When the NHL draft lottery determined the Toronto Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks were the Nos. 1 and 2 picks, respectively, the NHL world recognized the Vancouver Canucks as the biggest losers. But the team just behind the Canucks in the order — the Chicago Blackhawks — were similarly left in the cold at No. 4.

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.

REQUIRED READING: Bowen Byram trade grades: Blackhawks take big gamble moving top-5 pick

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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One of draft's top risers would be fun pick for Flyers … if he's available originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

For the first time in a while, the Flyers are coming off a playoff run.

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.

But that was when the Flyers drafted a foundation piece, grabbing Tyson Foerster at 23rd overall.

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.”

Last summer, the Flyers made nine selections, with six coming over the first two rounds. Porter Martone was their headliner at sixth overall. Now the Flyers will try to hit on a pick in the 20s.

“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.”

Cullen is the 10th-ranked player on Ellis’ top-120 draft board.

“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.”

There’s some variance on Cullen’s stock. He’s No. 6 overall on EliteProspects.com, but No. 21 on Button’s list. He’s No. 13 among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting.

“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.

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.

More targets

• Could Lawrence’s early jump to college have him fall to Flyers in draft?

• Will Flyers eye 6-foot-4 forward with ‘goal-scoring hands’ at No. 21?

• Palmieri ‘type of player’ may be available for Flyers at No. 21 in draft

• Russian center with pro build has interesting case for Flyers at No. 21

• Lin has ‘Brandon Montour profile,’ but will he be there for Flyers at No. 21?

• D-man with ‘unbelievable maturity to his game’ could be option for Flyers at No. 21

• ‘Second-line center all day long’ should intrigue Flyers in draft

• ‘This kid is a hell of a player’ — Flyers could draft 45-goal, 104-point winger

• Is Novotny, a winger that’s ‘so dangerous around the net,’ a fit for Flyers?

• A Drysdale type of defenseman for the Flyers at No. 21 in the draft?

• Another OHL first-rounder for Flyers? Klepov, with 97 points, has tons of appeal

• A center with ‘fantastic’ hockey sense could give Flyers option to trade down

• Should a 6-foot-7 center have the Flyers’ attention in first round of draft?

• Is Hermansson too ‘offense or bust’ for Flyers at No. 21 in draft?

• Preston has ‘all the tools,’ but will his tough draft year dissuade Flyers?

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.

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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. 

Vancouver Canucks 2026 NHL Draft Target Tracker A list of all Vancouver Canucks 2026 NHL Draft target articles.

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. 

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

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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.

Flyers 'Entered' Trade Discussions for Former 4th Overall Draft PickThe Philadelphia Flyers are beginning to consider a potential trade opportunity for former No. 4 overall draft pick Shane Wright.

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.

Bruins falling behind as East rivals make bold moves to improve originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

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.”

The Bruins better get 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 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.

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.

By Graeme Nichols
The Hockey News

When the Ottawa Senators traded Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers for a truckload of futures earlier this week, it didn’t feel like the pressure was mounting up for Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes. After all, Tkachuk was in the division before and was staying there. Of course, a rival got better, but one could argue another got significantly worse at the same time. That was before Tuesday’s trading mayhem, though.

The Senators made another move on Tuesday. They knew they needed to replace their former captain in the lineup for the upcoming season, so they used some of the draft capital they got from the Panthers, sending the ninth overall pick to the San Jose Sharks to acquire William Eklund, Kasper Halttunen, and prospect Brandon Svoboda. While Eklund doesn’t have the same playing style as Tkachuk, their offensive production isn't that different, and, of course, it will be interesting to see how he does away from Macklin Celebrini. Still, the trade achieves what the Senators needed: getting back on track.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres, knowing that they couldn’t re-sign left-shot blueliner Bowen Byram, sent him and Jordan Greenway to the Chicago Blackhawks in return for the fourth overall pick, the 45th overall pick at the upcoming draft, and 6-foot-8 right-shot defenseman Louis Crevier. Somehow, Jarmo Kekalainen managed to barter the former fourth-overall pick, who had already been traded once, for a fourth-overall pick in a deep draft. Granted, Crevier’s 25 points don’t quite measure up to Byram’s 42 points, but he’s still a right-shot D with a big body.

Furthermore, a player rumored to be of interest to the Canadiens, Jordan Kyrou, was sent to the Washington Capitals in exchange for Connor McMichael, Milton Gastrin, and the 16th overall pick in the next draft. That wasn’t exactly a king’s ransom, but more importantly, that’s a door that’s now shut for the Canadiens.

It’s also worth noting that another right-shot defenseman who was rumored to be on the move was traded on Tuesday. The New Jersey Devils sent Simon Nemec and Maxim Tsyplakov to the Calgary Flames for two first-round picks (in 2027 and 2028), a second-round pick at the upcoming draft, and Etienne Mornin. Nemec was the second-overall pick at the 2022 draft, right behind countryman Juraj Slafkovsky. The Canadiens weren’t really linked to Nemec, but it still makes the right-shot defenseman market barer than it already was.

There were quite a few areas the Habs needed to improve this offseason: a second-line center, a right-shot defenseman, more physicality on the bottom six, and that was before the Panthers, the Senators, and the Sabres made significant moves to improve their lineups. It wasn’t exactly easy for the Canadiens to get out of the division in the playoffs; they needed seven games to rid themselves of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo, and what has happened so far this offseason won’t make coming out of the Atlantic an easier task. In other words, the ball is now squarely in Kent Hughes’ court. Will he watch the parade go by, or will he hop on? Canadiens fans have been accustomed to Montreal making moves in the offseason; Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, Sean Monahan, Patrik Laine, Noah Dobson, and Zachary Bolduc all became Habs during the summer. Who’s next? Or is anybody next?

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 With free agency set to open next Wednesday, the Winnipeg Jets find themselves at a familiar crossroads as a team with genuine Stanley Cup aspirations but in need of the depth scoring that has recently eluded them.

The Jets averaged just 2.79 goals per game this past season, a mark that tied the New York Islanders for seventh-worst in the entire NHL. While some names have already come off the board in Jason Dickinson and Bobby McMann among those recently re-signed or extended elsewhere, a handful of intriguing options remain available, and Winnipeg would be wise to pursue at least one of them aggressively.

Anthony Mantha, RW/LW, Pittsburgh Penguins

Few players on the open market this summer had a better season than Mantha, who put together a 64-point campaign in Pittsburgh while helping the Penguins pull off one of the more surprising playoff qualifications of the year. The 31-year-old from Quebec has always had the tools to be a difference-maker, and last season he proved what happens when those tools are put to proper use. 

With Pittsburgh's long-term direction still very much in question, Mantha will likely prioritize landing somewhere with a realistic shot at winning and Winnipeg fits that description. A second-line pairing with Cole Perfetti would give both players a chance to thrive.

Oliver Bjorkstrand, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning

There was a time not long ago when Bjorkstrand was one of the more quietly productive wingers in the league, regularly posting 50 to 60 points and looking like a fixture in any competitive lineup. Last season in Tampa told a different story, with just 32 points in 80 games in a bottom-six role that never really suited him. 

The 31-year-old Dane is the kind of player who needs the right environment to produce, and Winnipeg could be exactly that. Give him top-six minutes and real responsibility, and a bounce-back season is well within reach. On a reasonable multi-year deal, the upside far outweighs the risk.

Mason Marchment, LW/C, Columbus Blue Jackets

The Jets had an edge problem this past season. Without Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn, the lineup lost a nastiness that opposing teams had come to respect, and that absence was felt when the games got physical. Marchment solves that problem while bringing genuine offensive value alongside it, a rare combination at 30 years old. 

The Uxbridge native has established himself as one of the more sought-after power forwards available, consistently delivering in the 45-to-55-point range while making life difficult on opponents every shift. Slotting him into the bottom six would free up the second line to focus on pure production, and it would restore an identity to this Jets group that has been missing for the better part of a year.

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The post-Brady Tkachuk era began at least one season earlier than anyone could have imagined on Sunday night, and the announcement ruined many a Father's Day dinner.

Tkachuk was traded to the Florida Panthers for the 9th and 25th overall selections in Friday’s NHL Draft, a conditional, lottery-protected first-round pick in 2029, and a second-round pick in 2027.

GM Steve Staios met the media on Monday and made it very clear this was not his idea and that he felt it best to accommodate the trade request rather than play a waiting game.

Though many Sens purists were in denial about this day ever coming, the signs were there. Matthew relocated to Florida, won two Stanley Cups, played with Brady at the 4 Nations Faceoff, and captured Olympic gold alongside his brother.

Now that the deal is done, rather than roasting the departed, it's important to note what this might mean in the big picture, not just for the Senators, but for all Canadian NHL markets.

1) What Canadian Teams Can Learn From The Brady Tkachuk Trade

This is not the first time this has happened in the NHL or even to the Senators.

Tkachuk was selected in the 2018 draft, and Alex DeBrincat was acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2022.

Neither was ultimately committed to a long-term future with the Senators, and for their own reasons, wanted to return to play in the States. 

The template for this kind of move was set by Matthew Tkachuk, who forced Brad Treliving’s hand in Calgary and landed himself in Florida via trade.

Making a star American-born player the linchpin in a Canadian market via the draft or a blockbuster trade can carry an extra risk if they hope to keep them after free agency hits. Canadian teams need to be cautious and understand that.

2) American Players Currently Available Through Trade or Free Agency 

Potential replacement players in the marketplace for Tkachuk and to fill the already existing top-six scoring forward dilemma are the talk of the town. The Sens got started with a deal on Tuesday for San Jose's William Eklund and two prospects, but their search may not be over.

They've also been linked to American players like RFA Jason Robertson and UFA Alex Tuch.

Robertson seems like a no-brainer if he wanted to come. He would really take the sting off losing a player like Tkachuk. Would he come in a sign and trade scenario? That is the $12 million question.

3) No Movement Clauses in Negotiations

These clauses have become more common with top players.

However, the Tkachuk trade is not the only trade where this sort of clause, regardless of the player’s citizenship, has put the team and others around the league in a bad position when it comes to negotiations and finding them new NHL homes.

Policy on the use of these clauses should be particularly stringent in negotiations with American players where it might be best to pay the higher AAV to ensure maximum return when an asset needs to be moved.

Contracts like Dylan Larkin’s, where the full no movement is in the early years of the player’s contract before any decline has occurred, seem to make more sense than a full NMC end-to-end.

There is a path forward, and there is life after Brady Tkachuk. If Steve Staios believes the team does not need to take a step backwards to recover from this, then let him execute his plan. 

When push comes to shove, the lessons listed above need to be on the minds of all Canadian NHL General Managers.

By Pat Maguire
The Hockey News

What was supposed to be an easy episode about the draft turned into a look at a wild few days in the NHL and where the Islanders sit among the craziness.

We don’t know anything about prospects. So we reached out to our Patrons and asked them who they’d like to see the Islanders draft this Friday. A few names rose to the top for a variety of reasons, some good and some silly. Most of all, we want the Islanders to come out of Buffalo this weekend with a clear direction and a plan forward. Some nice prospects would be good, too, of course. But there’s a difference between working towards a goal and just keeping the lights on.

A few teams around the NHL are certainly working towards their goals, although it’s hard to see what some of those are. The Panthers grabbed Brady Tkachuk with the goal of winning another Stanley Cup, and the Senators replaced their captain by using one of their acquired picks to get William Eklund from the Sharks. The Blackhawks and Capitals spent a lot to get Bo Byram and Jordan Kyrou, respectfully, which makes us think the Islanders might be better off playing it safe. But the reality is, they might not have a choice. With a lot of older players locked into long, expensive contracts, they don’t have the wiggle room to maneuver the way other teams do, which means there’s a good chance next season’s team looks a lot like last season’s. That’s certainly a direction. Just not the one we want.

Along the way, we make some predictions about the draft, come to a startling revelation about the Islanders involvement in one of Wednesday’s trades and lament the hiring of longtime Islander villain Pascal Dupuis to their front office. Really, guys?

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have found a new owner after a Florida-based company struck a deal that's set to cost a little shy of $2 billion.

The sale has yet to officially close, but with the NHL Board of Governors approving the deal on June 23, it's expected to go through shortly.

Here's what to know about the Penguins' buyer.

Who bought the Pittsburgh Penguins?

The sale of the Pittsburgh Penguins from The Fenway Sports Group to Hoffman Family of Companies was unanimously approved by the NHL Board of Governors on June 23.

The sale was announced more than six months ago on Dec. 19, 2025, and it's expected to close imminently.