role as part of a checking line, but it would have been nice to see him build off of his first season in the OHL, when he had 26 points in 45 games.
He'll likely be back with the IceDogs next season and will look to have more of an impact on the scoresheet. His speed and dogged forechecking make him a good fit for the IceDogs system, it's just a matter of putting it all together on a more consistent basis.
Jan Myšák
Myšák was one of the Ducks' final cuts during training camp last fall, hoping to stake his claim as a bottom-6 forward. Coming off the best season of his pro career in 2024-25, Myšák looked like he was on the bubble for an NHL call-up. He spent the entire 2025-26 season in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls, serving mostly as their second line center, and had 23 points in 56 games. It was a far cry from his statistical production from the previous season.
In mid-February, Myšák suffered an injury that sidelined him for 14 games and kept him out for over a month. When he returned, he continued to fill the same role, but the offensive production was lacking. He had just two points in nine games after returning from injury.
Sep 22, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Jan Mysak (73) moves in for the puck against Utah Mammoth defenseman Veeti Vaisanen (51) during the second period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
After highly-touted prospect Roger McQueen joined the Gulls following the conclusion of his collegiate season with Providence in April, Myšák was demoted to the third line and was even healthy scratched for two games. In fact, Myšák was a healthy scratch for Game 2 of the Gulls' playoff series against the Colorado Eagles, with head coach Matt McIlvane opting to insert Coulson Pitre into the lineup.
Myšák may have seen the writing on the wall after his disappointing finish to the season, as he recently signed a two-year contract with HV71 in the SHL. Myšák was slated to be an RFA this summer, but it's now unlikely that he will be tendered a qualifying offer by the Ducks. Originally acquired from the Montréal Canadiens for former first round pick Jacob Perreault in 2024, this trade did not pan out for either team.
John Carlson
Carlson was a trade deadline acquisition for the Ducks, traded by the Washington Capitals in the wee hours of the night ahead of trade deadline day. His addition brought another veteran presence to the blue line alongside Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas, and provided another player on the team who had previously won the Stanley Cup.
A lingering lower-body injury that he suffered while still with the Capitals delayed his Ducks debut initially, but it took him little time to get adjusted. Having another offensive dynamo on the backend fed into the run-and-gun style that the Ducks had spent most of the season operating under. His presence also allowed Jackson LaCombe to man the second power play unit, creating two strong units for assistant coach Jay Woodcroft to work with.
Carlson finished the regular season with 14 points in 16 games with the Ducks, including his first career NHL hat trick on Apr. 9 against the San Jose Sharks. He continued to provide value in the Ducks' first round series against the Edmonton Oilers, averaging over 23 minutes of ice time and collecting five points in six games.
May 14, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman John Carlson (74) fights for the puck against Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) during the third period of game six of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
However, he was almost a detriment to the team in their second round series against the Vegas Golden Knights, struggling to adjust to the Golden Knights' ferocious forecheck and stingy penalty kill. Carlson logged a singular point in the six-game series and had a minus-4 rating.
The expectation is that Carlson, a pending UFA, will hit the open market on July 1. It's been reported that he is seeking a return to the East Coast and could command upwards of $9 million a year. His acquisition cost the Ducks their 2026 first-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick, which general manager Pat Verbeek viewed as an adequate cost to provide his team with a strong addition for their playoff run.
In the days leading up to the 2026 NHL Draft, first-round picks have been thrown around like candy to acquire players like Mackie Samoskevich, Brady Tkachuk, Jordan Kyrou, Šimon Nemec and Bowen Byram. The Ducks potentially could have been in that fold as well if they had retained their pick. Their first-rounder provided the Capitals with the necessary ammunition to acquire Kyrou, after all. Could the Ducks have made the playoffs without Carlson? Who knows. But his presence helped Pavel Mintyukov find consistency in his play down the stretch and provided another resource for the Ducks' young players to learn from.
Judd Caulfield
Caulfield just wrapped up his third season in the AHL, his best professional season to date. He played up and down the lineup, but most of his ice time down the stretch came alongside Nathan Gaucher as part of the Gulls' de facto checking line. Caulfield plays a prototypical power forward game, using his size and strength to keep the puck away from opponents and drive to the crease. He was originally acquired by the Ducks from the Pittsburgh Penguins in March 2023 and signed a two-year entry contract (ELC) just days later. He spent the past season on an AHL-only deal following the expiration of his ELC last summer.
Out of contract this summer, Caulfield was one of the Gulls' most productive players in 2025-26. If brought back, he may not have the same role that he did under a new head coach, with McIlvane now an assistant coach in Boston. But his physical attributes fall in line with what Verbeek values from his players and he was one of the few AHL-only deal players to play in preseason for the Ducks, so it's possible that Caulfield may get a shot at an NHL contract this summer.
Frank Vatrano
To say that Vatrano's 2025-26 season was tumultuous would be an understatement. He began the season on the third line, but had just three points through the first month of the season. A brief period on the fourth line helped Vatrano bag his first two goals of the season before he endured 14 consecutive games without a single point. A stint of productivity in mid-December provided hope that he could get back on the right track, but it was derailed when he suffered a fractured shoulder on Dec. 27 after falling hard into the boards.
Apr 14, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) plays the puck by the boards in the first period against the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
Vatrano did not return to the lineup until Mar. 4 against the New York Islanders. He had been healthy enough to play, but was away from the team after his brother, Sammy, passed away after a five-year battle with glioblastoma. Vatrano played in 12 regular season games upon his return, but was also a healthy scratch in 10 of the Ducks' last 22 games. He did not make a single appearance during the Ducks' playoff run, calling into question what his future holds.
There are two years left on the three-year, $13.71 million contract extension that Vatrano signed on Jan. 5, 2025, which includes a seven-team no trade list. Things can only go up from here for Vatrano, who endured the worst statistical season of his pro career while dealing with matters off the ice that are more important than hockey.
Tomáš Suchánek
After recovering from a ruptured ACL that forced him to miss the entire 2024-25 season, Suchánek began the 2025-26 season in the ECHL with the Tulsa Oilers, splitting time in net with fellow Ducks prospect Slava Buteyets.
He was recalled to the Gulls in late November and made a pair of starts before being reassigned to the Oilers. By this point, Buteyets had taken control of the crease and was the Oilers' regular starter. Suchánek made just two starts before again being recalled to the Gulls after the Ducks recalled Ville Husso in the wake of Petr Mrazek's season-ending hip surgery.
Suchánek operated as Calle Clang's backup for most of the rest of the season, up until Damian Clara joined the team from Brynäs following the conclusion of the SHL season. Once Clara arrived, Suchánek appeared in just one game leading up to the Gulls' playoff run, a relief appearance for Clang after he suffered an injury during the last game of the regular season. With Clang out for the playoffs, it was Clara who got the starting nod over Suchánek.
San Diego goaltender Tomas Suchanek (30) skates out of the goal during a break in play in the first period of their game at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023.
Clang is gone now, back in Sweden with his former club Rögle in the SHL. Buteyets may also be gone, out of contract this summer. That leaves Clara and Suchánek as the goaltending tandem in San Diego, with Husso now the full-time backup in Anaheim and Mrázek also expected to hit free agency.
It was a difficult season for Suchánek in his return from long-term injury. He made 11 appearances for the Oilers, going 3-8-0 with an .884 SV% and 4.27 GAA. He didn't fare much better with the Gulls, sporting a 5-7-4 record with an .879 SV% and 3.31. The hope will be that he can get back to form next season after having a full season to get adjusted after the long layoff.
Drew Schock
In his first season as a collegiate player, Schock had 10 points in 38 games. While it's easy to look at Schock's points total and assume that he didn't do very much offensively, he was part of the 7D rotation to start the season, often flip-flopping with Matthew Mania or even being a healthy scratch. As the season progressed, he began to find a role on the second pairing, playing on his off-side as a left-hander with Ben Robertson.
By the time Michigan was in the stretch run leading up to the NCAA tournament, Robertson and Schock had become a reliable pairing behind Tyler Duke and Luca Fantilli. Schock uses his skating and hockey sense to turn defense into offense and while he isn't very flashy, the tools that he has can help him become an NHLer down the line.
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BUFFALO, N.Y. — With little progress in talks to re-sign Alex Tuch, Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said he anticipates losing the veteran forward to free agency.
Though negotiations began last summer, the sides remain far apart on terms, with Kekalainen noting the Sabres are constrained by the salary cap. He also noted the element of risk of signing a 30-year-old player to a long-term contract.
“I don’t think at this point that we’ve come to any point in our talks that would indicate that he’d want to sign with us,” Kekalainen said. “So I think he’s moving on and getting into free agency, and now we’ve got to look at our options.”
One option is a sign-and-trade deal to get something in return for a player the Sabres elected to retain at the trade deadline in March to spur the team’s push in making the playoffs for the first time in 15 seasons.
Tuch would become one of the more prized free agents once the NHL’s signing period opens on July 1. He’s a 10-year veteran who has topped 20 goals in four of his five seasons in Buffalo — including scoring 33 or more in each of the past two years.
In Buffalo, he had 139 goals and 309 points in 360 games in filling a top-line role. Overall, he has 200 goals and 448 points in 615 NHL games.
Tuch had an inconsistent postseason. After scoring four goals and three assists in Buffalo’s six-game series win against Boston in the first round, he was held with a point in a seven-game loss to Montreal in the second round.
The Sabres acquired Tuch and forward Peyton Krebs in a trade that sent former captain Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights in November 2021. Tuch is from Syracuse, New York, and welcomed the trade because he grew up rooting for the Sabres.
“He’s a good player but we have a lot of faith in our group,” said Kekalainen, who took over in December after Kevyn Adams was fired. “He’s is going to be missed but we’ll be fine.”
The Sabres have numerous promising young forwards in position to step up, including Noah Ostlund, Konsta Helenius and Jiri Kulich, who is expected to be healthy after missing much of last season with a blood clot issue.
The news on Tuch comes a day after Buffalo lost another key contributor from a team that led to the Sabres winning their first Atlantic Division title and win its first playoff round since 2007.
The Sabres traded defenseman Bowen Byram and checking line forward Jordan Greenway to the Chicago Blackhawks. Buffalo acquired Chicago’s No. 4 pick and a second-round selection in the draft, along with promising defenseman Louis Crevier.
Kekalainen revealed Byram expressed no interest in wanting to remain in Buffalo after his current contract expired next summer.
“He didn’t want to negotiate; he wasn’t gonna sign with us. So, that didn’t leave us an option to do anything else,” Kekalainen said.
With the fourth pick, the Sabres are positioned to land a top prospect in a draft class that’s loaded with highly regarded defenseman in a draft Buffalo is hosting. Among the defensive candidates expected to be available at No. 4 are Carson Carels (WHL Prince George), North Dakota’s Keaton Verhoeff and Latvia’s Alberts Smits.
Kekalainen said he’s taking a wait-and-see approach as to whether he’ll consider trading the selection for a more NHL-ready asset.
“We’ll gather that information around the league and see what the value is, and if we don’t think it’s as much as making the pick, then we make the pick,” he said.
That, of course, makes life a little different for the club’s amateur scouting staff leading up to the 2026 NHL draft. Barring a trade, the Flyers will pick at 21st overall. It’s their lowest first-round spot since 2020.
So the Flyers know the draft is still critical to what they want to do, even when they’re lower in the order.
“We’ve said it for a long time, we wanted to build a team that was going to be here for a long time; not just to go for it for a year or two,” general manager Danny Briere said last month. “That’s still the same approach on my end.”
After the recent trade with the Maple Leafs, the Flyers have only four picks in this draft, which will be held June 26-27. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11 a.m. ET.
“I’ll tell you how I feel about drafts and I’ll be totally blunt with you,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said June 2 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think it’s f—ing bulls–t when I hear about, ‘Oh, this draft isn’t as good.’ Here are the numbers. Approximately 45 players from any draft will play 350 games or more in the NHL. It might be 47 one year, 42 another year. That’s the number — you get 45 players that’ll play 350 games or more with varying degrees of success.
“And I know this about the draft. The teams that get good players from the draft say it was a good draft. The teams that don’t get good players from the draft say it wasn’t a good draft. So when people start telling me about a draft ahead of time, I call bulls–t.”
“What you’re trying to do is find a player that you feel has the potential to be an NHL player,” Button said. “That might be a third-line center, that might be a second-line scoring winger. Hey, listen, maybe you get David Pastrnak, who’s a superstar (drafted 25th overall in 2014).
“But the focus has to be on, ‘OK, what type of player do we like, what type of player do we think the guy can be?’ And then get after it and understand what the development path is, and then try to help that player be the best he can be. Put a stake in the ground and celebrate who you’re drafting.”
Before the draft arrives, we’ve been breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers.
To wrap things up:
Wyatt Cullen
Position: Winger Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 183 Shoots: Left Team: USNTDP
Scouting report
There’s a ton to like about Cullen’s makeup.
He’s a dynamic playmaker with shiftiness and skill. He has impressive hockey bloodlines. And he doesn’t turn 18 years old until September.
“I think there’s a raw talent there, his base is there,” Daily Faceoff associate editor and prospect analyst Steven Ellis said June 9 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. … “Give him a year or two and I think he’s going to make a lot of teams that passed on him look bad.”
Cullen put up over a point per game this season in the U.S. national team development program. He had 16 goals and 29 assists over 40 games on the under-18 team that wasn’t nearly as loaded as it has been in the past.
“I feel like what we saw from him was a player that was limited offensively because of the team he played for,” Ellis said. “Part of that is when you look at the NTDP, there’s not a lot of high-end talent there.”
Thanks in part to a serious growth spurt, Cullen has been viewed as one of the draft’s top risers. In the last two years, he has grown by eight inches and 56 pounds, according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic.
At the 2026 IIHF U-18 World Junior Championship, a tournament that ended last month, Cullen delivered nine points (three goals, six assists) in five games for Team USA.
“His favorite player is Jack Hughes and that’s one the scouts have kind of thrown around for him a couple of times,” Ellis said. “There’s a two-way game, it’s something where he’s a hard-working guy for someone who primarily plays on the wing. He has some center experience, but mostly on the wing.”
“Every time he played at a showcase event, he was outstanding,” Ellis said. “He was a legitimate MVP candidate for USA at the under-18s. … Every game was explosive from him. Great plays, smart, outstanding skill, great skater.”
“I think the biggest thing for him is figuring out how to use his bigger frame,” Ellis said. “If he can do that and allow himself to kind of overpower opponents on the boards or through the middle, I think that’s where he gets really exciting.”
Final draft rankings have been updated in this story.
(Michael Miller/Getty Images)
Fit with Flyers
Interestingly, Cullen’s father played for Rick Tocchet when the Flyers’ head coach was an assistant with the Penguins. Matt Cullen suited up for 1,516 career NHL games and won three Stanley Cup titles, two of which came with Tocchet in Pittsburgh.
But connections aside, the 17-year-old Cullen would be a fine pick for the Flyers. He has some positional versatility, too, which should only help his projection.
It’s feeling more and more likely, though, that Cullen won’t be there for the Flyers unless they trade up.
When the 2026-27 NHL season begins, the Florida Panthers will have one of the deepest and most talented groups in the league.
It’s not debatable. It’s a fact.
The addition of Brady Tkachuk only added to what was already a Stanley Cup caliber squad, but there are still some holes that will need to be filled.
Obviously, the Panthers need to add a couple of goaltenders.
THN Florida has previously reported the team is giving a good look to several veterans who would not demand high salaries, putting faith in the Goaltending Excellence Department to continue finding tendies whose skillset would allow them to excel inside the Panthers’ systems.
That being said, don’t count the Panthers out quite yet in regard to a big-name goaltender who may be looking for an exit from his Canadian Western Conference team.
Even after using much of their trade capital to acquire Tkachuk, it seems Florida has not closed the door on Connor Hellebuyck and are seeing if they can find a deal that works for both sides.
Currently, the Panthers have just over $7 million in cap space, according to PuckPedia, and Hellebuyck is playing on a deal that runs through 2030-31 and carries an average annual value (AAV) of $8.5 million.
Another area the Panthers are looking to bolster is their third defensive pairing.
One veteran blueliner Florida is considering is former Cats defender Radko Gudas.
The bearded butcher spent three seasons in South Florida before signing a three-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks during the summer of 2023.
Gudas, who turned 36 years old at the beginning of June, very much enjoyed his time with the Panthers and was viewed as a leader in the locker room during his tenure with the team.
Those leadership attributes followed him to Anaheim, where Gudas was named the ninth captain in Ducks franchise history.
Regarding quality of play, his advanced metrics were better last season than in either of his first two years in Anaheim, and the physical Gudas is well aware of what Florida asks of their defenseman after playing under Paul Maurice with the Panthers in 2022-23.
The Ducks signed Gudas to a three-year deal that carried an AAV of $4 million, and that came after he played in Florida on a deal that paid him $2.5 million annually.
We’re exactly one week away from the start of free agency, and the NHL Draft is Friday.
Things remain fluid and there are several moving parts, but no matter what happens, it should be fun to see play out.
Photo caption: Jan 25, 2026; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas (7) against the Calgary Flames during the third period at Scotiabank Saddledome. (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)
With the 2026 NHL Entry Draft on the horizon, there is growing concern among Canadian fan bases surrounding American-born prospects. This concern is valid considering recent trends of American players demanding trades out of Canada. While there is always a future risk that a player will eventually want to head back to the USA, it should not deter the Vancouver Canucks from selecting American players in this year's draft.
While it's true that some players don't want to play in Canada, there are examples in almost every Canadian city of Americans who have committed long-term to their organizations. Last off-season in Vancouver, Brock Boeser signed a seven-year deal while Thatcher Demko re-signed for three more seasons. As for other examples, Kyle Connor is set to begin an eight-year extension with the Winnipeg Jets, while Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson have made long-term commitments with the Montréal Canadiens.
One of the best ways to prevent players from asking out, regardless of nationality, is to build a winning organization on the ice. If a Canadian team becomes a contender, players will be more likely to stay or sign in that city. The Canadiens are a good example, as their players sound very committed to the organization after a recent trip to the Eastern Final.
All of this leads to the big question this week: will the Canucks skip American prospects for fear they may leave or not sign with the organization? The answer should be no, as Vancouver can not afford to skip out on talent at this point in the rebuild. Unless a prospect says they do not have any interest in being selected by a Canadian team, the Canucks should consider drafting them if they are the best player available at the position.
Ultimately, the decision of a few players should not impact how a team like Vancouver operates. Yes, there is potential risk in the future, but missing out on a game-breaker out of fear they may one day ask out is not something that should dictate the Canucks' decisions this week. If Vancouver can start building a winning team, it should ensure that players, regardless of nationality, want to stay with the organization long-term.
Team USA at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge (Photo Credit: Erica Perreaux/CHL)
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The Philadelphia Flyers may have missed out on Bowen Byram, but the good news is that there are always more fish in the pond we call the NHL trade market.
As has the team themselves have said, the Flyers would like to upgrade on defense if possible, and while a veteran like John Carlson is still an option, what better way to do it than for the short and long-term?
Byram, 25, has long-term appeal, even if his next contract would have been an albatross on the Flyers in their current situation.
Another player who may be available, of similar age and skill, is surprisingly none other than Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin.
According to TSN NHL insider Darren Dreger, "Multiple teams have confirmed Carolina is considering trade involving Alexander Nikishin. The 24-year-old Stanley Cup champion is a pending RFA, so the Canes are weighing trade interest vs extension."
On a deep Hurricanes team, Nikishin won't get the top-four role he's capable of playing when stuck behind former Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, K'Andre Miller, and Jaccob Slavin on the depth chart.
In Carolina, the Russian was, at best, a No. 5 defenseman with some serious talent and physicality, but with rare opportunity to fully harness those gifts.
The Flyers, on the other hand, just traded Emil Andrae in a package for Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit, and they want to get bigger and better on defense.
They have all the assets in the world to pull off a trade, even with a division rival (run by hometown hero Eric Tulsky), and they have all the money in the world to sign Nikishin to an extension.
A former captain of SKA St. Petersburg, Nikishin can do it all at both ends of the ice. He's long and mean and can use his size and strength to kill plays before they develo.
Offensively, Nikishin is poised, a willing and able shooter, and a plus in transition with his legs and passing.
Making the jump from the KHL straight to the NHL, Nikishin scored 11 goals, 22 assists, and 33 points in 81 games for the Hurricanes, but recorded only one assist in 17 playoff games in a reduced role.
Despite his age, Nikishin is still developing and improving as a player on North American ice, and that's just fine.
For the Flyers, there is a significant benefit to having Nikishin and Matvei Michkov--former teammates, mind you--in the same locker room, communicating with each other, learning together, and pushing to be the best NHLers they can be.
It's worth noting that Michkov had a up-and-down sophomore season following the departures of Russian teammates Ivan Fedotov and Egor Zamula.
Tulsky and Flyers GM Danny Briere have done business together in the past, with the Nick Deslauriers trade that effectively cost the Hurricanes nothing, and there would be mutual benefits for both sides depending on the final trade package.
Yes, the Hurricanes did knock the Flyers out of the playoffs, but this is still an opportunity for the Flyers to get bigger, younger, and better as a team.
AFP Analytics currently projects Nikishin to sign a six-year, $38.6 million extension ($6.44 million AAV), which is perfectly affordable for the Flyers and just barely above Travis Sanheim's $6.25 million cap hit in a rapidly rising salary cap climate.
If the Flyers are truly interested in Nikishin, there are no downsides, and it just comes down to getting a deal done.
Tuesday was one of the most exciting days of player movement in the NHL in a long, long time. There were several trades made, many including a star player and/or a first-round pick.
The salary cap is rising, and teams are motivated to make bold moves to improve their roster in pursuit of a Stanley Cup title.
The Boston Bruins did not participate in Tuesday’s action, and they have been very quiet so far this offseason.
In fact, the B’s have done pretty much nothing. They did trade prospect Andre Gasseau and a draft pick to the San Jose Sharks for two draft picks last week, but that’s a very minor move.
The Bruins’ inactivity is putting them in a tough position. Right now, they look like the fifth- or sixth-best team in a loaded Atlantic division. They appear, as currently constructed, destined to be fighting for a wild card playoff berth next season, with another first-round exit as the most likely outcome.
“(It’s) obviously an important time in the season for us,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said at his pre-draft press conference Wednesday. “And it’s been busy, obviously, around the league and chatter. I don’t think the transactions are going to stop between now and the timeframe in July.
“We’re eager to be participating, haven’t yet, I guess what we did with [Andre] Gasseau, but there’s been a lot of chatter so I expect things to continue in terms of player movement and stuff heading into the draft to be busy.”
They returned to the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season and took a big step toward becoming a good team again following a disastrous 2024-25 campaign. But maintaining their standing as a playoff team and inching closer to contender status could prove very difficult next season.
Why is that? Look no further than the Bruins’ rivals in the division.
Over the last few weeks, several of these teams have made substantial moves to change their roster and try to improve.
The Florida Panthers’ run of three straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final ended this past season due to injuries. But the Panthers should be a top contender again next season with a healthy roster, and they recently traded for a top-six power forward in Brady Tkachuk. Florida sent the Ottawa Senators three first-round picks (including No. 9 overall in Friday’s draft) and a second-rounder.
The Senators, who made the playoffs last season, wasted no time in using those assets to replace Tkachuk. They sent the No. 9 pick to the San Jose Sharks to acquire promising young William Eklund.
The Buffalo Sabres returned to the postseason in 2026 after a 15-year absence and defeated the Bruins in a six-game first-round series. They made a blockbuster deal with the Blackhawks on Tuesday that sent defenseman Bowen Byram to Chicago in exchange for the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, among other pieces involved. Buffalo can use the No. 4 pick to draft an elite prospect or trade it for a veteran star (maybe a goalie?).
Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
The Sabres traded defenseman Bo Byram to the Blackhawks on Tuesday in a deal that sent the No. 4 pick to Buffalo.
The Tampa Bay Lightning finished second in the division last season, and their roster is much better than the Bruins’. It features the reigning Hart Trophy winner (Nikita Kucherov) and a Vezina Trophy finalist in net (Andre Vasilevskiy). The Montreal Canadiens reached the Eastern Conference Final after a 106-point regular season. After some tough years in Montreal, the Canadiens are back. Their roster is loaded with premium young talent signed to team-friendly contracts.
Even the Toronto Maple Leafs should be much better next season after winning the NHL Draft Lottery in May and signing the top free agent defenseman, Darren Raddysh, after trading for his rights.
Despite all of these rival teams being proactive in bolstering their rosters, Sweeney seems unconcerned with the strength of the division.
“Florida, obviously they had injuries last year. They were a good team prior, they’re a good team now,” Sweeney said. “Montreal just took a step, Detroit’s looking to take a step, Buffalo took a step, they just traded some players. The moving parts are there. Ultimately, you’re going to have to show up and win your games. I think we’re competitive within our division. We were last year. And you’re going to need to be, because you are playing those games more frequently than the others.
“I don’t think it’s to the point where you’re like, oh, our division is overwhelming us by any stretch. I think we’re perfectly fine to compete within our division, but we have to address some areas in order, to your point, to acknowledge that other teams have finished ahead of us right now.”
Teams outside the division have improved, too. The Washington Capitals missed the playoffs by just four points last season. Over the last 24 hours, they have made bold trades for two top-six forwards in Jordan Kyrou and Alex Tuch.
The most impactful moves the Bruins can make to improve the roster would be adding another top-six forward (preferably a center) and a top-four defenseman who plays on the right side of the blue line. Boston’s lack of speed and skill were obvious in the playoffs. Those upgrades aren’t going to come from within, at least not in 2026-27. Outside reinforcements are required, and the trade market is the place to make those deals.
“You have to be in the trade market at this time of the year,” Sweeney said. “I just don’t think you can be singularly focused on UFA and internal growth and expectation that somebody’s just going to take the job. You’ve got to go out and actively find some guys that your pro guys have identified can help you.”
Many of the Bruins’ core players are in the win-now stage of their careers. David Pastrnak is 30 years old. Pavel Zacha is 29. Charlie McAvoy is 28. Jeremy Swayman is 27. If the Bruins plan to win with these players, the clock is ticking.
“We’re trying to improve our hockey club,” Sweeney said. “We’re competitively driven as I said, our players are going to be impatient in that regard. Organizationally, we’ve tried to look at this as, what’s our window. We did a good job to get back and be competitive this year relative to where we were a year ago. We had some players, you know, young players get integrated and take steps. We’d like to add to the group, you know, so it has to be. Whether that’s in a move up or move back or if that’s in a player acquisition, you know, we have to be in the marketplace.”
The Bruins need to get in the marketplace ASAP and make some moves or the 2026-27 season could be lost before it even starts. There’s no worse position to be in than a fringe playoff team, and that’s exactly where the Bruins stand on June 24, 2026.
In his media availability on Monday afternoon, Senators general manager Steve Staios indicated a desire to determine the value of the ninth overall pick he acquired in the Brady Tkachuk blockbuster.
Twenty-four hours later, he had his answer.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Senators announced that they had traded the ninth overall selection in the 2026 NHL Draft to the San Jose Sharks for William Eklund and prospects Kasper Haltunnen and Brandon Svoboda.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy share their views on the Brady Tkachuk trade.
The 23-year-old Eklund is the obvious centrepiece of Ottawa’s return. The left winger, who turns 24 in September, was the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. He has played parts of five NHL seasons, but with the last three as a regular, recording 50 goals and 163 points in 252 career games.
Listed on the NHL website at 5’10” and 188 lbs, Eklund will never be mistaken for Tkachuk. The Swedish product isn’t exactly a burner, ranking in the 53rd percentile in max skating speed (22.31 mph) and 55th percentile in 22+ mph speed bursts according to his Edge data, but he does possess elusiveness through his edgework. It is a skill that creates separation and affords him the time and space to make plays.
Eklund’s best season came as a 22-year-old during the 2024-25 campaign when he tallied 17 goals and 58 points in 77 games. This past season, the winger recorded 15 goals and 53 points in 78 games.
Admittedly, it is always concerning when a young, rebuilding team is willing to move on from one of its young assets. Why would the Sharks not want to keep using Eklund as a young building block?
The answer is simple: with the Sharks possessing the second overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, this trade to procure the ninth overall selection ensures that San Jose will draft left winger Ivar Stenburg and then use that ninth overall selection to address their blue line, their biggest position of need.
At the time the Tkachuk trade was announced, there was some disappointment that the organization did not acquire a warm body that they could immediately pencil into the lineup. With Eklund, the organization added a player with NHL experience and pedigree who will play on one of the top two lines. It also helps that his age aligns with the rest of this team’s young core.
Eklund has three years left on a contract that carries an average annual value of $5.6 million. When his deal expires at the conclusion of the 2028-29 season, Eklund will still have one year of restricted free agent status left before he’s eligible for unrestricted free agency.
Although he has never cracked the 20-goal or 60-point marks, the Senators are obviously hoping that there is untapped upside in the Swedish forward with some room for growth. Intriguingly, despite playing on a porous San Jose team, Eklund has demonstrated some decent defensive metrics, which leads one to believe that the Senators’ structure could bring out the best in his two-way play.
The move is not without risk, however.
The gamble is that Eklund is more of a playmaker than a finisher, and after trading one of the best volume shooters in the league and one of their top goal scorers in Tkachuk, the Senators need someone to help fill the net. Eklund’s five-on-five production rates last season were also relatively unimpressive.
Of the 546 skaters who logged more than 600 minutes of five-on-five ice time, Brady Tkachuk finished 24th with 2.48 points per 60 minutes, and 99th with 0.88 goals per 60. Eklund finished tied for 178th with 1.67 points per 60 and 221st with 0.59 goals per 60.
According to Evolving-Hockey, Eklund played predominantly with Alex Wennberg and Tyler Toffoli, but he did spend some time playing in the top six with other line combinations. Similarly, he spent time between San Jose’s first and second power play units playing to little effect. Per Natural Stat Trick’s data, of the 117 skaters who logged more than 200 minutes on the power play, Eklund finished 96th, averaging 4.23 points per 60 and 101st, averaging 1.35 goals per 60.
Here is his analytical stat card via HockeyStats.com.
Those metrics leave something to be desired, but after hurting his wrist in an exhibition game leading up to the 2025 World Championships, Eklund’s offseason training was negatively impacted. The hope is that, with a healthy summer and playing within the Senators’ system in front of a blue line featuring several strong puckmovers, this new environment will allow Eklund to thrive.
After losing Tkachuk and with aspirations to maintain their level of competitiveness, they will need Eklund to.
Considering how much of the talk leading into the offseason focused on how it was important for Steve Staios to find a winger for Tim Stützle, is Eklund’s style of play a fit, or would he be better suited playing alongside Dylan Cozens on the second line?
As an aside, I am genuinely interested to see how Cozens fares away from Brady Tkachuk, considering how well the two played off each other with their ability to use their size and puck protection to control the cycle game and preserve possession in the offensive zone. Without Tkachuk, can Cozens be as effective as he was last season? That’s the challenge he will face this year.
Looking at the other two prospects, Kasper Halttunen was San Jose’s second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft (36th). The 6’3”, 205 lb Finn just completed his first professional season in North America playing for San Jose’s AHL affiliate, where he scored 16 goals and 35 points in 69 games.
The 21-year-old right winger is renowned for his unbelievable OHL postseason production with the London Knights, in which he scored 32 goals in 35 games across two seasons. Blessed with size and an excellent shot that is capable of beating quality goaltenders from distances, Haltunnen projects as a bottom-six NHL forward.
Brandon Svoboda was San Jose’s third-round pick (71st overall) in that same 2023 NHL Draft class. The right-shot centre finished his sophomore season at Boston University, where he tallied six goals and 15 points in 35 games. Svoboda is listed at 6’3”, and his skating and physical tools project favourably to give him a chance to play professionally, but he projects as a safe floor depth piece.
In a vacuum, I’m left a bit torn. I like the idea of targeting a young piece in Eklund, who has produced at the NHL level and whose timeline aligns with the rest of this young core. I am intrigued to see how he integrates onto the roster and whether this team’s blue line and its structure can benefit his offensive numbers and take them to another level. Adding two prospects in Halttunen and Svoboda to a relatively thin farm system to bolster its depth isn’t a terrible idea either.
At the same time, however, the Senators paid a significant price with a top-10 pick to acquire this trio of players. For a team within its competitive window of opportunity, it is not every year that a top-10 pick winds up in a team’s hands, and they have to maximize its value to make that ascent and be recognized as a Stanley Cup contender.
Obviously, with Brady Tkachuk requesting a trade, there was pressure to get a warm body back in return who could help preserve competitiveness. The risk is that, if Eklund is not a frontline player, the Senators will have a harder time escaping that muddy middle, wherein they’re simply a competitive team whose success is predicated on their structure.
There are more dominoes to fall, so I want to wait to see how the rest of Ottawa’s offseason goes before passing judgment. With approximately $19.5 million in cap space remaining, the Senators have lots of money left to make a splash and improve their roster.
That said, the opportunity cost of acquiring Eklund was high, and when moving such a high pick, the goal is to add impactful players, and I just can’t confidently say that the organization did that on Tuesday.
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