SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The San Jose Sharks traded William Eklund and two other forwards to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday for the ninth pick in the draft.
San Jose acquired that pick for Eklund and prospects Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda. The Sharks now have the Nos. 2, 9 and 27 picks in the first round of the draft Friday night.
Eklund, a Swede who turns 24 in October, was second on the team with 38 assists, fourth with 53 points and seventh with 15 goals. He has 163 points in his first 252 NHL games and is signed for three more seasons at a salary cap hit of $5.6 million, with additional team control in restricted free agency beyond that in 2029.
“William is a dynamic and skilled forward who plays with a competitive edge,” Senators general manager Steve Staios said. “We are excited to welcome him to the Senators organization, and he will fit in well with our core group of players.”
The ninth pick was part of the return Ottawa got from Florida for Brady Tkachuk in that trade over the weekend.
The 2028 first-round pick the Colorado Avalanche sent to the Calgary Flames in the Nazem Kadri deal has already changed hands again.
In a notable summer move, the Flames have added former second-overall pick Simon Nemec along with winger Maxim Tsyplakov in a multi-piece trade with the New Jersey Devils, a deal that brings both immediate NHL help and longer-term upside while reshuffling a handful of future draft assets.
Nazem Kadri spoke to The Hockey News upon his return to Colorado.
Heading the return for New Jersey is a package that includes a conditional 2027 first-round pick (VGK), a conditional 2028 first-round pick (COL), a 2026 second-round pick (NYR), and defenceman Etienne Morin. Both first-round selections are top-10 protected, softening the risk on Calgary’s end while still underlining the cost of acquiring two young, NHL-established players.
Kadri was traded back to the Avalanche at the deadline for a slew of draft picks, Victor Olofsson, and Max Curran. Credit: Ron Chenoy - Imagn Images
Nemec is the centerpiece of the move, a right-shot defenceman who was selected second overall by New Jersey in the 2022 NHL Draft and has already accumulated significant NHL experience at a young age. He appeared in 68 games during the 2025-26 season, finishing with 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) and 26 penalty minutes, marking his most productive campaign to date. Since debuting in 2023-24, he has now reached 155 career NHL games, steadily expanding his role and offensive impact from the blue line.
On the international stage, Nemec has been a consistent presence for Slovakia. He suited up in all six games at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, collecting two assists as Slovakia finished just shy of the podium in fourth place. That followed a bronze-medal performance at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, giving him two Olympic appearances before turning 23.
His development track has been highlighted by standout performances at every level. Nemec captained Slovakia at the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, earning tournament MVP honors after recording six points, and later set a record for most points by an 18-year-old defenceman at the 2022 IIHF World Championship with six points in eight games.
Tsyplakov is the second portion of the deal. Credit: Bob DeChiara
Tsyplakov arrives as a different kind of addition — a late-blooming, physical winger whose path to the NHL has been built through extended professional experience overseas and a rapid adjustment to North American play. Across 126 NHL games with the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils, he has posted 39 points, including 12 goals and 27 assists. After signing as an undrafted free agent in 2024, he quickly established himself as a regular in New York before being moved to New Jersey during the 2025-26 season, where he added 22 more appearances.
Prior to his NHL arrival, Tsyplakov spent parts of nine seasons in the KHL with Spartak Moscow, appearing in 327 games and recording 121 points, including 63 goals and 58 assists. His game is built around size, straight-line speed, and a direct, physical style that has translated effectively at the NHL level.
The 2028 first-round pick was one of several draft assets the Colorado Avalanche moved in recent seasons while pursuing a Stanley Cup. However, Colorado has begun to recoup some of that draft capital in smaller increments.
General manager Joe Sakic acquired two picks from the Nashville Predators in exchange for Ross Colton and goaltender Isak Posch: a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick originally belonging to Colorado.
The 2027 third-round selection returns to the Avalanche after previously being sent to Nashville in the Juuso Pärssinen trade. It was later included in a separate transaction during the 2025 trade deadline involving Ryan Lindgren.
The 2028 first-round pick the Colorado Avalanche sent to the Calgary Flames in the Nazem Kadri deal has already changed hands again.
In a notable summer move, the Flames have added former second-overall pick Simon Nemec along with winger Maxim Tsyplakov in a multi-piece trade with the New Jersey Devils, a deal that brings both immediate NHL help and longer-term upside while reshuffling a handful of future draft assets.
Nazem Kadri spoke to The Hockey News upon his return to Colorado.
Heading the return for New Jersey is a package that includes a conditional 2027 first-round pick (VGK), a conditional 2028 first-round pick (COL), a 2026 second-round pick (NYR), and defenceman Etienne Morin. Both first-round selections are top-10 protected, softening the risk on Calgary’s end while still underlining the cost of acquiring two young, NHL-established players.
Kadri was traded back to the Avalanche at the deadline for a slew of draft picks, Victor Olofsson, and Max Curran. Credit: Ron Chenoy - Imagn Images
Nemec is the centerpiece of the move, a right-shot defenceman who was selected second overall by New Jersey in the 2022 NHL Draft and has already accumulated significant NHL experience at a young age. He appeared in 68 games during the 2025-26 season, finishing with 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) and 26 penalty minutes, marking his most productive campaign to date. Since debuting in 2023-24, he has now reached 155 career NHL games, steadily expanding his role and offensive impact from the blue line.
On the international stage, Nemec has been a consistent presence for Slovakia. He suited up in all six games at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, collecting two assists as Slovakia finished just shy of the podium in fourth place. That followed a bronze-medal performance at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, giving him two Olympic appearances before turning 23.
His development track has been highlighted by standout performances at every level. Nemec captained Slovakia at the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, earning tournament MVP honors after recording six points, and later set a record for most points by an 18-year-old defenceman at the 2022 IIHF World Championship with six points in eight games.
Tsyplakov is the second portion of the deal. Credit: Bob DeChiara
Tsyplakov arrives as a different kind of addition — a late-blooming, physical winger whose path to the NHL has been built through extended professional experience overseas and a rapid adjustment to North American play. Across 126 NHL games with the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils, he has posted 39 points, including 12 goals and 27 assists. After signing as an undrafted free agent in 2024, he quickly established himself as a regular in New York before being moved to New Jersey during the 2025-26 season, where he added 22 more appearances.
Prior to his NHL arrival, Tsyplakov spent parts of nine seasons in the KHL with Spartak Moscow, appearing in 327 games and recording 121 points, including 63 goals and 58 assists. His game is built around size, straight-line speed, and a direct, physical style that has translated effectively at the NHL level.
The 2028 first-round pick was one of several draft assets the Colorado Avalanche moved in recent seasons while pursuing a Stanley Cup. However, Colorado has begun to recoup some of that draft capital in smaller increments.
General manager Joe Sakic acquired two picks from the Nashville Predators in exchange for Ross Colton and goaltender Isak Posch: a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick originally belonging to Colorado.
The 2027 third-round selection returns to the Avalanche after previously being sent to Nashville in the Juuso Pärssinen trade. It was later included in a separate transaction during the 2025 trade deadline involving Ryan Lindgren.
Another day, another update to the Florida Panthers goaltending situation.
As the 2026 NHL Draft and new league year approaches, the Panthers are once again viewed as one of the teams to beat in the race for the next Stanley Cup.
The move gives Florida arguably the best and deepest forward group in the league, but leaves the Panthers with just over $7 million in cap space, according to PuckPedia, and one gaping hole on their would-be championship roster: They don’t have any goaltenders signed for next season.
In recent weeks, the Panthers have been linked to a pair of goalies who are currently under contract – Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck and St. Louis’ Jordan Binnington – while still maintaining negotiations with their longtime goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.
Hellebuyck makes an average annual value (AAV) of $8.5 million through the 2030-31 season while Binnington is entering the final year of a deal that pays him a $6 million AAV.
It’s been continuously reported that Bobrovsky and the Panthers remain far apart in those negotiations, with a recent report by former Sun-Sentinel columnist Dave Hyde suggesting that Bob’s ask was as high as $42 million over three years (a $14 million AAV), which would make him the highest paid goaltender in the league by far (New York’s Igor Shesterkin makes an AAV of $11.5 million followed by Tampa’s Andrei Vasilevskiy at $9.5 million).
THN Florida recently learned that the Panthers were exploring goaltending options who would come with much lower price tags, such as free agent Stuart Skinner or Calgary veteran Devin Cooley, but those who follow the Panthers know that Zito should never be counted out of a situation until he says he’s officially out.
That brings us to Tuesday’s press conference, when Zito was asked if the door was still open for an extension for Bobrovsky following the combination of trading for Tkachuk and Bob’s apparent high contract ask.
“Until doors close, you never know,” Zito said. “Bob is a guy that has done so much for our organization, and we continue to evaluate every single day and try to be better. There are no doors closed here, ever.”
We’ll see what that means for Bobrovsky in South Florida and whether he and the Panthers can find some common ground between now and July 1, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Bobrovsky, who will be 38 years old on Opening Night, originally signed a 7-year, $70 million contract with the Panthers in 2019.
During his time in Florida, Bob led the Cats to the postseason in each of his first six seasons, capped off by three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances and back-to-back championships in 2024 and 2025.
We will find out in the coming days whether Bobrovsky will remain with the Panthers and potentially finish his career in South Florida, or if he’ll move on in search of a higher payday.
Photo caption: Apr 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (72) looks on against the Pittsburgh Penguins before the first period at PPG Paints Arena. (Mark Alberti-Imagn Images)
Another day, another update to the Florida Panthers goaltending situation.
As the 2026 NHL Draft and new league year approaches, the Panthers are once again viewed as one of the teams to beat in the race for the next Stanley Cup.
The move gives Florida arguably the best and deepest forward group in the league, but leaves the Panthers with just over $7 million in cap space, according to PuckPedia, and one gaping hole on their would-be championship roster: They don’t have any goaltenders signed for next season.
In recent weeks, the Panthers have been linked to a pair of goalies who are currently under contract – Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck and St. Louis’ Jordan Binnington – while still maintaining negotiations with their longtime goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.
Hellebuyck makes an average annual value (AAV) of $8.5 million through the 2030-31 season while Binnington is entering the final year of a deal that pays him a $6 million AAV.
It’s been continuously reported that Bobrovsky and the Panthers remain far apart in those negotiations, with a recent report by former Sun-Sentinel columnist Dave Hyde suggesting that Bob’s ask was as high as $42 million over three years (a $14 million AAV), which would make him the highest paid goaltender in the league by far (New York’s Igor Shesterkin makes an AAV of $11.5 million followed by Tampa’s Andrei Vasilevskiy at $9.5 million).
THN Florida recently learned that the Panthers were exploring goaltending options who would come with much lower price tags, such as free agent Stuart Skinner or Calgary veteran Devin Cooley, but those who follow the Panthers know that Zito should never be counted out of a situation until he says he’s officially out.
That brings us to Tuesday’s press conference, when Zito was asked if the door was still open for an extension for Bobrovsky following the combination of trading for Tkachuk and Bob’s apparent high contract ask.
“Until doors close, you never know,” Zito said. “Bob is a guy that has done so much for our organization, and we continue to evaluate every single day and try to be better. There are no doors closed here, ever.”
We’ll see what that means for Bobrovsky in South Florida and whether he and the Panthers can find some common ground between now and July 1, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Bobrovsky, who will be 38 years old on Opening Night, originally signed a 7-year, $70 million contract with the Panthers in 2019.
During his time in Florida, Bob led the Cats to the postseason in each of his first six seasons, capped off by three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances and back-to-back championships in 2024 and 2025.
We will find out in the coming days whether Bobrovsky will remain with the Panthers and potentially finish his career in South Florida, or if he’ll move on in search of a higher payday.
Photo caption: Apr 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (72) looks on against the Pittsburgh Penguins before the first period at PPG Paints Arena. (Mark Alberti-Imagn Images)
Summer blockbuster season has arrived in Calgary, with the Flames landing former No. 2 overall pick Simon Nemec and winger Maxim Tsyplakov in a major trade that signals a clear push to reshape both their present and future.
In return, Calgary sends a substantial package that includes a conditional 2027 first-round pick (VGK), a conditional 2028 first-round pick (COL), a 2026 second-round pick (NYR), and defenceman Etienne Morin. Both first-round selections are top-10 protected, giving the Flames some measure of insurance while still paying a steep price for two NHL-ready pieces.
Nemec stands out as the headliner of the deal — a former second-overall pick still early in his career but already carrying meaningful NHL experience. The right-shot defenceman appeared in 68 games during the 2025-26 season, posting a career-high 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) along with 26 penalty minutes. Over three NHL seasons since his debut in 2023-24, he has now played 155 games, steadily building confidence and offensive impact from the blue line.
Internationally, Nemec has been a key figure for Slovakia on the world stage. He represented his country at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, recording two assists in six games as Slovakia finished just outside the medals in fourth place. That came after a bronze-medal run at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, marking two separate Olympic appearances before the age of 23.
His résumé stretches back into junior and international dominance. Nemec captained Slovakia at the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he was named tournament MVP after posting six points. He followed that with a standout performance at the 2022 IIHF World Championship, setting a tournament record for the most points by an 18-year-old defenceman with six points in eight games.
Tsyplakov is headed to this third NHL club. Credit: Bob DeChiara
The Flames also bring in Maxim Tsyplakov, a late-blooming winger whose path to the NHL has been far less conventional but no less impactful in terms of physical presence and versatility. In 126 NHL games split between the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils, Tsyplakov has recorded 39 points, including 12 goals and 27 assists. He originally joined the Islanders as an undrafted free agent in 2024, quickly earning a regular role before being moved to New Jersey during the 2025-26 season, where he added 22 more games to his resume.
Before arriving in North America, Tsyplakov built an extensive professional foundation in Russia’s KHL, playing 327 games with Spartak Moscow and producing 121 points, including 63 goals and 58 assists. His game has translated into a heavy, north-south style that brings size and straight-line speed to an NHL lineup.
Summer blockbuster season has arrived in Calgary, with the Flames landing former No. 2 overall pick Simon Nemec and winger Maxim Tsyplakov in a major trade that signals a clear push to reshape both their present and future.
In return, Calgary sends a substantial package that includes a conditional 2027 first-round pick (VGK), a conditional 2028 first-round pick (COL), a 2026 second-round pick (NYR), and defenceman Etienne Morin. Both first-round selections are top-10 protected, giving the Flames some measure of insurance while still paying a steep price for two NHL-ready pieces.
Nemec stands out as the headliner of the deal — a former second-overall pick still early in his career but already carrying meaningful NHL experience. The right-shot defenceman appeared in 68 games during the 2025-26 season, posting a career-high 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) along with 26 penalty minutes. Over three NHL seasons since his debut in 2023-24, he has now played 155 games, steadily building confidence and offensive impact from the blue line.
Internationally, Nemec has been a key figure for Slovakia on the world stage. He represented his country at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, recording two assists in six games as Slovakia finished just outside the medals in fourth place. That came after a bronze-medal run at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, marking two separate Olympic appearances before the age of 23.
His résumé stretches back into junior and international dominance. Nemec captained Slovakia at the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he was named tournament MVP after posting six points. He followed that with a standout performance at the 2022 IIHF World Championship, setting a tournament record for the most points by an 18-year-old defenceman with six points in eight games.
Tsyplakov is headed to this third NHL club. Credit: Bob DeChiara
The Flames also bring in Maxim Tsyplakov, a late-blooming winger whose path to the NHL has been far less conventional but no less impactful in terms of physical presence and versatility. In 126 NHL games split between the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils, Tsyplakov has recorded 39 points, including 12 goals and 27 assists. He originally joined the Islanders as an undrafted free agent in 2024, quickly earning a regular role before being moved to New Jersey during the 2025-26 season, where he added 22 more games to his resume.
Before arriving in North America, Tsyplakov built an extensive professional foundation in Russia’s KHL, playing 327 games with Spartak Moscow and producing 121 points, including 63 goals and 58 assists. His game has translated into a heavy, north-south style that brings size and straight-line speed to an NHL lineup.
The NHL's Board of Governors met on Tuesday, and one of the topics they discussed was the pending sale of the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Hoffmann Family from Fenway Sports Group.
The sale was put to a vote, and it passed unanimously.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed to reporters after the meeting that the sale should close before the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft on Friday.
Commissioner Bettman: Penguins sale to Hoffman family should close before the draft
Shortly after the sale was approved, the Penguins released a statement stating that Geoff Hoffmann will serve as the team's Governor, while the alternate governors will be Greg Hoffmann, David Hoffmann, and Kyle Dubas.
"This is a defining moment for our family," Geoff Hoffmann said. "The Penguins represent everything Hoffmann Family of Companies stands for — community, excellence, and long-term thinking. We look forward to building on the team’s success by providing support and resources to both Kyle Dubas and the hockey operations team, as well as the established leadership group on the business side. We're proud to represent this storied franchise and are eager to become an active, invested part of the Pittsburgh community."
In addition to the Penguins, the Hoffmann Family owns the ECHL's Florida Everblades. The Everblades have now won the Kelly Cup five times after winning it this past season.
The NHL's Board of Governors met on Tuesday, and one of the topics they discussed was the pending sale of the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Hoffmann Family from Fenway Sports Group.
The sale was put to a vote, and it passed unanimously.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed to reporters after the meeting that the sale should close before the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft on Friday.
Commissioner Bettman: Penguins sale to Hoffman family should close before the draft
Shortly after the sale was approved, the Penguins released a statement stating that Geoff Hoffmann will serve as the team's Governor, while the alternate governors will be Greg Hoffmann, David Hoffmann, and Kyle Dubas.
"This is a defining moment for our family," Geoff Hoffmann said. "The Penguins represent everything Hoffmann Family of Companies stands for — community, excellence, and long-term thinking. We look forward to building on the team’s success by providing support and resources to both Kyle Dubas and the hockey operations team, as well as the established leadership group on the business side. We're proud to represent this storied franchise and are eager to become an active, invested part of the Pittsburgh community."
In addition to the Penguins, the Hoffmann Family owns the ECHL's Florida Everblades. The Everblades have now won the Kelly Cup five times after winning it this past season.
We've officially reached our 10th Pittsburgh Penguins draft profile with three days to go until the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft.
Tuesday's profile dives into winger Elton Hermansson, a dual-threat right-shot player from Sweden. He started the 2025-26 season with MoDo Hockey's U20 team, producing three goals and nine points in 13 games. He was so good that he earned a call to the men's pro MoDo team. He played in 38 games for them, compiling 11 goals and 21 points.
Hermansson also played for Sweden in the U18s, racking up four goals and 12 points in seven games.
This is a player who has a lot of skill, but the projections for when he could get drafted are all over the place. Some pundits have him as a sure-fire first-round pick, while others have him sliding to the second round.
Personally, I think it would be nuts if he didn't go in the first round, even though he needs to be a bit more consistent. However, he's a strong duel-threat winger with excellent passing and shooting capabilities.
His vision is absurd, and he has a great way of finding players, even when they don't look to be open. I saw him fit pucks through lanes with multiple sticks in the way, leading to strong scoring chances and goals.
Hermansson's release is a thing of beauty, especially from the left circle. He scored multiple goals from that area this past season, and the puck exploded off his stick each time. Even when he's not being set up with one-timers from that spot, he can score from anywhere in the offensive zone and also has a really nice wrist shot. He disguises it really well.
Don't forget about Hermansson's dangling ability, either. He's very silky and can make players miss on a dime. One of my favorite examples of this came during a game between Sweden and Czechia.
The game was tied with less than a minute to go in overtime when a teammate passed him the puck on the left side of the offensive zone. He skated up to the point for a brief moment before making his move, making one player miss before going around another player. He was one-on-one with the goaltender and made a nice move that ultimately led to a save. His teammate then corralled the loose puck and scored the OT winner right after. Even though Hermansson didn't score the goal, he still made it all happen.
His two-way game still needs some work, and I'd like to see his compete level be a bit more consistent, too. There were times during this season when he was going through the motions, but again, both of these qualities can be improved on when he spends the full 2026-27 season with Modo.
Hermansson is a tier below some of my top favorites in the Penguins' range (like Tommy Bleyl, J.P. Hurlbert, and Nikita Klepov), but he'd still be a solid pick if the Penguins opted to select him.
The first round of the 2026 NHL Draft will take place on Friday at 7 p.m. ET.
We've officially reached our 10th Pittsburgh Penguins draft profile with three days to go until the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft.
Tuesday's profile dives into winger Elton Hermansson, a dual-threat right-shot player from Sweden. He started the 2025-26 season with MoDo Hockey's U20 team, producing three goals and nine points in 13 games. He was so good that he earned a call to the men's pro MoDo team. He played in 38 games for them, compiling 11 goals and 21 points.
Hermansson also played for Sweden in the U18s, racking up four goals and 12 points in seven games.
This is a player who has a lot of skill, but the projections for when he could get drafted are all over the place. Some pundits have him as a sure-fire first-round pick, while others have him sliding to the second round.
Personally, I think it would be nuts if he didn't go in the first round, even though he needs to be a bit more consistent. However, he's a strong duel-threat winger with excellent passing and shooting capabilities.
His vision is absurd, and he has a great way of finding players, even when they don't look to be open. I saw him fit pucks through lanes with multiple sticks in the way, leading to strong scoring chances and goals.
Hermansson's release is a thing of beauty, especially from the left circle. He scored multiple goals from that area this past season, and the puck exploded off his stick each time. Even when he's not being set up with one-timers from that spot, he can score from anywhere in the offensive zone and also has a really nice wrist shot. He disguises it really well.
Don't forget about Hermansson's dangling ability, either. He's very silky and can make players miss on a dime. One of my favorite examples of this came during a game between Sweden and Czechia.
The game was tied with less than a minute to go in overtime when a teammate passed him the puck on the left side of the offensive zone. He skated up to the point for a brief moment before making his move, making one player miss before going around another player. He was one-on-one with the goaltender and made a nice move that ultimately led to a save. His teammate then corralled the loose puck and scored the OT winner right after. Even though Hermansson didn't score the goal, he still made it all happen.
His two-way game still needs some work, and I'd like to see his compete level be a bit more consistent, too. There were times during this season when he was going through the motions, but again, both of these qualities can be improved on when he spends the full 2026-27 season with Modo.
Hermansson is a tier below some of my top favorites in the Penguins' range (like Tommy Bleyl, J.P. Hurlbert, and Nikita Klepov), but he'd still be a solid pick if the Penguins opted to select him.
The first round of the 2026 NHL Draft will take place on Friday at 7 p.m. ET.
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’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers.
Next up:
Mathis Preston
Position: Winger Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 172 Shoots: Right Team: Vancouver
Scouting report
Preston is an ultra-talented prospect who had a difficult draft year. But his upside is abundantly clear.
He can do damage with an advanced shot and high-end speed.
The 17-year-old put up 44 points (18 goals, 26 assists) through just 46 games this season in the WHL. He finished with Vancouver after being traded from Spokane in January. Not long after joining the Giants, he had to miss significant time because of a knee injury, according to The Province’s Steve Ewen.
“We didn’t get to see him really feel super comfortable for a guy that was kind of projected to be more of an offensive leader, like a 90-point guy heading into the season,” Ellis said. “And he wasn’t remotely close. Some of that was out of his control.”
Despite the injury and his season being split between two teams, Preston still recorded 4.3 shots per game.
“There are points where he pulls off these great moves and then they fall apart all of a sudden,” Ellis said. … “It feels like he has got all the tools to be a really good player, but then there are just points where it’s just not working. Is it a point of he’s snakebitten or is it a point of he’s just making some of the wrong plays in the end?”
Preston is the 22nd-ranked player on Ellis’ final top-120 draft board. His status possibly saw a boost at the 2026 IIHF U-18 World Junior Championship, a tournament that ended last month. He had six points (two goals, four assists) and 21 shots in five games for Team Canada.
“It almost feels like he’s a guy that will play better when he has got smarter guys around him to get the puck to,” Ellis said. “When you watch him at the under-18s, he was one of the better players on Canada in that tournament. It felt like he was the one that anytime Canada needed a goal, he was making something happen.”
Preston’s shot and speed should intrigue the Flyers. Those strengths are needs for the Flyers and they give Preston a ceiling of a top-six winger.
It’s not ideal, though, that he plays on the wing. The Flyers a pretty well-stocked with young wingers. Preston also hasn’t quite met the hype around his game, which may cause some reservation.
But the Flyers have shown a willingness to take swings on talent. Preston could be appealing talent at No. 21.
The NHL is exploring potential expansion to Texas with Houston and Austin among the possibilities, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The league’s Board of Governors had their annual post-Stanley Cup Final and pre-draft meeting on Tuesday in New York. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the expansion consideration had not been announced. ESPN and Sportsnet were first to report the move.
While there is no guarantee the NHL adds a 33rd team, it is a first step toward becoming the largest professional sports league in North America, surpassing the NFL. Commissioner Gary Bettman in recent years has been careful to say officials were listening to expressions of interest from prospective owners in places like Houston and Atlanta but not yet engaged in a formal path toward expansion.
The league last expanded to 32 with the Seattle Kraken beginning play in 2021 after the Vegas Golden Knights started in the 2017-18 season. Before that, there had been 30 teams since 2000, when Columbus and Minnesota entered.
The recent success stories, combined with booming franchise values across sports, spurred talk of expansion in hockey circles, especially because expansion fees could exceed $1 billion. Seattle paid $650 million and Las Vegas $500 million.
From Florida to Texas to California and places in between, the NHL has enjoyed strong popularity across the Sun Belt and non-traditional hockey markets over the past four decades. Teams were added in South Florida and Tampa in Florida, San Jose and Anaheim in California, Nashville, Tennessee, and Las Vegas while relocations put teams in Dallas and Raleigh, North Carolina, Denver and elsewhere.
Teams in those places have won the Stanley Cup the past seven years in a row and 13 times dating to Colorado’s championship run in 1995-96.
The NHL is exploring potential expansion to Texas with Houston and Austin among the possibilities, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The league’s Board of Governors had their annual post-Stanley Cup Final and pre-draft meeting on Tuesday in New York. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the expansion consideration had not been announced. ESPN and Sportsnet were first to report the move.
While there is no guarantee the NHL adds a 33rd team, it is a first step toward becoming the largest professional sports league in North America, surpassing the NFL. Commissioner Gary Bettman in recent years has been careful to say officials were listening to expressions of interest from prospective owners in places like Houston and Atlanta but not yet engaged in a formal path toward expansion.
The league last expanded to 32 with the Seattle Kraken beginning play in 2021 after the Vegas Golden Knights started in the 2017-18 season. Before that, there had been 30 teams since 2000, when Columbus and Minnesota entered.
The recent success stories, combined with booming franchise values across sports, spurred talk of expansion in hockey circles, especially because expansion fees could exceed $1 billion. Seattle paid $650 million and Las Vegas $500 million.
From Florida to Texas to California and places in between, the NHL has enjoyed strong popularity across the Sun Belt and non-traditional hockey markets over the past four decades. Teams were added in South Florida and Tampa in Florida, San Jose and Anaheim in California, Nashville, Tennessee, and Las Vegas while relocations put teams in Dallas and Raleigh, North Carolina, Denver and elsewhere.
Teams in those places have won the Stanley Cup the past seven years in a row and 13 times dating to Colorado’s championship run in 1995-96.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The New Jersey Devils traded Simon Nemec to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday, getting draft picks for the 22-year-old defenseman.
In new general manager Sunny Mehta’s first major roster transaction, the Devils received two future conditional first-round picks, as well as No. 35 overall this year and prospect Etienne Morin for Nemec and winger Maxim Tsyplakov.
There had been buzz in recent weeks that Nemec was interested in a change of scenery. The right-handed shooting Slovak is just 22 years old and 159 games into his NHL career since New Jersey selected him with the second pick in the draft in 2022.
The first-rounders are top-10 protected, with Calgary potentially parting ways with one in each in some combination of 2027, ‘28 and ’29.
Morin, 21, is a left shot defenseman who spent last season in the minors.
