NHL Trade Tracker – June 23, 2026

by | Jun 23, 2026

NHL Trade Tracker – June 23, 2026

St. Louis Blues trade winger Jordan Kyrou to the Washington Capitals (NHL Images).

 The Buffalo Sabres trade defenseman Bowen Byram and forward Jordan Greenway to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for the fourth-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, defenseman Louis Crevier, and a 2026 second-round pick.

The St. Louis Blues trade winger Jordan Kyrou to the Washington Capitals in exchange for forward Connor McMichael, prospect forward Milton Gastrin, and a first-round pick (No. 16) in the 2026 NHL Draft. Kyrou waived his no-trade clause to join the Capitals.

The Ottawa Senators acquire winger William Eklund, forward Kasper Halttunen, and the rights to forward prospect Brandon Svoboda from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for the No. 9 pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft. That pick originally belonged to the Florida Panthers.

The New Jersey Devils traded defenseman Simon Nemec and forward Maxim Tsyplakov to the Calgary Flames for conditional first-round picks in the 2027 and 2028 drafts, a second-round pick in the 2026 draft, and prospect defenseman Etienne Morin. Both conditional picks are top-10 protected.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 23, 2026

by | Jun 23, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 23, 2026

Patrice Bergeron and Carey Price among the Hockey Hall of Fame’s 2026 class, the Senators plan their future without Brady Tkachuk, Darren Raddysh explains why he joined the Maple Leafs, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Center Patrice Bergeron, goaltenders Carey Price and Pekka Rinne, and winger Keith Tkachuk headline the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026. The induction ceremony will take place in November. 

Longtime NHL executive Brian Burke will be inducted into the builder’s category. Former USA women’s star and coach Cindy Curley was also inducted into the player category. Curley was inducted into the US Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013.

Patrice Bergeron, Carey Price, Pekka Rinne, and Keith Tkachuk will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame (NHL.com)

Bergeron was one of the greatest two-way players in NHL history. Spending his entire 19-season career with the Boston Bruins, he won the Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward a record six times. Bergeron also helped the Bruins win the Stanley Cup in 2011, and captained the club from 2021 until his retirement in 2023. He’s third all-time among the Bruins with 1,294 games played, 427 goals, and 1,040 points.

Price spent his 15-season NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens, becoming the franchise leader with 361 wins in 712 games. In 2014-15, he won the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP, Ted Lindsay Award as NHLPA MVP, Vezina Trophy as the top goaltender, and the Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals-against. Price also won the Masterton Trophy in 2021-22 and backstopped Canada to Olympic gold in 2014.

Rinne spent his entire 13-season NHL career with the Nashville Predators. He’s their franchise leader for goalies in every major statistical category, including wins (369), goals-against average (2.43), save percentage (.917), and shutouts (60) in 683 games. Rinne won the Vezina Trophy in 2017-18.

Tkachuk was among the greatest American-born goal scorers in NHL history. He’s third all-time in that category with 538 goals. In 18 NHL seasons with the Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues, and Atlanta Thrashers, Tkachuk had 1,065 points in 1,201 games. He won gold for Team USA at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

Burke began his NHL management career with the Vancouver Canucks in 1987. He went on to become GM of the Canucks, Hartford Whalers, and Anaheim Ducks (winning the Stanley Cup in 2007), and Toronto Maple Leafs, and served as team president of the Calgary Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Class of 2026 for this well-deserved honor.

SPORTSNET: Ottawa Senators general manager Steve Staios has no intention of rebuilding his roster after trading Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers on Sunday.

Staios said he intends to be “active in the (trade) market” when it comes to the ninth and 25th overall picks in the upcoming NHL trade. He acquired those picks as part of the return for Tkachuk.

“I have no intention of this team taking a step back,” Staios said. “We’re active, and we’re open.”

Staios also indicated that Tkachuk told him of his wish to be traded about a week and a half after their season ended. He began with a list of four teams (Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, and Vegas Golden Knights) but whittled that list down to one.

The Senators GM indicated that he wouldn’t shy away from acquiring American players in the future. “I don’t look at the passport, I look at what they can offer the Ottawa Senators,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators are believed to be interested in center Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks. They also reportedly “kicked tires” on New York Rangers left wing Alexis Lafreniere, and Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell.

THE ATHLETIC: James Mirtle examined the factors that have recently led to stars from Canadians teams to head to the United States. Those include notable American players such as Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, Quinn Hughes and the late Johnny Gaudreau, as well as Toronto native Mitch Marner, Swedish defenseman Rasmus Andersson, and Danish winger Nikolaj Ehlers.

Mirtle cited several factors, including media attention, weather, taxes, and politics, but a key one is that Canadian teams have struggled to contend consistently in the salary cap era.

Before the salary cap, teams asked players to commit to long-term deals, then buy them out or trade them when their play declined. Today, players have more leverage, especially given the decline of the free-agent market and how vital the trade market has become to build a contending team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Players with no-trade and no-move protection have started using them to their advantage by requesting trades to only a limited number of destinations.

Since the Tkachuk trade, some fans suggested the NHL abolish no-trade or no-movement clauses, or change the rules to void those clauses if the player requests a trade.

Such changes can only occur in collective bargaining with the NHL Players’ Association, and good luck convincing them to buy into it. The CBA already limits eligibility to players with seven full NHL seasons or those 27 and older.

Tkachuk’s contract history is a good example. His first full NHL season was in 2018-19 when he was 18-years-old. Under the CBA, players on entry-level contracts don’t get no-trade protection. Following the completion of his ELC, Tkachuk signed an eight-year contract with the Senators. His no-movement clause (which was negotiated into his contract; they’re not automatic) didn’t begin until this season, after he had played seven full NHL seasons.

If this topic comes up during the next CBA talks in 2030, the PA might be willing to tweak the eligibility period by a year or two, but they’ll want something in return. It’s doubtful they’ll agree to eliminating those clauses or putting further limitations on them.

TORONTO SUN: Darren Raddysh met with the Toronto media via Zoom on Monday for the first time since his acquisition by the Maple Leafs. Having grown up in the Greater Toronto Area, the 30-year-old defenseman said it meant a lot to him to join his hometown team, and it would’ve meant a lot to his father, who passed away in March following a battle with cancer.

“It means the world,” Raddysh said. “To be able to play in front of the home fans, it’s awesome. A lot of friends and family have already texted me and are excited.”

Raddysh was acquired last week from the Tampa Bay Lightning and signed an eight-year contract extension with the Leafs worth an average annual value of $8.5 million.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers re-signed defenseman Connor Murphy to a five-year contract with an average annual value of $4.1 million.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Vladimir Tarasenko could be preparing to depart the Minnesota Wild. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the veteran winger has changed agents ahead of his UFA eligibility on July 1.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 22, 2026

by | Jun 22, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 22, 2026

The fallout from the Panthers acquiring Brady Tkachuk, the Kraken re-signed Bobby McMann, the Oilers inked Jason Dickinson to an extension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators decided to trade Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers after the 26-year-old winger informed them that he wouldn’t re-sign with them. They received three first-round picks and a second-rounder from the Panthers on Sunday.

Tkachuk is under contract through 2027-28 with an average annual value of $8.2 million and a full no-movement clause. The earliest the Senators could’ve signed him to an extension was July 1, 2027. However, he told general manager Steve Staios that he had no plans to sign an extension when the two met last month. Tkachuk publicly denied the trade speculation that swirled around him this year, but privately, he told teammates he wouldn’t be returning after his contract expired.

Ottawa Senators trade Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers. (NHL Images).

Staios had been adamant that he wasn’t trading Tkachuk, but his hand was now forced. The winger was willing to waive his NMC for the Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, and the Panthers. However, it was apparent when they explored the market that the Panthers would be the only acceptable destination for the Tkachuk camp, reuniting him with his brother, Matthew Tkachuk.

The Wild reportedly made a hard push, but Zito ultimately made the better offer, sending the Senators assets that could be used as trade chips. Garrioch claimed the Senators tried to get Carter Verhaeghe or Anton Lundell as part of the return, but the Panthers wouldn’t budge.

Staios was seeking a top-six winger, a top-four right-side defenseman and a backup goaltender. Now, he needs to add a suitable replacement for Tkachuk to the mix.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators hold three first-round picks (No. 9, 25, and 32) in the upcoming NHL Draft. He could retain one or more of them, but it wouldn’t be shocking if he uses them to address one or two of his current roster needs, preferably with established players who are in the mid-to-late twenties.

THE ATHLETIC: Mark Lazerus believes the Tkachuk trade is the latest in a trend of players with term remaining on their contracts forcing trades to preferred destinations. That list includes Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild, while Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings and Darnell Nurse of the Edmonton Oilers recently made trade requests.

Lazerus also pointed out that it’s not about going to no-tax states. First and foremost, the players want to join teams where they believe they have a chance to win. Going to cities where the spotlight isn’t as glaring is another attraction.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lazerus believes the rising salary cap and lack of depth in the free-agent market could lead to more notable stars becoming available in the trade market by leveraging moves to landing spots of their choosing, especially if they have no-trade protection. Most of those moves could involve players on teams struggling to build or maintain a contender.

The addition of Tkachuk gives the Panthers one of the best groups of top-nine forwards in the league.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers’ top nine features Aleksander Barkov centering wingers Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett as the second-line center between the Tkachuk brothers, with Anton Lundell between Brad Marchand and Eetu Luostarinen.

Panthers GM Bill Zito probably isn’t done making moves over the next couple of weeks. He must replace or re-sign goaltenders Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov. They have over $7 million in cap space, with 19 roster players signed for next season.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: On the same day the Kraken acquired winger Mackie Samoskevich from the Florida Panthers, they announced that winger Bobby McMann has signed a six-year contract with an AAV of $5.75 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken re-signed the 30-year-old McMann because they’re desperate for offense. The late-blooming winger scored 20 goals last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs and had a career-high 29 goals in 79 games this season with the Leafs and Kraken, including 10 goals in 18 games with the latter.

Samoskevich was shipped to the Kraken yesterday in exchange for the 25th overall pick in this year’s draft and a conditional second-rounder in 2027. The Panthers used that first-rounder as part of the return to Ottawa for Tkachuk.

The 23-year-old Samoskevich saw checking-line duty with the Panthers, but he could see a larger role with the Kraken. He’s a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract and should be an affordable re-signing. Samoskevich is also a former teammate of Kraken center Matty Beniers at the University of Michigan. 

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers signed center Jason Dickinson to a five-year contract with an AAV of $4 million. Dickinson, 30, was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The Oilers acquired him before the March trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jim Matheson of the Journal explained that the Oilers were pleased with Dickinson’s defensive play and how well he fit into their dressing room following his acquisition from the Chicago Blackhawks.

It’s an affordable re-signing by the Oilers for a reliable third-line center. However, Matheson pointed out that they now have $10.6 million remaining with 18 players under contract. It won’t leave much room to re-sign pending UFA blueliner Connor Murphy, find a replacement or a backup for starting goalie Tristan Jarry, and fit in whatever player they get whenever they take action on Darnell Nurse’s trade request.

DAILY FACEOFF: The New York Rangers signed goalie Dylan Garand to a two-year contract worth $875K per season at the NHL level. The first year of the deal is two-way, while the second is one-way.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The ECHL’s New Mexico Goatheads have hired Zack Stortini as their head coach. Stortini, a former NHL player, spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach with the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners.

The Goatheads are the ECHL affiliate of the Avalanche.










Panthers to Acquire Brady Tkachuk From Senators, Trade Mackie Samoskevich to Kraken

by | Jun 21, 2026

Panthers to Acquire Brady Tkachuk From Senators, Trade Mackie Samoskevich to Kraken

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports the Ottawa Senators are close to trading Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers.

Ottawa Senators trade Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers. (NHL Images).

LeBrun believes the Senators will receive three first-round draft picks plus a second-round pick if the deal is finalized.

Earlier in the day, the Panthers traded forward Mackie Samoskevich to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for the No. 25 pick in the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft and a conditional second-round pick in 2027.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the picks are the No. 9 and 25 selections in this year’s draft, a first-rounder in 2029, and a second-rounder in 2030. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers general manager Bill Zito appeared to be setting the stage for something when he shipped out Samoskevich and got back that first-round pick as part of the return. Considering the Panthers are built to win now, it was apparent that he would use that pick, along with his own first in this year’s draft, as bait to bring in an established top-six forward.

The Senators now have three picks in the first round of this year’s draft, as they also held the 32nd overall selection. It’ll be interesting to see what GM Steve Staios intends to do with them. He’s either preparing for a roster retool or rebuild, or he’ll use them as bait to find a suitable replacement for Tkachuk.

Whatever Staios does, this feels like the end of an era in Ottawa. Tkachuk was the face of the Senators going back to when he was chosen fourth overall in the 2018 Draft. For the past eight seasons, he was their leader, part of the young group of promising players expected to turn the Senators into Stanley Cup contenders.

The Senators made the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, but they were eliminated from the first round both times. Meanwhile, trade rumors dogged Tkachuk throughout those seasons. Despite his denials and those of Staios, the speculation never went away, with a lot of it claiming he’d like to one day join his brother, Matthew, on the Panthers.

So now, the Tkachuk brothers are reunited in Florida at last. Having those two together could boost the Panthers’ hopes of staging another run at the Stanley Cup, provided they avoid another rash of injuries to their core players.

With Brady’s $8.205 million AAV through 2027-28 added to the Panthers’ ledger, PuckPedia indicates they have just over $7 million in projected cap space for next season, with 19 active roster players signed.

That won’t leave enough to re-sign or replace goaltenders Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov, meaning Zito likely isn’t done making moves, either through more trades or free agency.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 21, 2026

by | Jun 21, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 21, 2026

The Hurricanes celebrate their Stanley Cup championship with a record-setting parade in Raleigh, the latest on Stars forwards Jason Robertson and Jamie Benn, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM/THE NEWS & OBSERVER: An estimated record-setting crowd of over 180,000 people turned out in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, to watch the Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup parade on Saturday.

The parade began at 11 am ET with the team and their families perched on the open-top decks of double-decker buses, arriving at City Plaza an hour later, where the players, general manager Eric Tulsky, and head coach Rod Brind’Amour took turns speaking to the fans.

Tulsky took care of a piece of business during the gathering, announcing the signing of winger Nicolas Deslauriers to a two-year contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations again to the Hurricanes and their fans for their well-deserved championship run.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars general manager Jim Nill appeared on Sportsradio 96.7 FM/1310 The Ticket (KTCK-AM) on Saturday.

Among the topics Nill talked about were Jason Robertson’s contract negotiations and the future of team captain Jamie Benn.

Nill said the club’s priority remains signing Robertson to an extension. He indicated that the discussions continue, but there are currently no real deadlines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson’s contract status and the ongoing negotiations have drawn considerable interest around the league. The outcome could have far-reaching consequences for the Stars.

Since his debut in 2020-21, Robertson has been among the league’s highest-scoring forwards. He sits 11th overall with 489 points in 453 games, making him the highest-scoring member of the Stars during this period.

Robertson is completing a four-year contract with an average annual value of $7.75 million. He’s a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer, and is a year away from being eligible for unrestricted free-agent status.

It’s rumored that Robertson could seek a deal comparable to teammate Mikko Rantanen’s eight-year contract ($12 million AAV). The Stars being in a no-tax state could help Nill get him signed to a new deal. However, they currently have $10.139 million, meaning they’ll have to make a cost-cutting trade or two to free up sufficient room to re-sign him.

Nill was asked about the possibility of another team taking advantage of the Stars’ limited cap space to sign forward Mavrik Bourque to an offer sheet. He acknowledged the scenario, adding that they’re also trying to get Bourque signed. Nill claimed they’ve got “different plans in place” for all these scenarios.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bourque is completing a one-year contract with a cap hit of $950,000. Like Robertson, he has arbitration rights. He’s coming off his sophomore season, scoring 20 goals and 21 assists for 41 points. Some observers believe he could flourish with an expanded role, making him a prime target for an offer sheet, provided he’s willing to sign one.

Nill said he intends to meet with team captain Jamie Benn after the upcoming NHL draft to see if he’s willing to return for another season.

“Like I said, we want him back,” Nill said. “He’s a big part of our team and I don’t see any, unless he thinks it’s time (to retire), then we’ll have to look at different directions.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Benn, 36, completed a one-year, bonus-laden contract with a $1 million base salary and a $3 million performance bonus. This season saw his lowest production in a non-lockout, non-COVID season, with 36 points in 60 games.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Utah Mammoth have reportedly hired former Vancouver Canucks head coach Adam Foote as an assistant coach.

NHL.COM: The Seattle Kraken hired former defenseman Justin Schultz in a player development role. Schultz spent 12 seasons in the NHL, spending his final two seasons with the Kraken from 2022-23 to 2023-24.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs could be tapping into the Calder Cup-winning Marlies roster for help next season. Among them could be forwards Easton Cowan and Jacob Quillan, defenseman Ben Danford, and goaltender (and playoff MVP) Artur Akhtyamov.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 20, 2026

by | Jun 20, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 20, 2026

The latest on Sabres winger Zach Benson, Ron Francis returns to the Penguins, the Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup win could benefit youth hockey in Carolina, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports sources tell him the Buffalo Sabres are working on a new contract for winger Zach Benson that could be comparable to the deal they signed with winger Josh Doan.

Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson (NHL Images

Benson, 21, is coming off his entry-level contract. He netted a career-best 43 points in 65 games this season, along with five goals and nine points in 13 games.

Doan, 24, signed a seven-year contract extension with the Sabres in January worth an average annual value of $6.95 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Benson garnered plenty of attention with his performance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He’s a sparkplug player who gave his teammates a jolt of energy and timely offense when needed most.

Benson’s pesky ways also got under his opponents’ skin. His slewfoot of Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy in their first-round series showed a level of recklessness that could get him into trouble if he continues with those antics. He’ll need to keep his head on a swivel the next time those two clubs face each other.

Nevertheless, Benson emerged this season as an invaluable part of the Sabres’ roster. He’ll be crucial to their efforts to build on this season’s success.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Ron Francis has returned to the Penguins as the Special Advisor, Hockey Operations to president of hockey ops and general manager Kyle Dubas.

Francis won two Stanley Cups with the Penguins as a player from 1991 to 1998. He recently left the Seattle Kraken after spending six years in front-office roles, mostly as their general manager.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: The Carolina Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup championship run this season could provide a boost to local youth hockey as their first Cup run did twenty years ago.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Toronto Marlies are the AHL’s Calder Cup champions after defeating the Chicago Wolves 4-3 in Game 5 of the Cup Final. It’s the second time they’ve won the AHL championship in eight years.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs forward Easton Cowan finished third among the postseason scorers with 18 points, including three assists in the Cup-clinching game.

The Marlies also had the sweater of the late Maple Leafs prospect Radim Amirov in their Calder Cup championship photo. His No. 72 jersey had been hanging in their dressing room and practice facility this season. Amirov was the Leafs’ first-round pick in 2020. He passed away in 2023 from a brain tumor.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Marlies for their Calder Cup championship. It was also a classy gesture on their part to honor Amirov’s memory.

Some folks on social media tried to credit the Marlies’ success to newly-hired Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka, but he had nothing to do with it. This team was built by Maple Leafs assistant GM (and Marlies general manager) Ryan Hardy, under the supervision of former Leafs GM Brad Treliving.

RATINGS.ORG: Marco D’Amico profiled prospect defenseman Xavier Villeneuve of the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. He will be playing for Boston University next season.

The 5’11, 162-pound Villeneuve’s size has dropped him in the overall prospect rankings. However, his style of play has drawn comparisons to Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes and Montreal Canadiens blueliner Lane Hutson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson’s size was the reason why he dropped to the second round in the 2022 draft, where the Montreal Canadiens selected him. Considering how Hutson has become a star in Montreal, teams seeking a puck-moving defenseman could keep that in mind to avoid making the same mistake with Villeneuve.