NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 28, 2026

by | Jun 28, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 28, 2026

The highlights from the second and final day of the 2026 Draft are in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins selecting Markus Ruck with the 39th overall pick was the notable highlight from the second day of the 2026 NHL Draft. Ruck’s twin brother, Liam, was chosen at No. 22 in the first round on Friday.

Liam and Markus Ruck (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whether the Ruck twins would end up on the same team was among the big questions heading into this draft. It seemed that hope was dashed when Liam was taken by the Penguins in the first round, leaving them facing the possibility that they would be split up for the first time in their young hockey careers before the Penguins chose Markus.

The Ruck twins being on the same NHL franchise have drawn comparisons to Hall of Famers Daniel and Henrik Sedin, who were selected by the Vancouver Canucks in 1999. Time will tell if they go on to have great careers like the Sedins.

Several prospects in this year’s draft have NHL bloodlines.

Vancouver Canucks first-round pick (third overall) Caleb Malhotra is the son of former NHL player and current Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra. Wyatt Cullen, chosen 10th overall by the Nashville Predators, is the son of former forward Matt Cullen.

St. Louis Blues prospect center Maddox Dagenais (16th overall) is the son of former forward Pierre Dagenais. Anaheim Ducks first-rounder (28th overall) Marcus Nordmark is the son of former defenseman Robert Nordmark. Detroit Red Wings prospect Victor Plante (chosen 47th overall) is the son of former center Derek Plante.

Calgary Flames winger Joe Iginla (65th overall) is the son of Hall of Fame winger Jarome Iginla. Montreal Canadiens prospect winger Parker Trottier (189th overall) is the grandson of Hall of Fame center Bryan Trottier.

A record-setting four players were from Latvia: Alberts Smits (No. 5 by the New York Rangers), Rudolfs Berzkains (No. 58 by the Edmonton Oilers), Patriks Plumins (No. 114 by the Toronto Maple Leafs), and Oliver Murnieks (No. 124 by the Buffalo Sabres).

San Jose Sharks prospect defenseman Alexander Karmanov (201st overall) is the tallest player ever selected in an NHL draft. The 18-year-old is 7’1” and weighs 280 pounds.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow this link for the complete list of picks from every round of the 2026 NHL Draft.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: The Carolina Hurricanes acquired the contract rights of defenseman John Carlson from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a sixth-rounder in this year’s draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carlson is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He’d already informed the Ducks that he intended to sign with an Eastern club. The Hurricanes have his exclusive negotiating rights until noon ET on Wednesday.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy said Jonathan Huberdeau has returned to skating and is trending toward being ready for training camp in September. The 33-year-old winger underwent season-ending hip resurfacing in March.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars GM Jim Nill said forward Radek Faksa underwent surgery to repair a foot injury he suffered during this season. He also said that forward Tyler Seguin is continuing his rehab from a season-ending ACL tear suffered in December.

Both players are expected to be ready for training camp in September.

TORONTO SUN/THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Maple Leafs traded defenseman Brandon Carlo to the St. Louis Blues for two third-round picks in this year’s draft.

The Leafs moved Carlo because he didn’t have the impact the club desired when they acquired him from the Boston Bruins at the March 2025 trade deadline. He’ll get a fresh start in St. Louis, where he’ll be insurance in case promising blueliner Adam Jiricek isn’t ready to make the jump to the NHL next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The move also freed up salary cap space for the Maple Leafs, giving them over $22 million to put toward other moves via the trade and free-agent markets.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW/COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins traded forward Fabian Lysell to the Colorado Avalanche for forward Ivan Ivan.

NEW YORK POST/THE TENNESSEAN: The Rangers trade forward Adam Edstrom to the Predators in exchange for the No. 148 pick in this year’s draft and prospect Massimo Rizzo.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 14, 2026

by | May 14, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – May 14, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: what’s next for the Wild, more speculation about Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies, and potential cost-cutting trade candidates for the Stars.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE WILD?

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark looks at what’s ahead for the Minnesota Wild following their second-round elimination by the Colorado Avalanche.

Wild general manager Bill Guerin has eight players slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer. They include Vladimir Tarasenko, Mats Zuccarello, Nick Foligno, Marcus Johansson, Michael McCarron, Zach Bogosian, and Jeff Petry.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild have just over $13.5 million in projected salary-cap space for 2026-27, with 17 active roster players under contract.

Zuccarello should be back for sure, given his value to the Wild. Johansson and Tarasenko might also return on affordable short-term deals if they remain interested in playing for a contender. McCarron’s physical style could also earn him a new contract.

Clark believes the Wild must consider adding top-six help. He noted that they will have limited cap space for next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was rumored that Guerin was in the market for a first or second-line center before the March trade deadline. The Wild were linked to Vincent Trocheck, but there’s no certainty the 33-year-old New York Rangers center would agree to be traded to Minnesota when his preference is to remain in the Eastern Conference.

Guerin must balance his need to add a center for his top-two forward lines with signing some of those pending UFAs to affordable contracts.

THE LATEST MATTHEW KNIES SPECULATION

TSN: During an appearance on “Overdrive” with Jeff O’Neill and Jamie McLennan, Chris Johnston discussed the potential trade strategies this summer for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Among them was what type of return Matthew Knies might fetch in the trade market.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthews Knies (NHL Images).

Knies surfaced in the rumor mill before the March trade deadline as former Leafs general manager Brad Treliving was reportedly listening to offers for the 24-year-old power forward.

Johnston wondered if new Maple Leafs GM John Chayka would reopen those Knies discussions. He believes a key part of that deal would be what the Leafs would get back for a defenseman if they’re going to take a forward with the first-overall pick in this year’s draft.

Asked why Knies’ name came up in the trade market before the March deadline, Johnston said his lack of no-trade protection was the biggest factor. Trying to move someone like William Nylander would be difficult because his no-movement clause limits where he might prefer to go.

Johnston said he spoke with someone who works for an NHL team who claimed they would be willing to give up more for Knies than for Leafs superstar Auston Matthews. That’s because Matthews has only two years left on his deal, while they would have five years of Knies in his prime. Johnston claimed one team offered six pieces for Knies before the trade deadline, but it wasn’t good enough for Treliving.

There’s a new front office in Toronto now, and they might not be as willing to move Knies. However, Johnston isn’t ruling it out.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those six pieces were probably mostly draft picks and prospects, whereas Treliving was seeking a return that would provide more immediate help for his struggling roster.

Recent reports suggest Chayka thinks highly of Knies and doesn’t seem keen to move him. We’ll see if that’s the case as the offseason unfolds.

WHICH MEMBERS OF THE DALLAS STARS COULD BECOME COST-CUTTING CANDIDATES?

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Lia Assimakopoulos listed four players the Stars could trade to create enough cap space to sign winger Jason Robertson to a new contract.

Robertson, 26, is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights who is also a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility. He’s completing a four-year contract with an average annual value of $7.75 million. Robertson could seek a deal comparable to the eight-year, $96 million contract ($12 million AAV) signed by teammate Mikko Rantanen last year.

Assimakopoulos listed forwards Radek Faksa ($2 million annually through 2027-28), Sam Steel (one year at $2.1 million), and defensemen Ilya Lyubushkin (one year, $3.25 million) and Tyler Myers (one year, $1.5 million) as potential trade candidates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars have a projected $11 million in cap space for next season with 19 active roster players signed. How much Robertson gets will determine which (or how many) of those four will be moved.

Myers seems the most likely, as he wasn’t a good fit after being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks before the trade deadline. However, his struggles with the Stars could also hurt his trade value.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 25, 2026

by | Feb 25, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 25, 2026

The regular-season schedule resumes on Wednesday. Check out the latest on the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck, the Oilers’ Connor McDavid, the Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

ESPN: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will be presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for backstopping the United States to its first gold medal in Olympic Men’s hockey since 1980.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

Hellebuyck and several of his Team USA teammates, including Jack and Quinn Hughes, and Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, attended the annual State of the Union address to Congress in Washington on Tuesday at the request of President Donald Trump, who met with the players in the Oval Office earlier in the day.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck is believed to be the first hockey player to receive this award.

THE ATHLETIC: Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is expected to rejoin his teammates for Wednesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He will fly from Washington to Tampa Bay following a visit to the White House and celebrations with Team USA. Matthews was the captain of the United States Olympic Men’s hockey team.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers captain Connor McDavid will be a game-day decision for Wednesday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks. McDavid is with the team as they begin their post-Olympic road trip. The club would like to rest him from this game as it is the first of a back-to-back with the second game being against the Los Angeles Kings, but the decision will be up to him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers want to ensure McDavid is well-rested and ready to return to action after the Olympics and the long journey from Italy to rejoin his teammates. They sit second in the Pacific Division with 64 points, but are only four points ahead of the Kings, who sit just outside the final Western Conference playoff berth.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars winger Mikko Rantanen is expected to miss the next two weeks due to the injury he suffered during the Olympics. He was placed on injured reserve on Monday.

The Stars also placed winger Radek Faksa on injured reserve. He suffered an upper-body injury during the Olympics.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neil Pionk and winger Nino Niederreiter will be sidelined for roughly two weeks. Pionk suffered an undisclosed injury during practice, while Niederreiter aggravated an undisclosed injury that he was dealing with before the Olympics.

The Jets are also dealing with the absence of defenseman Josh Morrissey, who was injured playing for Canada in the Olympics.

They did get one piece of good news, as winger Kyle Connor skipped the invitation to the White House and the State of the Union to rejoin the injury-depleted Jets.

THE ATHLETIC: Speaking of the Jets, Jonathan Toews shot down any notion that he might be willing to move at the trade deadline.

“I wouldn’t consider going anywhere,” Toews said. “I want to keep playing for this team.” The 37-year-old winger has a full no-movement clause.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given the Jets’ fading playoff hopes, some pundits floated Toews as a trade candidate. There was no indication that he would request to be moved to a contender, nor were there reports of serious inquiries about his availability.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW/PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Colorado Avalanche traded defenseman Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round draft pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for defenseman Brett Kulak.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the first significant post-Olympic trade. It could set the ball rolling for more moves with the March 6 trade deadline fast approaching.

This is a tidy piece of work by Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas. He flipped Kulak, a 32-year-old shutdown defenseman who is UFA-eligible on July 1, for the speedy, puck-moving, 27-year-old Girard, who is signed through 2026-27.

This deal reflects Dubas’ ongoing efforts to make the Penguins competitive while building up for the future by adding younger players. It could also reflect the need to address the decline in Kris Letang’s performance.

The Avalanche is in “win-now” mode. Kulak’s physical defensive style and playoff experience should make him a good rental addition as they push for the Stanley Cup this spring.

This trade gives them over $10 million in projected trade-deadline cap space, so they’re not done making trades before next Friday’s deadline. Their next target could be an experienced third-line center.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The New York Islanders acquired forward Matt Luff from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for forward Julien Gauthier.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Seattle Kraken signed depth centers Ben Meyers and Ryan Winterton to two-year contract extensions.

NEW YORK POST: The family of former NHL star Ron Duguay announced he’s battling cancer. His daughters have launched an online fundraiser seeking $50,000 to deal with his rising treatment costs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow this link if you’d like to contribute.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 24, 2026

by | Feb 24, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 24, 2026

The regular-season schedule resumed on Feb. 25. Check out the latest on Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Mikko Rantanen, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TRIBLIVE.COM: It remains to be seen if Sidney Crosby will be in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ lineup when they resume their post-Olympic schedule on Thursday against the New Jersey Devils.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

Crosby remains hobbled by a right-leg injury that he suffered playing for Canada in the Olympic Men’s hockey tournament. He was sidelined from the final two games of the tournament, which the United States won with a 2-1 victory over Canada in the gold-medal game.

The Penguins recalled winger Avery Hayes from their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. During Monday’s practice, Hayes skated at left wing alongside right winger Rickard Rakell, who was filling in for Crosby at center. Head coach Dan Muse said this was largely a contingency plan in case the Penguins’ captain can’t play.

Muse offered no update on Crosby’s status. The long-time Penguins superstar was still trekking back from Italy with several of his Team Canada teammates on Monday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby was considered day-to-day during those final days of the Olympic tournament. He was close to playing in the gold-medal game, but took himself out of the lineup because he felt he wasn’t sufficiently recovered to help his team.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers captain Connor McDavid isn’t expected to rejoin his teammates right away when they resume their regular-season schedule.

The Oilers return to action on Wednesday against the Ducks in Anaheim, followed by a game against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch felt that playing 23-24 minutes in back-to-back games after travelling back from Europe wouldn’t put McDavid in the right position to help the team.

McDavid was named the most valuable player of the Olympic Men’s hockey tournament, setting a single-tournament record with 13 points. He also took over the captaincy of Team Canada with Sidney Crosby sidelined for its final two games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Knoblauch didn’t say if McDavid would miss the first game of the back-to-back series or both. We’ll learn more about his status by Wednesday.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Star winger Mikko Rantanen was placed on injured reserve due to a lower-body injury suffered playing for Finland in the Olympics. That opens up a roster spot to activate defenseman Lian Bichsel (lower-body) from IR. Bichsel had been sidelined since Nov. 30.

Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger won’t play in Wednesday’s game against the Seattle Kraken due to travel logistics. Forward Radek Faksa’s status remains uncertain after he was injured playing for Czechia in the Olympics.

DAILY FACEOFF: Stars center Roope Hintz is a game-day decision as he recovers from an illness.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey will reportedly miss “a good chunk of time” with an upper-body injury suffered playing for Canada in the Olympics.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Critics of NHLers skating in the Olympics will point to these injuries and travel delays as reasons why the players shouldn’t participate in these tournaments.

However, the players want to take part in the Olympics, and most NHL fans want to see them in international best-on-best tournaments. This will not prevent their participation in the 2030 Olympics or the 2028 World Cup of Hockey.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Philip Broberg’s performance for Sweden in the 2026 Winter Olympics demonstrated why he’s the St. Louis Blues’ top defenseman.

Skating alongside veteran blueliner Erik Karlsson. The 24-year-old Broberg played big minutes for Sweden in key matches. He played on the second pairing, but wound up seeing more playing time as the tournament went on, including 24:57 of ice time in their 2-1 loss to the United States.

Broberg finished the tournament with a plus/minus of plus-2 and wasn’t on the ice for any 5-on-5 goals against.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Veteran defenseman Nick Leddy was recalled from the San Jose Sharks’ AHL affiliate, but it remains to be seen when he’ll see NHL action.

Leddy, 34, was claimed off waivers by the Sharks from the Blues last July. He began the season among their top-four defenseman, but was sidelined for several weeks by an upper-body injury, and struggled to regain his place in the lineup. Leddy was placed on waivers on Jan. 18 but went unclaimed.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leddy’s been the subject of some trade speculation. He could end up being moved by the March 6 trade deadline.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Las Vegas Motor Speedway would like to host an outdoor NHL game. The Speedway’s vice president of sales, Aaron Crowley, said the track hosts a large number of events each year, including music festivals and large corporate events.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 18, 2026

by | Feb 18, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 18, 2026

The quarterfinal matchups are set for Olympic Men’s hockey, Jeff Skinner becomes a free agent, Patrik Laine is injured again, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPS SET FOLLOWING QUALIFICATION ROUND ACTION

NHL.COM: Switzerland blanked Italy 3-0 in qualification round action on Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinal round against Finland.

Nico Hischier had a goal and two assists while goaltender Leonardo Genoni made 20 saves for the shutout. Damian Clara stopped 48 shots for Italy.

Sweden will meet the United States in the quarterfinal after defeating Latvia 5-1.

Team Sweden winger Lucas Raymond (The Hockey News).

Lucas Raymond had three assists, while William Nylander, Mika Zibanejad, and Gabriel Landeskog each had a goal and an assist for the Swedes. Eduards Tralmaks replied for Latvia.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following Tuesday’s action, Raymond sat second to Canada’s Connor McDavid in tournament scoring with eight points. The Swedes raised eyebrows by scratching defenseman Rasmus Andersson and Jesper Bratt from this game. Some observers believe they’re saving them for the quarterfinal.

Germany beat France 5-1 to face Slovakia in the quarterfinal.

Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists, and Philipp Grubauer stopped 30 shots for the Germans. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare scored for France in what proved to be his final game as the former NHL forward announced his retirement following this contest.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I write this, Germany is down 4-1 to Slovakia after two periods in their quarterfinal game.

Bellemare’s teammate Pierre Crinon faces prosecution back home in France for punching a goaltender in the face during a game last November. Earlier this week, he was suspended from the remainder of the tournament by the French National Olympic and Sports Committee for fighting Canada’s Tom Wilson during Sunday’s games between the two nations.

Czechia will face Canada for the second time in this tournament after holding off Denmark by a score of 3-2.

Martin Necas and Roman Cervenka each had a goal and an assist while Lukas Dostal turned aside 24 shots for Czechia. Frederik Andersen made 28 saves for Denmark.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Czechia forward Radek Faksa suffered an upper-body injury in this game and will not be in the lineup for today’s game against Canada.

OLYMPIC MEN’S HOCKEY NOTES

TSN: Team Canada forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Sam Bennett skipped practice on Tuesday. Head coach Jon Cooper said they were taking time for maintenance, adding that there wasn’t any cause for concern. Both players are expected to be in the lineup for their quarterfinal game against Czechia.

DAILY FACEOFF: Team USA winger Kyle Connor is expected to be a healthy scratch from today’s game against Sweden. His ice time steadily diminished in his first two games, and he was scratched from their game against Germany.

IN NHL NEWS…

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Jeff Skinner is no longer with the Sharks. He cleared unconditional waivers on Tuesday, resulting in his contract being terminated by mutual agreement. The 33-year-old winger is now an unrestricted free agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see if he signs with another NHL club this season. He’ll have to do so before the March 6 trade deadline to be eligible to skate in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson resumed practice with his teammates on Tuesday. He’d missed their last seven games before the Olympic break with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edvinsson, 23, has been an invaluable part of the Red Wings’ blueline. As the article observed, they’re 3-5-2 in the 10 games he’s missed during this season.

TSN: Patrik Laine missed practice on Tuesday as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The 27-year-old Montreal Canadiens winger has been sidelined since Oct. 16 after undergoing core muscle surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine has surfaced recently in the rumor mill as a trade candidate. However, his ongoing injury issues could ensure that he finishes the season in Montreal.










Notable NHL Signings and Trades – July 1, 2025

by | Jul 1, 2025

Notable NHL Signings and Trades – July 1, 2025

 Anaheim Ducks sign unrestricted free-agent forward Mikael Granlund to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $7 million.

The New York Rangers signed winger Will Cuylle to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.9 million. Cuylle was a restricted free agent completing his entry-level contract.

Buffalo Sabres re-sign center Ryan McLeod to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $5 million. McLeod was a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

The San Jose Sharks signed John Klingberg to a one-year, $4 million contract. He was an unrestricted free agent.

 

Defenseman Ryan Lindgren signed a four-year contract with the Seattle Kraken with an average annual value of $4.5 million.

The Utah Mammoth signed defenseman Nate Schmidt inked a three-year contract ($3.5 million AAV) and forward Brandon Tanev to a three-year contract ($2.5 million AAV).

The Los Angeles Kings signed defenseman Cody Ceci to a four-year contract with an AAV of $4.5 million, blueliner Brian Dumoulin to a three-year deal with a $4 million AAV, and winger Corey Perry to a one-year, $2 million contract.

Winger Jonathan Drouin agreed to a two-year contract ($4 million AAV) with the New York Islanders.

Forward Radek Faksa inked a three-year contract ($2 million AAV) with the Dallas Stars.

 

The Vancouver Canucks brought back Brock Boeser, signing him to a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $7.25 million.

The New York Rangers sign defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-year deal with an AAV of $7 million.

The Los Angeles Kings sign forward Joel Armia to a two-year contract with a $2.5 million AAV.

The Boston Bruins signed forward Tanner Jeannot to a four-year deal with an AAV of $3.5 million.

The New Jersey Devils sign forward Connor Brown to a four-year contract with an AAV of $3 million.

The Philadelphia Flyers sign goaltender Dan Vladar to a two-year contract with a $3.35 million AAV.

The San Jose Sharks sign winger William Eklund to a three-year deal with an AAV of $5.6 million. Eklund, 22, was a restricted free agent.

The Philadelphia Flyers signed center Christian Dvorak to a one-year, $5.4 million contract.

The Montreal Canadiens trade defenseman Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues for forward Zachary Bolduc.

Logan Stankoven signs an eight-year contract extension ($6 million AAV) with the Carolina Hurricanes. The 22-year-old forward was slated to become an RFA next July.

Jake Allen re-signed with the New Jersey Devils. The 34-year-old goaltender agreed to a five-year contract with an AAV of $1.8 million.

The Edmonton Oilers trade winger Viktor Arvidsson to the Boston Bruins for a fifth-round draft pick in 2027. This move frees up $4 million of salary-cap space for the Oilers.

Thatcher Demko signs a a three-year contract extension with the Vancouver Canucks worth an average annual value of $8.5 million. The 29-year-old goaltender was eligible for UFA status next July.

The Canucks also confirmed that Conor Garland signed a six-year contract extension with an AAV of $6 million. Like Demko, he was slated to become a UFA next July.

Martin Fehervary signed a seven-year contract extension with the Washington Capitals worth an AAV of $6 million. The 25-year-old defenseman was a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.