The Montreal Canadiens reportedly have their eye one of the NHL's top trade candidates.
According to TSN's Pierre LeBrun, the Canadiens are keeping an eye on New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck in the trade market.
"Speaking of Montreal, by the way, I mean, they’re being pretty aggressive calling around to figure out the market when it comes to being able to upgrade their top-six forward group. They’re monitoring Vincent Trocheck for sure and see where that goes," LeBrun said.
The Canadiens having Trocheck on their radar is not surprising. It is no secret that they need a boost at the second-line center spot, and he is one of the top centers in the trade market right now. Because of this, it would make sense if they made a real push for him.
If the Canadiens signed Trocheck, he would give them a top-six center who produces strong offense, works in all situations, and plays a gritty game. His stats from this past season show this, as he had 16 goals, 37 assists, 53 points, and 193 hits in 67 games with the Rangers in 2025-26.
It will be intriguing to see if the Canadiens land Trocheck, but the fit looks good on paper.
Gavin McKenna is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft, and when his name is called in Buffalo, N.Y., on Friday night, he will embrace his family, receive cheers from the sold-out crowd and shake hands with league commissioner Gary Bettman. But for the star left winger, meeting the group that’s actually selecting him, the front office of the Toronto Maple Leafs, will have to wait.
That’s because the NHL switched its draft to a decentralized format last year. The league used to have decision-makers and other personnel from all 32 of its teams gather on the floor of wherever the marquee offseason event was held, which NHL president of content and events Steve Mayer called a “who’s who of hockey.”
Now, the franchises run their draft operations remotely from their home cities, similar to how it’s done in the NFL, the NBA and MLB.
Teams were eager for a change, finding the travel burdensome and the schedule too hectic to focus on roster preparations, with the league’s awards ceremony, the end of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the start of free agency unfolding in a few weeks’ time. Having competing franchises all in the same room also raised privacy issues, and Mayer said there were discussions on how potential moves could be visually tipped off. So after conducting a vote with its general managers, who polled their respective organizations, the NHL opted to shake the event up.
But shifting the format didn’t necessarily make things easier. While travel expenses went down for the individual franchises, the decentralized draft costs the NHL more, largely because of how technologically intensive it is. In addition to year-over-year improvements in presentation, the league has to manage broadcast feeds from 32 different locations, transmit data back and forth, and coordinate trades and selections, all in real time.
And Mayer isn’t shy to admit the NHL didn’t get everything right in the first year of decentralization. During the 2025 draft, the league had selected prospects proceed into a “Hockey House,” which had giant LED screens so they could immediately talk to their new teams. Yet it proved to be hit-or-miss as to whether the content was compelling, and it came with a bunch of tech issues. So the NHL scrapped it for this year.
The league also vastly underestimated how much space it needed for the event, even without the teams present, moving from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles in 2025 to KeyBank Center in Buffalo, where the Sabres play, for this draft.
Difficulties aside, Mayer has “zero concerns” about how the draft will play out this year. In fact, he’s extremely bullish on the atmosphere since Buffalo is geographically close to Toronto, which holds the top overall pick for the first time since the Maple Leafs drafted Auston Matthews in 2016. “It is going to be a pretty big moment for sure,” he said.
Mayer acknowledges the NHL player-selection event doesn’t match its NFL counterpart, but then, what does? “It’s hard to compare the NFL,” Mayer said. “I mean, that’s another level, but I put our draft absolutely up against any of the other drafts from the other major leagues for sure.”
As it is, the NHL’s event is generating plenty of commercial opportunities. The league has consistently been adding more elements, such as additional signage and screens, produced player profiles and celebrity activations, giving “our sponsorship team many, many more opportunities to sell,” he added.
The overall growth of the hockey draft has made it more attractive and beneficial to partners, like Upper Deck, which holds the title sponsorship for the event.
“The draft that used to be a business meeting is no longer a business meeting,” Mayer said. “It’s a spectacle, it’s an event, it’s a very sellable item, not only to the spectators in Buffalo, but people that watch it around the world and around the globe and especially for us in North America.”
The lead-up to the 2026 NHL Draft has been full of trades.
Though this is a deep draft, picks were shipped for more immediate help and even more players could be moved this weekend.
So far, the Florida Panthers have acquired Brady Tkachuk and Garnet Hathaway, the Chicago Blackhawks shipped out the No. 4 overall pick for Bowen Byram and the Washington Capitals landed Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou. Valeri Nichushkin, William Eklund, Michael Kesselring and Simon Nemec also moved teams.
According to reports, Jason Robertson and Mason McTavish were being shopped.
Here's a live look at trades and other transactions that happened during the 2026 NHL Draft weekend:
Toronto will receive a 2027 fifth-round pick for Ersson, who they acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers earlier this month in the Joseph Woll trade. Ersson is a pending restricted free agent and the Senators will need to make him a qualifying offer to retain his rights.
The pending unrestricted agent is staying with the Islanders on a two-year deal with a reported $4.5 million cap hit. DeAngelo had 35 points in 76 games in his second season with the Islanders and 10th in the NHL.
Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff confirmed he has been listening to offers on star goalie Connor Hellebuyck. “As an organization, it’s incumbent on me to listen,” he said. He didn't answer whether the U.S. Olympic gold medalist has asked for a trade or if there is if a timeline for making a deal. Hellebuyck is under contract through 2031. “What I’ve been hearing hasn’t made me act,” he said.
Jason Robertson turns down Kraken offer
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that the Stars gave Seattle permission to talk to Jason Robertson and he turned down the team's offer for about $15 million a year. Robertson can become a restricted free agent on July 1.
Sharks getting offers on No. 9 overall pick
Sharks general manager Mike Grier said this week he had been getting calls about the No. 9 overall pick and a few others on the No. 2 pick.
Blues have four first-round picks
After trading Kyrou, the Blues have four picks in the first round, including back-to-back at 15 and 16. Could they potentially package some of those picks to move up in the draft, or to go after another team's player?
According to multiple reports, most recently from TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, the St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers are the two teams that have made offers to the Anaheim Ducks for center Mason McTavish.
The Blues have been linked to McTavish for quite some time now, and they could be in the final stretch run of a deal.
LeBrun reports that the Ducks are currently in talks with both teams about their offers. The Blues’ offer reportedly centers on draft picks, notably the 11th overall pick in this year’s draft. For the Rangers, their trade package involves a roster player.
LeBrun also mentions that the Ducks would likely use the picks they acquire from the Blues, if they agreed to the trade, to acquire players who can help their roster now, as they don’t want to be viewed as sellers.
For the Blues, landing McTavish would solidify their center core. Robert Thomas would remain the No. 1 center while McTavish and Dalibor Dvorsky make up the middle six.
McTavish is 6-foot-1 and 219 pounds and would look to be an offensive center with the Blues. The 2025-26 season was poor for McTavish, but the prior season, he notched 22 goals and 52 points in 76 games.
While McTavish would have a higher offensive responsibility, Dvorsky would be tasked with defensive duties.
Although they wouldn’t be playing on the same line, they would complement each other and allow their strengths to shine.
At just 23 years old, McTavish is still developing his game and hoping to improve. At this point in his career, McTavish has played 304 regular-season games and 10 playoff games. He has experience in everyday NHL life, but a change of scenery could help him rediscover his game and play like the former third-overall pick of the 2021 NHL draft.
The 11th overall pick is a steep price to pay for a player coming off a career-worst season, but if the Blues were hoping to land a forward like Tynan Lawrence, Wyatt Cullen, or Viggo Bjorck, trading for McTavish, who is five years older, provides them with more security. McTavish is an established NHLer, and while those three forwards project well, there is still uncertainty surrounding them.
LeBrun does indicate that teams could circle back and rejoin the McTavish trade discussions, but as of now, it’s a two-horse race between the Blues and Rangers.
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With the trade and free agent market drying up, the New York Islanders are receiving inquiries regarding forward Mathew Barzal.
General manager Mathieu Darche has told us numerous times that his job is to listen, so this news shouldn't shock anyone.
Barzal, 28, who has four seasons left on his deal at $9.15 million annually, has a 22-team modified no-trade clause. That means he can only be dealt to nine teams, with many of those teams already having significant money tied up in their forward group, I'm told.
The Stars aren't looking for picks and prospects for Robertson as they want to continue contending for a Stanley Cup so them having interest in Barzal in a potential deal makes complete sense.
The question is would Robertson have interest in signing on Long Island?
He did play for head coach Pete DeBoer, who was hired by the Islanders with four games to go.
While the Seattle Kraken are likely an interested party, especially after trying to land Artemi Panarin ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline and striking out on Robertson, I don't believe that Barzal would be interested in going there.
The Islanders don't have interest in rebuilding and have previously told the Canadiens "no" when they called about Bo Horvat.
Moving Barzal for picks and prospects makes no real sense, even less sense with DeBoer aboard.
Alex DeBrincat has been creating some chatter in the rumor mill as a trade candidate as he enters the final season of his contract with the Detroit Red Wings in 2026-27.
Could the Chicago Blackhawks look to bring the star forward back?
The Fourth Period recently listed the Blackhawks among the possible suitors for DeBrincat this summer.
"The Edmonton Oilers, Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, Seattle Kraken and Buffalo Sabres are some of the teams exploring the market for a top-line, scoring winger and could have interest in DeBrincat," The Fourth Period wrote.
The idea of the Blackhawks bringing back DeBrincat is undoubtedly a fascinating one. They memorably traded DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators during the 2022 NHL off-season as they were getting their rebuild started. It would make for an entertaining story if they brought him back to Chicago four summers later.
With the Blackhawks needing a star scoring winger, it would make sense for them to try to reunite with DeBrincat. The 28-year-old winger is coming off a fantastic season with the Red Wings, as he scored 41 goals and set new career highs with 44 assists and 85 points in 82 games. With numbers like these, he could be a great linemate for Connor Bedard to have.
In 368 games over five seasons with the Blackhawks from 2017-18 to 2021-22, DeBrincat posted 160 goals, 140 assists, and 307 points.
The New York Rangers have traded Brett Berard to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for William Trudeau.
Leading up to this trade, there was mixed reporting on whether Bearard was looking for a change of scenery.
Berard, who showed flashes of promise during the 2024-25 campaign in 35 games with the Rangers, did not make the Blueshirts’ opening-night roster out of training camp to kick off the 2025-26 season and spent the majority of the season in the American Hockey League playing for the Hartford Wolf Pack.
The 23-year-old played in just 13 NHL games this past season, failing to record a point in the process.
With Berard set to become a restricted free agent this summer,he’s now lined up to sign a contract extension with the Canadiens.
He now reunites with Canadiens president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton, who drafted him in the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Draft while serving as general manager of the Rangers.
The Rangers add Trudeau, a 6-foot-1 left-handed, defenseman to their prospect pool.
Since being selected by the Canadiens in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft, Trudeau has spent four seasons playing for the Laval Rocket of the AHL, unable to break into an NHL role, given Montreal’s depth on the left side of their blueline.
The 23-year-old defenseman is coming off a season in which he recorded eight goals, 12 assists, and 20 points in 62 games.
Similar to Berard, Trudeau is also set to become a restricted free agent on July 1.
On Friday, reports continued to build around the idea that the Winnipeg Jets are aggressively exploring ways to move up into the top four of the upcoming NHL Draft, with multiple league insiders confirming ongoing conversations with the Buffalo Sabres.
The latest wave of speculation follows a busy week of reporting. On Wednesday, insider Frank Seravalli suggested that a major swing deal could see Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck moved to Buffalo in exchange for the fourth overall pick.
That framework would allow Winnipeg to retain its own eighth overall selection while adding a second top-eight pick, a rare draft capital scenario for any club.
By Thursday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman added further fuel to the speculation, reporting that Winnipeg remains actively engaged in discussions around the fourth pick.
Friedman also noted that the Jets are not alone, with the Calgary Flames among multiple teams pursuing Buffalo’s selection, signaling a competitive trade market forming around the pick.
On Friday’s edition of his 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman reiterated that both Winnipeg and Calgary have continued conversations with the Sabres, while emphasizing that interest in the fourth pick is widespread and evolving quickly as draft day approaches.
Winnipeg could consider a smaller jump, moving from seventh into the four spot without necessarily paying the premium of a blockbuster trade. They could position themselves towards potentially adding a marquee player in this draft like Chase Reid.
The 6-foot-2, 192-pound blueliner from the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds, who some scouts have ranked as the second-best player in the class, met with Winnipeg during the NHL Draft Combine. Reid made clear he would welcome the opportunity to join the organization.
“I think that’d definitely be an honor to go play for them,” Reid said at the Combine when asked about the Jets.
Reid has put together two strong seasons with the Greyhounds, improving his offensive production each year. After posting 40 points in 39 games in his first OHL season, he followed it up with 48 points in 45 games this past year, establishing himself as a dynamic, offense-driving defenseman.
The connection between Reid and Winnipeg extends beyond formal interviews. Earlier in the season, he spoke with Jets defenseman Colin Miller, a Sault Ste. Marie native who offered insight into life in Winnipeg and spoke positively about the organization.
Draft projections across the league continue to shift, with several mock drafts now projecting a top three of Gavin McKenna going first overall to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ivar Stenberg selected by the San Jose Sharks, and Caleb Malhotra joining his father Manny Malhotra in Vancouver at third overall.
If that scenario holds, Reid could be available at fourth, making Buffalo’s pick one of the most pivotal assets in the entire draft.
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At the 2026 NHL Draft, the Calgary Flames have the 6th overall pick, marking the 11th time in franchise history that they will have a selection inside the Top-10. Moreover, this will be the sixth time they will make their first pick at 6th overall.
Thus far, through the ten players Calgary has selected within the Top-10, some have been hits, some have missed, and others are Stanley Cup winners. Today, we will revisit each of those picks and see what happened.
This list is ranked based on points scored in the NHL.
10. Brent Krahn - 9th Overall 2000
Flames Career: 0GP - 0G - 0A - 0PTS
NHL Career: 1GP - 0G - 0A - 0PTS
Despite being a top-10 pick in the 2000 NHL Draft, Brent Krahn never dressed for the Flames and appeared in only one NHL game with the Dallas Stars, playing 20 minutes and surrendering three goals on nine shots.
After tearing up the OHL, Zayne Parekh transitioned smoothly to the NHL and is now one of the top prospects in the Flames' rebuild. Despite being just 20, his future is bright, and Calgary fans have only seen a glimpse of what he could achieve.
8. Daniel Tkaczuk- 6th Overall 1997
Flames Career: 19GP - 4G - 7A - 11PTS
NHL Career: 19GP - 4G - 7A - 11PTS
Daniel Tkaczuk is one of many top-10 first-round picks who just never found their footing in the NHL. He appeared in 19 games with the Flames during the 2000-01 season, scoring four goals and totaling seven points. As a career minor leaguer, Tkaczuk found his calling as a coach and executive.
7. Rico Fata - 6th Overall 1998
Flames Career: 27GP - 0G - 1A - 1PTS
NHL Career: 230GP - 27G - 36A - 63PTS
Immediately following the 1998 NHL Draft, Rico Fata debuted with the Flames on Opening Night. He played only 27 games with the organization before moving to four other teams, including the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he tallied a career high 16 goals and 34 points in 2004.
6. Eric Nystrom - 10th Overall 2002
Flames Career: 204GP - 19G - 20A - 39PTS
NHL Career: 593GP - 75G - 48A - 123PTS
Eric Nystrom joined the Flames at 22 and spent the next ten years in the NHL, suiting up for four different teams. His best season in Calgary came in 2010 with 11 goals and 19 points, before reaching a high of 16 lamp-lighters in 2012.
Not only is Sam Bennett the highest drafted player in Flames history, but he's also a two-time Stanley Cup winner, earning the Conn Smythe in 2025. The only other player to achieve that is Hall of Famer Mike Vernon, who did it in 1997 with the Detroit Red Wings. Since moving to the Florida Panthers in 2021, Bennett has doubled his goal and point totals and is now a four-time 20-goal scorer.
4. Dion Phaneuf - 9th Overall 2003
Flames Career: 378GP - 75G - 153A - 228PTS
NHL Career: 1,048GP - 137G - 357A - 494PTS
As of 2026, Dion Phaneuf is one of two Flames top-10 draft picks in history to skate in over 1,000 games in the NHL. In Calgary, he was a member of the All-Rookie Team and finished with votes for the Norris Trophy in five consecutive seasons. Eventually, Phaneuf would go on to captain the Toronto Maple Leafs and play for their provincial rival, the Ottawa Senators.
3. Sean Monahan - 6th Overall 2013
Flames Career: 656GP - 212G - 250A - 462PTS
NHL Career: 896GP - 276G - 355A - 631PTS
There's no denying that Sean Monahan's best seasons came with the Flames, with 73% of his career points coming in Calgary. Since leaving the club in 2022, he's bounced around with a few clubs, recently finding a home with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
2. Matthew Tkachuk - 6th Overall 2016
Flames Career: 431GP - 152G - 230A - 382PTS
NHL Career: 242GP - 101G - 187A - 288PTS
As the most recent 6th overall pick in Flames history, Matthew Tkachuk will always have a special place in team lore, not for being a 40-goal scorer, but for requesting a trade out of town. Once Tkachuk landed in Florida, he scored 40 again and helped the Panthers to three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, winning in 2024 and 2025.
Cory Stillman became the first Flames top-10 pick ever to win the Stanley Cup, achieving it against the club that drafted him in 2004 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Two seasons later, he won again with the Carolina Hurricanes. Despite spending more time with other clubs throughout his 16-year career, Stillman's best seasons, in which he scored 27 goals, came in Calgary.
SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY - MAY 05: Detailed view of the draft board is shown following the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery at the NHL Network Studio on May 5, 2026 in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Good evening, Devils fans. Tonight, at 7:00 PM EDT (barring any ridiculous production-related delays), the 2026 NHL Draft will commence.
In the first round, the Devils will pick 12th overall unless they trade the pick.
On Day Two, which starts at 11:00 AM EDT tomorrow morning, the Devils will select:
35th overall (second round, from NYR through CGY)
44th overall (second round)
140th overall (fifth round)
172nd overall (sixth round)
Check back here for any updates to those selections throughout the Draft. When each pick is made, a post giving a rundown on the player selected will be made in which you can vote on how well you liked the pick. At the end of the NHL Draft, an overview of the Devils’ selections and moves will be posted, and you will get another chance to vote on how well you liked the pick then. Please keep in mind that each of these polls will take place in Feed Posts, as the platform currently does not support in-article polls. So, there will be a link at the bottom of each article with a 24-hour timeframe on each poll.
Day One Broadcast: 6/27/26 at 7:00 EDT; TV – ESPN, ESPN+, Sportsnet, TVAS
Day Two Broadcast: 6/28/26 at 11:00 AM EDT; TV – NHL Network, ESPN+, Sportsnet
The Los Angeles Kings are still searching for reliable offensive production, and Alex Turcotte has not emerged as part of that solution.
A former fifth-overall pick in 2019, Turcotte has spent his time in the organization battling injuries and trying to carve out a permanent NHL role. While he has managed to provide responsible, detail-oriented play in a bottom-six capacity, his offensive output has remained limited, and he has yet to translate his junior pedigree into consistent scoring at the NHL level.
If you're the Kings, this can't be said enough, but they probably should have started rebuilding a long time ago. Now because they decided to push the can down the road a little while longer, you either have to make a big trade at some point this offseason, or a mixed bag. You could move Turcotte to a team like the Chicago Blackhawks, who've ran into significant issues trying to rebuild that team and now they just overpaid for a top-six defenseman in Bowen Byram. Chicago might be interested in a Turcotte sort of player who can serve a role on that team. Nothing pretty. Turcotte is coming off a down year with three goals and 11 assists for 14 points in 62 games, which is disappointing given the hype that surrounded him from the very beginning.
At least if you're Los Angeles, if you can manage to flip Turcotte for a mid-round pick in the NHL Draft within the year or two or maybe even this draft, at least you get something in return. Turcotte is in the final year of a three-year, $2.325 million deal. It's not a terribly massive contract, but he's been such a disappointment, even spending $850,000 is considered too much, and that's pretty crazy to say for a former first-round pick. That's what the Kings are set to pay him this year. The cap hit for the first two years of the deal was $775,000.
Maybe the lights are a little too bright in a market like Los Angeles. Chicago is kind of a big market as well, but given the team isn't exactly in the limelight, perhaps a change of scenery is what Turcotte needs because this hasn't been a good fit from the onset.
The Rangers got their draft day started with a prospect swap.
Pending restricted free agent Brett Berard was traded to Montreal in exchange for defenseman William Trudeau on Friday, according to a source.
Trudeau, 23, is a 2021 fourth-round pick who spent the last four seasons in the American Hockey League. The left-handed blueliner has yet to make his NHL debut.
Rangers left wing Brett Berard (R) fights for the puck New York Islanders defenseman Travis Mitchell. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
A fifth-round pick in 2020 (134th overall) under the Jeff Gorton regime, Berard appeared in 48 games for the Rangers over the last two seasons. Despite an encouraging 2024-25 campaign, in which he posted six goals and 10 points in 35 games with the Rangers, Berard didn’t do much with his opportunities this past season.
The 23-year-old, the final cut of training camp, went scoreless through 13 contests.
Montreal drafted Trudeau 113th overall out of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, where the young Canadian collected 90 points (20 goals, 70 assists) over three seasons with the Charlottetown Islanders.
Laval Rocket defenceman William Trudeau (84) defends the puck against Cleveland Monsters left wing Mikael Pyyhtia (82). Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Rangers are pleased with the forward prospects who emerged as options despite the lost 2025-26 season.
Berard had fallen down the depth chart amid strong showings from Gabe Perreault, Noah Laba, Jaroslav Chmelar and Adam Sykora.
The Montreal Canadiens have made another minor swap.
The Canadiens have announced that they have acquired forward Brett Berard from the New York Rangers in exchange for defenseman William Trudeau.
Berard appeared in 13 games this past season with the Rangers, where he had zero points and 17 hits. Down in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack in 2025-26, the 23-year-old forward posted six goals and 22 points in 41 games.
Berard also played in 35 games for the Rangers during the 2024-25 campaign, where he recorded six goals, 10 points, and 53 hits.
As for Trudeau, he played each of the last four seasons in the AHL with the Laval Rocket. In 62 games this past season with the AHL club, he posted eight goals, 12 assists, 20 points, and 54 penalty minutes.
Trudeau was selected by the Canadiens with the 113th overall pick of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. He has yet to make his NHL debut, but will be looking to change that after being traded to the Rangers.
The Buffalo Sabres are more heavily invested in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft on Friday than anyone expected, as GM Jarmo Kekalainen flipped defenseman Bowen Byram to Chicago for the fourth overall pick, a 2026 second round pick, and defenseman Louis Crevier. The Sabres now have two picks in the top 20, after another blueline deal involving Michael Kesselring allowed Buffalo to move up seven slots.
The question now before Kekalainen and his scouting staff is what direction do they go with their top pick. Do they select one of the impressive crop of defensemen expected to be selected in the top 10, do they go first off the board with a center, or does Kekalainen swing for the fences and deal the fourth overall pick for an established player who can help them recover from the losses of Tuch and Byram.
At this point, it appears almost certain that the top two picks will be winger Gavin McKenna by the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Ivar Stenberg by the San Jose Sharks. Vancouver is picking third and the chatter has shifted back and fourth between them taking head coach Manny Malhotra’s son Caleb or one of the top defensemen (Chase Reid, Keaton Verhoeff, Alberts Smits, Carson Carels). In a premium position such as fourth overall and with the likelihood that they will not be drafting this high in the foreseeable future, the Sabres cannot afford to make a mistake and need to take the best player available, regardless of position.
If the Canucks take Malhotra, the Sabres will have their pick of the defensive litter, which is not a bad place to be since many believe this is the best stockpile of blueliners at the top of the draft since 2008 (Drew Doughty, Alex Pietrangelo, Luke Schenn, Zach Bogosian, Tyler Myers, Erik Karlsson). The argument against this is that they already have two first overall picks in Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power in the fold, Mattias Samuelsson coming off a career year, and 2025 ninth overall pick Radim Mrtka a year or two away.
Sabres sign Zach Benson to a seven-year extension
Option 2 - Take the top center
If Vancouver selects Reid or Verhoeff, the Sabres could still take a defenseman if their top rated one is still on the board, but the temptation would be to take Malhotra, who played for OHL Brantford last season and is heading to Boston University next fall. The argument against this is that Buffalo is loaded with young centers in Konsta Helenius, Noah Ostlund, Jiri Kulich, to go along with veterans Tage Thompson, Ryan McLeod and Josh Norris. Some of these centers can move to the wing, but there appears to be more depth up the middle than there is on the blueline.
Option 3 - Trade the #4
“I've told all the teams that have inquired about the #4 pick, that we're just going to listen for now, take notes, and see what they think is the value of #4. We value that very highly ourselves.” Kekalainen said on Wednesday. “We know there's a great prospect available there, that's going to be two, three years away, or maybe even more, before they can make an impact on our team. We want to keep getting better as a team. We had an exciting year, but still disappointing at the end, but we'll gather that information around the league and see what the values, and if we don't think it's as much as making the pick, then we'll make the pick.”
Clearly, the willingness is there on the part of the Sabres GM to make a big move to help recover from the losses of Tuch and Byram, but the move of the fourth overall would have to have a major impact. Names like Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski, Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck or Rangers center Vincent Trocheck have been rumored, but each of them would have to be asking out from Columbus, Winnipeg, and New York, and would have to be willing to come to Buffalo.
The chatter surrounding Toronto winger Matthew Knies has been popular fodder, but Leafs GM John Chayka was reportedly asking for more than what Buffalo got for Byram from Chicago, and it would likely take a significant piece besides the #4 (like Konsta Helenius to make such a deal happen.
To fill the hole on the wing or on the blueline, it could be more of a fit for Kekalainen to move the 20th overall pick, which might be enough for a rebuilding team like Vancouver to move a winger like Jake DeBrusk, or Toronto to deal right-handed defenseman Brandon Carlo.
The possibility of the Detroit Red Wings landing Dallas Stars superstar Jason Robertson appears to have taken a major hit following a flurry of reports late Thursday night and Friday morning.
Speculation had recently picked up surrounding a potential blockbuster that would see Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin head to Dallas in exchange for Robertson. However, the latest developments suggest Robertson may not have any interest in leaving the Stars for a non-contending team.
According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Dallas had reached an agreement Thursday night to sign-and-trade the 26-year-old winger to the Seattle Kraken in a blockbuster sign-and-trade centered around the seventh overall selection in Friday's NHL Draft.
The trade, however, ultimately fell apart after Robertson exercised his no-move clause and refused to waive it for a move to Seattle. The proposed deal reportedly included an eight-year, $120 million contract extension worth $15 million annually.
Had Robertson accepted, it would have made him the second-highest-paid player in the NHL, trailing only Minnesota Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov.
NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported Dallas had another major transaction lined up if the Kraken deal had gone through.
The Stars were reportedly prepared to flip the seventh overall pick acquired from Seattle to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for emerging power forward Matthew Knies.
Robertson's refusal to approve the trade prevented yet another blockbuster from materializing and would've moved a major player out of the Atlantic Division.
Additional reporting by Daily Faceoff's Jeff Marek also revealed the St. Louis Blues made a significant push for the star winger, reportedly offering a package that included multiple first-round draft picks.
Robertson, however, was also unwilling to commit to signing long-term in St. Louis, effectively shutting down that proposal as well.
Robertson's willingness to turn down what would have been one of the richest contracts in NHL history suggests money may not be the driving force behind the current stalemate.
Instead, it appears the California native is placing a premium on remaining with a legitimate Stanley Cup contender and that reality could create a major obstacle for Detroit.
While the Red Wings have been linked to Robertson in recent weeks, they have not made the playoffs in a decade and may struggle to convince the elite winger to commit long-term.
Even if Detroit were able to work out a trade with Dallas, they would still have to satisfy Robertson's contract demands, with reports indicating his camp is seeking a deal worth upwards of $14 million per season.
Robertson is coming off another dominant campaign, scoring 45 goals and adding 51 assists for 96 points while playing all 82 regular-season games.
There's little doubt a player of his caliber would dramatically improve Detroit's chances of ending its lengthy playoff drought, but based on the latest reports, a deal between the Red Wings and Stars appears increasingly unlikely.
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