The Chicago Blackhawks signed forward Corey Perry to a one-year, $4-million deal Friday after acquiring his rights from the Tampa Bay Lightning, the club announced.The Lightning traded him to the Blackhawks on Thursday for a 2024 seventh-round pick.Perry, who turned 38 in May, recorded 12 goals and 13 assists with the Lightning last season while playing a fourth-line role. He'll bring grit and veteran leadership to a youthful Blackhawks team.His analytical profile is still strong, too - especially defensively and on the power play. Evolving-HockeyAn 18-year NHL veteran, Perry is one of the NHL's most decorated active players. He's won a Stanley Cup, a Hart Trophy, a Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, a World Cup, two gold medals at the Olympics, a World Championship, and a World Junior Championship, and he's won a Memorial Cup.The 6-foot-3 winger has registered 417 goals and 883 points in 1,257 career regular-season games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2023 NHL Draft has come and gone, with teams adding future franchise-altering players, important depth pieces, and, of course, a handful of busts.Here, we grade and discuss how each team fared over the seven rounds relative to its draft slots.PICKPLAYERTEAM2C Leo CarlssonOrebro (SHL)33LW Nico MyatovicSeattle (WHL)59C Carey TerranceErie (OHL)60G Damian ClaraFarjestad (J20)65RW Coulson PitreFlint (OHL)85RW Yegor SidorovSaskatoon (WHL)97LHD Konnor SmithPeterborough (OHL)129LHD Rodwin DionicioWindsor (OHL)161RHD Vojtech PortEdmonton (WHL)The Ducks surprised many when they took Carlsson over Adam Fantilli at No. 2. The Swede has a better hockey sense, which ultimately tempted Anaheim more than his Canadian counterpart.The rest of their draft left something to be desired. Myatovic, Terrance, Pitre, Smith, and Port are all intriguing but project to be smaller-role players should they reach the NHL. Clara is a fun swing on a raw goaltender with a huge frame. Sidorov had a huge season as a re-entry in the WHL, and Dionicio is among the most fascinating late-round players with his immense skill but woeful skating.PICKPLAYERTEAM6LHD Dmitriy SimashevLokoYaroslavl (MHL)12LW Danil ButLoko Yaroslavl (MHL)38G Michael HrabalOmaha (USHL)70C Jonathan CastagnaSt. Andrews (CAHS)72LW Noel NordhBrynas (J20)81C Tanner LudtkeLincoln (USHL)88RW Vadim MorozMinsk (KHL)102LHD Terrell GoldsmithPrince Albert (WHL)134G Melker ThelinBjorkloven (Sweden U18)160LHD Justin KipkieVictoria (WHL)162C Samu BauIlves (Liiga)166G Carsen MusserU.S. NTDPNobody expected Simashev to go so high, and the Coyotes doubled down a few picks later by taking his Yaroslavl teammate But. Arizona opted for the tantalizing physical tools of both players over more highly rated prospects. Those tools were a priority for general manager Bill Armstrong, as all but one draftee is listed at 6-foot-2 or above. Five prospects are 6-foot-5 or taller.Hrabal is a fascinating goaltending prospect with his massive 6-foot-7 frame, and the Coyotes have developed a handful of quality netminders in recent years. But overall, it's a combination of risky bets with premium draft picks and lower-potential players after the second round.PICKPLAYERTEAM92C Christopher PelosiSioux Falls (USHL)124C Beckett HendricksonU.S. NTDP188C Ryan WalshCedar Rapids (USHL)214RW Casper NassenVasteras (J20)220LHD Kristian KostadinskiFrolunda (J20)The Bruins had one selection in the top 100 and used it on a player ranked 127th among North American skaters by Central Scouting. Boston got value in Hendrickson at No. 124 but failed to land any truly exciting prospects. The Bruins will hope re-entry picks in Walsh and Nassen will continue to produce against better competition after performing well against younger players in the USHL and J20 Nationell, respectively.Already with one of the NHL's weakest pools, the Bruins didn't do anything to improve their pipeline in any meaningful way.PICKPLAYERTEAM13LW Zach BensonWinnipeg (WHL)39C Anton WahlbergMalmo (J20)45RHD Maxim StrbakSioux Falls (USHL)86RHD Gavin McCarthyMuskegon (USHL)109LW Ethan MiedemaKingston (OHL)141G Scott RatzlaffSeattle (WHL)173LHD Sean KeohaneDexter School (USHS)205LHD Norwin PanochaBerlin (Germany U20)Kevyn Adams must have laughed as the GM saw a prospect with the quality of Benson fall to the Sabres at No. 13. The Winnipeg ICE product could very well be the best two-way winger to come out of the draft and is a perfect fit with Buffalo's youthful, exciting brand of hockey.After taking another smaller forward in the first round, the Sabres added plenty of size on Day 2. All of Wahlberg, Strbak, McCarthy, and Miedema are listed at 6-foot-1 or taller but weren't just picked for their size. Wahlberg and Strbak have impressed internationally, while McCarthy and Miedema have had solid results in the USHL and OHL, respectively. Overall, another very strong draft for Buffalo.PICKPLAYERTEAM16LW Samuel HonzekVancouver (WHL)48LHD Etienne MorinMoncton (QMJHL)80LW Aydar SunievPenticton (BCHL)112C Jaden LipinskiVancouver (WHL)176G Yegor YegorovMoscow (MHL)208LHD Axel HurtigRogle (J20)Honzek is an excellent pick at No. 16 as a toolsy winger with a massive frame and big upside. Had he not been injured at the world juniors, the Slovakian could have easily gone higher.Calgary took more big swings on Day 2 with Morin and Suniev. Morin was the top-scoring draft-eligible defenseman out of the QMJHL and was lauded by Central Scouting's Dan Marr as his favorite North American-based blue-liner. Suniev had a monster season in the BCHL, tallying 45 goals and 90 points, and heads to UMass in the NCAA this fall. A promising first draft for GM Craig Conroy.PICKPLAYERTEAM30LW Bradly NadeauPenticton (BCHL)62RW Felix Unger SorumLeksand (J20)94RW Jayden PerronChicago (USHL)100RW Alexander RykovChelmet (VHL)126RW Stanislav YarovoyVityaz (KHL)139RHD Charles-Alexis LegaultQuinnipiac (NCAA)158G Ruslan KhazheyevChelyabinsk (MHL)163LW Timur MukhanovOmsk (MHL)190RW Mikey EmersonChicago (USHL)222G Yegor VelmakinVoronezh (VHL)If the Hurricanes continue to have trouble converting their shots into goals when Nadeau is ready to make the jump in a few years, he'll help with that. The 5-foot-10 winger dominated the BCHL this season, scoring 62 goals over 71 regular-season and playoff games with Penticton. He's a textbook swing on potential at the end of Round 1.Had Unger Sorum been born two days later, he would've been in the 2024 draft instead. That makes his point-per-game campaign in the J20 Nationell and excellent U18s even more impressive.The rest of the draft was very Carolina Hurricanes: five Russians, two Chicago Steel forwards, and an overage defenseman from the NCAA. Perron, Rykov, and Mukhanov are exciting picks for their potential, but the Hurricanes have yet to see their pipeline of Twitter favorite prospects turn into legit NHLers.PICKPLAYERTEAM1C Connor BedardRegina (WHL)19C Oliver MooreU.S. NTDP35G Adam GajanChippewa (NAHL)44RW Roman KantserovMagnitogorsk (MHL)55RW Martin MisiakYoungstown (USHL)67LW Nick LardisHamilton (OHL)93C Jiri FelcmanLangnau (Swiss U20)99C Alex PharandSudbury (OHL)131LW Marcel MarcelGatineau (QMJHL)167C Milton OscarsonOrebro (SHL)195LHD Janne PeltonenKarpat (Finland U20)The Blackhawks won the 2023 draft when they landed the No. 1 pick in the draft lottery. Bedard is a legitimate franchise-changer who alters the trajectory of the franchise and is expected to be among the league's most threatening goal-scorers for many years. But their high grade isn't just for that slam dunk pick.After Bedard, Chicago added the best skater in the draft in Moore, solidifying immense depth down the middle in their prospect pool. The Blackhawks then took the first goaltender in the draft at No. 35 in Gajan, who starred for Slovakia at the world juniors.Kantserov, one of the top-scoring prospects out of the Russian junior league, and Lardis, who had a superb second half in the OHL after being traded midseason, stand out among the nine picks on Day 2. But of course, the Blackhawks could've drafted 10 randoms off of the street after Bedard and still would've been ecstatic.PICKPLAYERTEAM27C Calum RitchieOshawa (OHL)31LHD Mikhail GulyayevOmskie (MHL)155RHD Nikita IshimnikovYekaterinburg (MHL)187LHD Jeremy HanzelSeattle (WHL)219C Maros JedlickaZvolen (Slovakia)Ritchie was a projected top-10 prospect coming into the season and is a great bet to bounce back next year with Oshawa. Gulyayev has set scoring records among junior-aged Russian defensemen and is a splendid fit in Colorado's system with his electrifying offense and skating.The Avalanche ended their draft with two of the oldest draftees in Hanzel and Jedlicka, players who could play in the AHL as soon as this fall. Hanzel was a dominant two-way defenseman with the WHL champion Thunderbirds, while Jedlicka has been a consistent scorer for two years in the improving Slovakian league.After making their first pick at No. 193 a year ago, the Avalanche did incredibly well to replenish a fairly barren prospect pool.PICKPLAYERTEAM3C Adam FantilliMichigan (NCAA)34RW Gavin BrindleyMichigan (NCAA)66RW William WhitelawYoungstown (USHL)98LHD Andrew StrathmannYoungstown (USHL)114C Luca PinelliOttawa (OHL)156G Melvin StrahlMoDo (J20)194C Oiva KeskinenTappara (Finland U20)224LW Tyler PeddleDrummondville (QMJHL)Fantilli fell into the Blue Jackets' lap at No. 3, and the fit is perfect in terms of style and positional need. He could step into their lineup as soon as this fall and be a contributor in the top nine, and he's a future top-line pivot.Then, at the top of the second round, Columbus snagged Fantilli's linemate Brindley, a diminutive but speedy and tenacious winger who would've been a slam dunk first-rounder if he were 3 inches taller.The Blue Jackets absolutely crushed this draft. They didn't overthink things when Fantilli became available at No. 3 and identified high-potential prospects with their remaining picks. That's exactly what a team like Columbus should be doing on draft day.PICKPLAYERTEAM61LHD Tristan BertucciFlint (OHL)79C Brad GardinerOttawa (OHL)125RHD Aram MinnetianU.S. NTDP157G Arno TiefenseeMannheim (DEL)189C Angus MacDonnellMississauga (OHL)221LW Sebastian BradshawElite Hockey Academy (18U AAA)The Stars love to draft out of the OHL and added another three Ontario-based prospects Thursday. Bertucci underwhelmed at the U18s, and Gardiner was outproduced significantly by his teammate Pinelli, who went much later to Columbus. Dallas failed to come out of the draft with a prospect that carries easily identifiable potential to play a meaningful NHL role.PICKPLAYERTEAM9C Nate DanielsonBrandon (WHL)17RHD Axel Sandin PellikkaSkelleftea (J20)41G Trey AugustineU.S. NTDP42RHD Andrew GibsonSault Ste. Marie (OHL)47LHD Brady ClevelandU.S. NTDP73LW Noah Dower NilssonFrolunda (J20)117LHDLarry KeenanCulver (USHS)137RHD Jack PhelanSioux Falls (USHL)147LW Kevin BickerMannheim (Germany U20)169G Rudy GuimondTaft School (USHS)201C Emmitt FinnieKamloops (WHL)The Red Wings added more of the same at No. 9 with Danielson after taking a similar prospect in Marco Kasper a year ago. That's not necessarily a bad thing; Danielson could become a top-six, two-way center - but Detroit had the opportunity to go for a higher-upside scorer in the top 10.Landing Sandin Pellikka - possibly the draft's best offensive defenseman - at No. 17 significantly helps this grade. He adds to an already stacked group of young blue-liners in the Red Wings' system but brings a more offensive element than what Detroit already has.It never hurts to snag one of the draft's top goaltenders, which the Red Wings did with Augustine. Dower Nilsson - the younger brother of Detroit prospect Liam - adds a scorer to an otherwise fairly bland draft.PICKPLAYERTEAM56RHD Beau AkeyBarrie (OHL)184G Nathaniel DayFlint (OHL)216C Matt CopponiMerrimack (NCAA)With just three picks and none inside the top 50, it was going to be tough for the Oilers to make an impression. Taking Akey at No. 56, however, did exactly that.The right-shot defenseman is one of the top neutral-zone defenders in the entire class. Edmonton's pipeline on defense is barren, and adding a player like Akey is a great way to spend the team's lone pick in the first five rounds. That selection does the heavy lifting here.PICKPLAYERTEAM63C Gracyn SawchynSeattle (WHL)127LHD Albert WikmanFarjestad (J20)159G Olof GliffordHV71 (Sweden U18)191LHD Luke CoughlinRimouski (QMJHL)198LW Stepan ZvyaginDinamo (MHL)Sawchyn and the Panthers are a perfect stylistic match. The Thunderbirds forward has plenty of skill and isn't afraid to mix it up physically despite being undersized. Ranked as high as No. 13 by Elite Prospects, he's exactly the type of player Florida should be drafting in the absence of a top-50 selection.Coughlin is an undersized defenseman with pedigree as a former top-five pick in the QMJHL. He was injured to start his draft campaign but finished the year on a strong note. That's a quality sixth-round swing.PICKPLAYERTEAM54LHD Jakub DvorakLiberec (Czechia)78RW Koehn ZiemmerPrince George (WHL)118G Hampton SlukynskyWarroad (USHS)150RHD Matthew ManiaSudbury (OHL)182RW Ryan ConmySioux City (USHL)Dvorak is massive at 6-foot-5 and can move well for his size, but he has yet to produce any notable results. Ziemmer scored a bunch of goals in the WHL, while Mania has a great name and an exciting blend of skills.It's difficult to evaluate skaters out of high school, let alone a goaltender like Slukynsky. Conmy produced in the USHL and is a reasonable sixth-rounder. It's a decent draft for the Kings, but nothing that gets you particularly excited.PICKPLAYERTEAM21C Charlie StramelWisconsin (NCAA)53C Rasmus KumpulainenPelicans (Finland U20)64C Riley HeidtPrince George (WHL)149LHD Aaron PionkWaterloo (USHL)181RHD Kalem ParkerVictoria (WHL)213LW Jimmy ClarkGreen Bay (USHL)Stramel struggled mightily as a freshman at Wisconsin after a strong career previously with the U.S. NTDP. The Wild will hope to see the big, mobile pivot rediscover his form as a sophomore.Kumpulainen is on the younger side of the class and produced in Finland's junior league and at the U18s. Heidt was superb value at the end of the second round, having matched Bedard for the WHL lead in assists. He likely shifts to the wing but has significant power-play upside and doesn't shy away from physicality. A solid draft that addressed premium positions.PICKPLAYERTEAM5RHD David ReinbacherKloten (NL)69G Jacob FowlerYoungstown (USHL)101LW Florian XhekajHamilton (OHL)110RHD Bogdan KonyushkovTorpedo (KHL)128G Quentin MillerQuebec (QMJHL)133LW Sam HarrisSioux Falls (USHL)144G Yevgeni VolokhinKhanty-Mansiysk (MHL)165C Filip ErikssonVaxjo (J20)197LHD Luke MittelstadtMinnesota (NCAA)It's hard to get too upset when you land the draft's top defense prospect. The Canadiens valued Reinbacher's handedness and professional profile; after all, he played the entire season in the top four of a Swiss pro team. But passing on immense potential in Matvei Michkov, or even Ryan Leonard, is a tough pill to swallow.The rest of the Canadiens' draft was ... odd. They took three goaltenders, with Fowler being the most compelling of the bunch after leading Youngstown to the USHL championship.Taking the younger Xhekaj at No. 101 was rich, considering he was a re-entry who scored just 25 points in the OHL. It was a slightly strange draft for Montreal, which took players from all over but left with a conservative top-five selection and only one or two other picks to really like.PICKPLAYERTEAM15RW Matthew WoodUConn (NCAA)24LHD Tanner MolendykSaskatoon (WHL)43C Felix NilssonRogle (J20)46LW Kalan LindRed Deer (WHL)68RW Jesse KiiskinenPelicans (Finland U20)83RHD Dylan MacKinnonHalifax (QMJHL)111C Joey WillisSaginaw (OHL)121G Juha JatkolaKalPa (Liiga)143C Sutter MuzzattiRPI (NCAA)175C Austin RoestEverett (WHL)218RW Aiden FinkBrooks (AJHL)GM Barry Trotz wanted his scouts to target prospects with high upside. He got exactly that early in the draft with Wood, a big and skilled winger who scored at a high rate as a freshman in the NCAA. The Predators followed that up with one of the top-skating blue-liners in Molendyk, a terrific rush defender who's just waiting to unlock more offensive upside.Nashville continued to take fun swings on Day 2. All of Nilsson, Lind, Kiiskinen, Willis, and Fink have exciting elements to their game. MacKinnon is a mean defenseman who helps diversify the class too. And Jatkola, Muzzatti, and Roest are re-entry prospects who enjoyed strong campaigns. An incredibly promising start to the Trotz era.PICKPLAYERTEAM58RW Lenni HameenahoAssat (Liiga)122RW Cam SquiresCape Breton (QMJHL)154RHD Chase CheslockRogers (USHS)164LW Cole BrownHamilton (OHL)186LHD Daniil KarpovichYekaterinburg (MHL)The Devils had a perfectly average draft. Hameenaho played regular shifts in Finland, and Squires hovered near a point per game in the QMJHL. Throw in a trio of typical late-round swings, and New Jersey has to be content with Thursday's outcome.PICKPLAYERTEAM49C Danny NelsonU.S. NTDP113LW Jesse NurmiKooKoo (Finland U20)145C Justin GillSherbrooke (QMJHL)177LHD Zach SchultzU.S. NTDP209LHD Dennis Good BoggAIK (J20)Nelson was getting some first-round hype at the end of the season, so it was a slight surprise to see him available when the Islanders chose at No. 49. Nurmi scored a bunch in Finland's junior league, but New York's draft ultimately lacks the high-end upside to warrant a higher grade.PICKPLAYERTEAM23LW Gabe PerreaultU.S. NTDP90LHD Drew FortescueU.S. NTDP152LHD Rasmus LarssonVasteras (J20)178C Dylan RoobroeckOshawa (OHL)183LW Ty HenricksMuskegon (USHL)Perreault has known faults; he's a small winger whose skating isn't a positive trait. But he also broke the U.S. NTDP's single-season scoring record. The Rangers have to be thrilled to add a prospect with his potential at No. 23. The rest of New York's draft is lackluster, but landing Perreault largely makes up for it.PICKPLAYERTEAM108RHD Hoyt StanleyVictoria (BCHL)140LHD Matthew AndonovskiKitchener (OHL)204C Owen BecknerSalmon Arm (BCHL)207G Vladimir NikitinBarys Nur-Sultan (Kazakhstan U20)215RW Nicholas VantassellGreen Bay (USHL)The Senators like what the Senators like. Yet again, Ottawa exits the draft with a few more 6-foot-2-plus skaters who didn't score much in their respective leagues. Maybe it will work out this time.PICKPLAYERTEAM7RW Matvei MichkovSKA St. Petersburg (KHL)22RHD Oliver BonkLondon (OHL)51G Carson BjarnasonBrandon (WHL)87G Egor ZavraginKhanty-Mansiysk (MHL)95RW Denver BarkeyLondon (OHL)103C Cole KnubleFargo (USHL)120LW Alex CiernikSodertalje (HockeyAllsvenskan)135RHD Carter SotheranPortland (WHL)172C Ryan MacPhersonLeamington (GOJHL)199RHD Matteo MannChicoutimi (QMJHL)GM Daniel Briere has made his mark on the Flyers in a matter of weeks. Philadelphia got arguably the second-best talent in the draft with Michkov at No. 7. The red flags are well known, but there was too much value to pass up in the back half of the top 10.It's not just Michkov, either. Philadelphia did well to identify numerous Day 2 talents, including Barkey, Knuble, Ciernik, and Sotheran, who immediately improve the Flyers' pipeline.PICKPLAYERTEAM14C Brayden YagerMoose Jaw (WHL)91LHD Emil PieniniemiKarpat (Finland U20)142RW Mikhail IlyinCherepovets (MHL)174C Cooper FosterOttawa (OHL)217LW Emil JarventieIlves (Finland U20)223LHD Kalle KangasJokerit (Finland U20)Yager immediately becomes the Penguins' top prospect, while Jarventie is an excellent value pick in the seventh round. Kyle Dubas drafted someone from Sault Ste. Marie to keep that meme alive and well. A decent first draft for Dubas in Pittsburgh.PICKPLAYERTEAM4C Will SmithU.S. NTDP26LW Quentin MustySudbury (OHL)36RW Kasper HalttunenHIFK (Liiga)71C Brandon SvobodaYoungstown (USHL)123LHD Luca CagnoniPortland (WHL)130RHD Axel LandenHV71 (J20)132RHD Eric PohlkampCedar Rapids (USHL)196C David KleeWaterloo (USHL)203RW Yegor RimashevskiyDynamo (MHL)The Sharks added talent everywhere except in the crease. Smith is a legit potential top-line center, and Musty was among the highest-upside prospects available at No. 26. Halttunen was a wicked shot, and Cagnoni is a perfect mid-round swing on a small but excellent puck-moving defenseman. There's a ton to like here.PICKPLAYERTEAM20LW Eduard SaleBrno (Czechia)50LW Carson RehkopfKitchener (OHL)52C Oscar Fisker MolgaardHV71 (SHL)57RHD Lukas DragicevicTri-City (WHL)89LHD Caden PriceKelowna (WHL)116CAndrei LoshkoChicoutimi (QMJHL)148RHD Kaden HammellEverett (WHL)168G Visa VedenpaaKarpat (Finland U20)180C Zeb ForsfjallSkelleftea (J20)212RWZaccharya WisdomCedar Rapids (USHL)The Kraken didn't have a top-five pick for the first time in their short history, so they went out and had one of the best cumulative drafts instead. Sale and Dragicevic have huge potential. Rehkopf, Molgaard, and Wisdom can play anywhere in the lineup. Even swings like Price, Loshko, and Forsfjall stand out. Another eye-catching draft class for Seattle.PICKPLAYERTEAM10C Dalibor DvorskyAIK (HockeyAllsvenskan)25C Otto StenbergFrolunda (J20)29LHD Theo LindsteinBrynas (SHL)74LHD Quinton BurnsKingston (OHL)76LW Juraj PekarcikNitra (Slovakia)106C Jakub StanclVaxjo (J20)138LHD Paul FischerU.S. NTDP170LHD Matthew MayichOttawa (OHL)202RW Nikita SusuyevSpartak (MHL)St. Louis clearly values the opinion of their Swedish scouts, having used each of their three first-round picks on players based in the region. Dvorsky, Stenberg, and Lindstein each fill organizational needs. The rest of the draft was a bit underwhelming, but the first-round trio are enough to be excited about.PICKPLAYERTEAM37RW Ethan GauthierSherbrooke (QMJHL)115RW Jayson ShaugabayWarroad (USHS)179RHD Warren ClarkSteinbach (MJHL)193C Jack HarveyChicago (USHL)211C Ethan HayFlint (OHL)Gauthier fits the style of player the Lightning look to round out their lineup with. He's physical but brings a scoring touch, particularly as a goal-scorer. Shaugabay and Harvey add much needed skill to a depleted prospect pool.PICKPLAYERTEAM28LW Easton CowanLondon (OHL)153C Hudson MalinoskiBrooks (AJHL)185LHD Noah ChadwickLethbridge (WHL)Cowan wasn't anticipated to be drafted in the first round, but the London Knights forward ticks a lot of boxes the Maple Leafs typically covet in the draft. He's intelligent, immensely competitive, and can play in all situations.Malinoski is a late bloomer out of the AJHL, someone who we'll get a better read on once he plays against better competition in the fall at Providence. Toronto finally drafted its first defenseman since 2020 at No. 185 with Chadwick, a 6-foot-4 Saskatoon native with a solid two-way base.The reach on Cowan at No. 28 hurts the overall grade for what was a fine draft for the Maple Leafs, but one that doesn't add much high-end upside.PICKPLAYERTEAM11RHD Tom WillanderRogle (J20)75RHD Hunter BrzustewiczKitchener (OHL)89LHD Sawyer MynioSeattle (WHL)105C Ty MuellerNebraska-Omaha (NCAA)107LW Vilmer AlrikssonDjurgarden (J20)119C Matthew PerkinsYoungstown (USHL)171RHD Aiden CelebriniBrooks (AJHL)The Canucks have an organizational need on defense and addressed it early and often in this draft. All three of Vancouver's top 100 selections were used on rearguards.Passing on Benson at No. 11 is tough, but Willander is still a player to be amped for. He's a smooth-skating, two-way blue-liner who is exactly what the Canucks have been hoping to get on their right side. He heads to Boston University in the fall.Brzustewicz was a quality value pick in the third round, and Mynio will play a much bigger role with the Thunderbirds in the fall. A solid draft from GM Patrik Allvin that addressed a significant organizational weakness.PICKPLAYERTEAM32C David EdstromFrolunda (J20)77C Mathieu CatafordHalifax (QMJHL)96LHD Arttu KarkiTappara (Finland U20)192RW Tuomas UronenHIFK (Finland U20)The Stanley Cup champions seemingly carried their positive momentum onto the draft floor. Edstrom is a 6-foot-3 pivot who excelled at the U18s and gives the Golden Knights a legit center prospect. Cataford scored a bunch in the QMJHL, and Karki gives off Nic Hague vibes with his bomb of a shot from the point.PICKPLAYERTEAM8RW Ryan LeonardU.S. NTDP40LW Andrew CristallKelowna (WHL)104C Patrick ThomasHamilton (OHL)136RHD Cameron AllenGuelph (OHL)200C Brett HylandBrandon (WHL)206G Antoine KellerGeneve (Swiss U20)The Capitals come away with one of the draft's most intriguing hauls. Leonard is a nightmare to play against, Cristall decimated WHL competition, and Allen was once expected to be the first defenseman off the board. We could look back in a decade at a class that landed Washington two-thirds of a top line and a top-four blue-liner.PICKPLAYERTEAM18LW Colby BarlowOwen Sound (OHL)82RWZach NehringShattuck St. Mary's (USHS)146C Jacob JulienLondon (OHL)151G Thomas MilicSeattle (WHL)210RWConnor LevisKamloops (WHL)Barlow will excite fans in Winnipeg as a goal-scorer who plays a rugged, physical style. It was also good to see Milic finally drafted after being one of the top WHL netminders for three years and helping Canada earn gold at the world juniors.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is beyond satisfied with the haul he pulled in from the trade that sent disgruntled forward Pierre-Luc Dubios to the Los Angeles Kings.The Jets landed Alex Iafallo, Gabriel Vilardi, Rasmus Kupari, and a 2024-second round pick for Dubois in a blockbuster sign-and-trade Tuesday."We're very excited with the pieces we were able to acquire," Cheveldayoff told NHL.com's Derek Van Diest.He added: "I think we have two younger players that are just starting to come into their own and they have a tremendous amount of ability to grow as hockey players. Especially in Vilardi's situation, where he missed some very important years in the development world. You all know how development takes different shapes and forms, ebbs and flows and curves, and in his particular situation, when you lose those kind of years, it takes some time to grow your game."All three players should be able to contribute to a retooling Jets lineup next season. Here's a look at the trio's 2022-23 stats:PlayerPositionAgeStatsIafalloC2959GP-14G-22AVilardiC2363GP-23G-18AKupariC2266GP-3G-12AIafallo is under contract through 2025 at $4 million per season, while Vilardi and Kupari - both former first-round picks of the Kings - are currently restricted free agents.Dubois' tenure with the Jets was presumed to be nearing an end after he signed a one-year deal last year with the intention of testing the open market in 2024. Earlier this offseason, Dubois' agent told Winnipeg that his client wasn't interested in signing an extension this summer.Dubois ultimately inked an eight-year, $68-million contract as part of the trade.The Jets are expected to be among the NHL's busiest teams this offseason. Vezina Trophy nominee Connor Hellebuyck is rumored to be on the block after expressing his intention not to sign a new deal with the club, while longtime core forwards Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler are reportedly available as well as they enter the final year of their contracts.Winnipeg qualified for the playoffs this past season but was bounced in five games by the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

William Nylander's desired price on a potential contract extension is currently higher than what the Toronto Maple Leafs are willing to pay, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reports.There is a "sizeable gap" between the two sides at the moment, LeBrun adds.Nylander is eligible to sign an extension starting Saturday, the same date his 10-team no-trade list kicks in. The 27-year-old is scheduled for unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2024.Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said earlier this week that he hoped for clarity on Nylander's and Auston Matthews' contract wishes by July 1. Matthews is also eligible to re-sign Saturday as a 2024 UFA.Treliving added he's confident he'll be able to ink both players even if negotiations drag throughout the summer and into next season.Nylander is nearing the end of a six-year, $45-million contract he signed in 2018. He infamously held out until the Dec. 1 deadline of that season before agreeing to a deal that has aged nicely for the perennially cap-strapped Maple Leafs at $6.9 million annually.He's managed 295 points in 336 games over the duration of his current contract, including a career-high 40 goals and 87 points this past season. Nylander also managed 10 points in 11 playoff games this spring as the Maple Leafs advanced beyond the opening round for the first time since 2004.Toronto currently has a projected $48 million in financial flexibility for the 2024-25 season with only 10 players signed, according to Cap Friendly. The cap is expected to rise significantly next summer after three years of stagnancy coming out of the pandemic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames appear to have some options in trade talks centered around Noah Hanifin.The Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins are two clubs to have shown interest in the defenseman, reports The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. Florida is reportedly including forward Anthony Duclair in those discussions.There's also mutual interest between Hanifin and the Pittsburgh Penguins, reports The Athletic's Rob Rossi. The Pens are on a short list of teams that Hanifin would approve a trade to and sign an extension with, sources told Rossi.A June report indicated that Hanifin wasn't expected to sign a contract extension with Calgary and that a trade was likely. The 26-year-old is on the books through next season at a $4.95-million cap hit, after which he can become a UFA, according to CapFriendly. His contract also includes an eight-team no-trade list.The Bruins have inquired about Hanifin but lack financial flexibility, LeBrun adds. Boston has approximately $11 million in cap space and numerous pending free agents, including potential UFAs Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Dmitry Orlov, as well as possible RFA goaltender Jeremy Swayman.The Penguins have cap flexibility but lack trade assets due to a depleted farm system. However, the club has been searching for a top left-shooting defenseman to pair with Kris Letang, as head coach Mike Sullivan reportedly pushed for the club to acquire Jakob Chychrun last season before the former Arizona Coyote was ultimately moved to the Ottawa Senators.The Panthers, meanwhile, also have needs on the blue line. They made it to the Stanley Cup Final despite 36-year-old Marc Staal playing a top-four role on the left side. Righties Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour are also dealing with injuries that could reportedly leak into next season.Hanifin collected seven goals and 31 assists across 81 games this past season after tying a career high with 10 tallies to go along with a personal-best 38 helpers over 81 contests in 2021-22. The Boston-born blue-liner also authored favorable underlying numbers in 2022-23, including five-on-five expected goals for and scoring chances for rates of 54.93% and 52.87%, respectively, according to Natural Stat Trick.His analytics overall have been strong over the last three seasons, specifically offensively. Evolving-HockeyCalgary acquired Hanifin in a blockbuster trade with the Carolina Hurricanes on the second day of the 2018 draft. The Canes dealt Hanifin and forward Elias Lindholm to the Flames for rearguard Dougie Hamilton, future Norris Trophy winner (and New York Ranger) Adam Fox, and forward Micheal Ferland.The Flames fired head coach Darryl Sutter and parted ways with ex-general manager Brad Treliving after missing the playoffs this spring. On Tuesday, Calgary traded leading scorer Tyler Toffoli to the New Jersey Devils for forward Yegor Sharangovich and a third-round pick. The Flames signed Sharangovich to a two-year contract Wednesday.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

David Poile made his final moves as general manager of the Nashville Predators during the tail end of the seventh round at the 2023 NHL Draft on Thursday.The longtime executive selected right winger Aiden Fink 218th overall, marking his final draft pick with the organization. Those in attendance at Bridgestone Arena gave Poile a rousing ovation.

The Edmonton Oilers traded forwards Kailer Yamamoto and Klim Kostin to the Detroit Red Wings for future considerations, the clubs announced Thursday.Yamamoto is entering the final year of his contract, which carries a $3.1-million cap hit, according to CapFriendly. He'll be eligible for restricted free agency with arbitration rights next summer.The American winger, who'll turn 25 in late September, collected 10 goals and 15 assists while being limited to 58 games this past season. He established career highs with 20 tallies and 21 helpers in 2021-22.Kostin is currently a pending RFA. The 24-year-old Russian registered 11 goals and 10 assists in 57 contests this season.Oilers general manager Ken Holland said he had some competition in contract talks before opting to make the trade.

Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Quinn underwent surgery Wednesday to repair an Achilles tendon injury he suffered during offseason training, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams confirmed the injury but offered no timeline for Quinn to return, per Bill Hoppe of the Times Herald.However, Friedman reported that Quinn will miss the start of the 2023-24 campaign as a result of the injury. Friedman also noted that the typical recovery timeline is four-to-six months.Quinn recorded 14 goals and 23 assists in 75 games during his rookie season in 2022-23. The 21-year-old also had a successful showing with Canada at the World Championship, producing seven points in 10 games en route to a gold medal.The Sabres drafted Quinn eighth overall in 2020.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals selected Andrew Cristall with the 40th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.Andrew CristallPosition: Left wing

NASHVILLE - In West Philadelphia, born and raised, on the playground was where I spent most of my days. Chillin' out, maxin', relaxin', all cool ...The theme song to the TV show "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" blared inside Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday night as Will Smith made his way to the stage after being selected fourth overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. Smith, born and raised in eastern Massachusetts, was in on the fun, personally choosing the walk-up music and reciting a few lines on ESPN's live broadcast.That's William Charles Patrick Smith: maxin', relaxin', all cool. He was also respectful, articulate, and polished in his first meeting with national and local reporters, often flashing his full-toothed, Hollywood grin to the cameras. Dave Sandford / Getty ImagesMake no mistake, though, there's more than meets the eye with Smith.Take the famous handle: William Smith's a family name. The 18-year-old proudly shares it with his dad, who goes by Bill, and his late grandpa, also Bill."I had one of his last business cards in my (draft-night suit) jacket," the youngest Will Smith said of his grandpa, a "pretty special man" who died of cancer a few years ago. "He can't be here, but I know he's watching."Take Smith's scouting report, too: Everybody drools over his vision, hands, and the 191 points he posted over two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program. But don't discount what's beneath the surface."It's easy to notice and see Will's ability, his hockey sense, and his skill set, but there's a lot of fire between his ears," Sharks director of amateur scouting Chris Morehouse told reporters. "When you get a chance to sit down with him and go through the process we have over the last couple of months, (of) really digging into his character, that (competitiveness) is a huge part of it for us." Eurasia Sport Images / Getty ImagesAbout a month ago, Smith overheard his sister and her friends chatting about long-distance running - specifically, how difficult it would be to run a mile in under six minutes. The Boston College commit couldn't help but chime in."Yeah, I could do that," Smith told the group. "Easily."The topic of a six-minute mile resurfaced over dinner. As Smith scarfed down a 20-ounce porterhouse steak, he made a bet with his dad.Not long after the family paid their Mother's Day dinner bill, Smith - hockey player, not track star - was at the starting line of a running track in his hometown of Lexington, near Boston. The floodlights were on. Ready, set, go."After the first lap, I was sucking wind because of the steak," Smith recalled, a smile forming on his face during an interview in early June. "But I was like, 'No way, I can't stop.' I finished with a time of 5:50. Yeah, I won that bet!"As innocuous as it was, the bet showcased three essential components of Smith's makeup as a person and player: his confidence, his inner drive, and his penchant for being at the center of gut-check moments (no pun intended). Eurasia Sport Images / Getty Images"That's just part of me," Smith said. "I love the big stage.""He lives for the pressure," added Boston College associate head coach Mike Ayers. "He lives for the competition. He absolutely lives for all of that stuff. From a coaching standpoint, those are the things that you love to see in a player of his caliber. He seems to really thrive in those situations."Smith grew up on Patrick Kane YouTube clips. Nowadays, he watches a ton of Jack Hughes, a creative, dual-threat center with a similar build (both are listed at 5-foot-11 and around 180 pounds). This past season, Smith, playing on a line with fellow first-rounders Ryan Leonard (eighth overall, Capitals) and Gabriel Perreault (23rd, Rangers) recorded 2.12 points per game against USHL, NCAA, and international competition.He's basically a human highlight reel - elusive in one-on-one scenarios off the rush and generally the kind of play-driving center who consistently makes something from nothing. Head always up, Smith will often hide the puck from defenders, bust out a shoulder or head fake to one side of his body, then jolt in the opposite direction as his speed picks up and teammates get open."His vision is just so incredible. He'll be looking one way and then he'll make the play the other way," USNTDP teammate Beckett Hendrickson said."He has an ability to draw guys into specific areas of the ice so he can attack somewhere else. He's sneaky like that," USNTDP head coach Dan Muse said. "When a player gets to that point - where you're not just reading the play well but you're manipulating it too - that's where it can get fun. And he does that at an extremely, extremely high level." Bill Wippert / Getty ImagesOf course, the skill doesn't pop without the competitive streak, which is crucial to Smith taking the next step. For as long as he can remember, Smith has hated to lose as much as he's loved to win. And he's won a ton. He may be a scoring-chance-generating machine now, but success in the pros won't come easy.Fortunately for the Sharks, Smith showed in his draft year that he's capable of leveling up over a short period of time; he improved his skating and displayed a high compete level shift to shift that some talent evaluators didn't see in previous seasons. The emphasis on strength training at Boston College should benefit a center who will need to learn to outmuscle opponents in the faceoff circle and in the corners, sometimes relying less on his elite skill."Smith is a remarkably talented player, and we think he will put up points (in the NHL), but he's going to cost a team on the defensive side without significant improvements," reads a largely glowing scouting report in HockeyProspect.com's pre-draft guide. "Even more important to consider is the (playoff) implications when things aren't going right for Smith since he doesn't seem to thrive with a physical or grittier style of game."In the short term, Smith is focusing on becoming a better penalty killer while adding velocity and accuracy to his one-timer, which is already decent. "That's such a key factor in the game," Smith said. "You have to have a wicked shot to be able to score a certain amount of goals in the NHL."Smith and 2021 first-rounder William Eklund are a bridge to a new era for San Jose, though the Sharks' rebuild is far from over. General manager Mike Grier's son Jayden went to high school with Smith, so the executive knows his potential future No. 1 center well. He also knows Smith's style of play will sell tickets in the Bay Area and his personality is relatable and marketable. Jason Kempin / Getty ImagesSmith will be the 14th family member to attend BC. His sister Grace is a senior, and Smith jokes he hopes to be a ringer on her intramural soccer team.The navy suit jacket he wore on Wednesday night was lined with a series of hockey logos - St. Sebastian's prep, USA Hockey, BC - and a Celtic cross for another William Smith. The one who would come to all of his games as a kid and, afterward, give him a firm handshake and a $5 bill for candy.What does Smith think his grandpa would have said to him after the Sharks called his name?"He'd just be so proud," he said.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders dealt Josh Bailey and a 2026 second-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for future considerations, the clubs announced Thursday.The Blackhawks placed Bailey on unconditional waivers for purposes of a buyout shortly after acquiring him, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. If he clears, he'll become an unrestricted free agent.Bailey is entering the final season of a six-year, $30-million deal he signed with the Islanders in February 2018. Here's how a buyout impacts the Blackhawks' books for the next two seasons, per CapFriendly:SeasonInitial cap hitBuyout cap hit2023-24$5M$2.667M2024-25$0$1.167MThe Canadian forward, who'll turn 34 in early October, had played his entire 15-year career with New York.The Isles drafted him ninth overall in 2008, and he never quite lived up to his potential. Bailey collected eight goals and 17 assists over 64 games this past season.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild closed out Round 2 by selecting Riley Heidt with the 64th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.Riley HeidtPosition: Center

The Arizona Coyotes selected Michael Hrabal with the 38th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.Michael HrabalPosition: Goaltender

The Anaheim Ducks selected Nico Myatovic with the 33rd overall pick to start Day 2 of the 2023 NHL Draft.Nico MyatovicPosition: Forward

The Tampa Bay Lightning selected Ethan Gauthier with the 37th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.Ethan GauthierPosition: Right wing

The Columbus Blue Jackets selected Gavin Brindley with the 34th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.Gavin BrindleyPosition: Right wing

The Calgary Flames took Samuel Honzek with the 16th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.Samuel HonzekPosition: Left wing

The Winnipeg Jets selected Colby Barlow with the 18th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.Colby BarlowPosition: Left wing

The Arizona Coyotes selected Dmitriy Simashev with the sixth overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.Dmitriy SimashevPosition: Defense

The Anaheim Ducks selected Leo Carlsson with the 2nd overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft."I was a bit surprised but super blessed," he said on hearing his name called right after phenom Connor Bedard.Leo CarlssonPosition: Center

NASHVILLE - The international man of mystery is a mystery no longer - and if first impressions are to be taken at face value, the Philadelphia Flyers are getting a wholly committed Matvei Michkov.Following a year of questions about everything from his desire to play in North America to a supposedly hard-to-like personality, Michkov slid to seventh overall and into the Flyers' lap Wednesday during the first round of the NHL draft. It was the first selection by Philadelphia's new president-general manager duo of Keith Jones and Daniel Briere, and it's one that could make the executives who picked in the 2-6 range look awfully foolish in the coming years. John Matisz / theScoreMichkov, who some talent evaluators have labeled a "hockey genius" for his exceptional offensive instincts, thoroughly impressed over a 10-minute session with reporters in the bowels of Bridgestone Arena. Flanked by two interpreters, the largely anonymous Russian said on multiple occasions, and in no uncertain terms, that he's committed to playing for Philly.The sharp-shooting winger even noted the Flyers were atop his list of preferred destinations."My biggest wish and biggest expectation is that I want to come to Philadelphia and I want to help them win a Stanley Cup," Michkov said. "I know they've been waiting a long time for one. That's my goal (too), and that's why I'm coming."Michkov's KHL contract with SKA St. Petersburg runs through the 2025-26 season. "But," he said, "I am hoping as soon as I can get out, I'm going to be coming."Michkov, 18, met with Philly brass twice during 2022-23. Both interactions were extremely positive and made the youngster feel very comfortable. The organization, he said, is "smart" and "strong."Briere, meanwhile, tried to trade into the top six of the draft because he was worried Michkov wouldn't be available at seven. The price was too steep, yet Briere still got his guy. "We don't have anybody like him in our organization," the GM said, spitting truth. Beyond 2022 first-rounder Cutter Gauthier, the Flyers previously lacked high-end talent.The soft-spoken Michkov praised his entire immediate family for influencing his career up to this point, and he specifically credited his late father Andrei with teaching him how to disguise his shot, which is considered elite. Dave Sandford / Getty ImagesAdding to the mystique of Michkov in the leadup to the draft was a lack of live viewings. Most NHL scouts and executives were limited to assessing Michkov and his Russian peers exclusively on video due to travel restrictions because of the war in Ukraine. Many teams had yet to meet the kid until earlier this week.With so many enticing options at the top of the draft, passing on Michkov - the first overall pick in several recent draft classes, based on his current talent level and NHL ceiling - wasn't particularly hard for risk-averse teams. But that doesn't make the Flyers' decision to tap Michkov any less impressive, especially when coupled with a safe but smart pick at 22nd overall (defenseman Oliver Bonk from the OHL's London Knights).As the questioning slowed and the scrum with reporters dissipated, Michkov uttered his first English words to North American media and, by extension, fans. "Thank you. Thank you very much," he said into the NHL-branded microphone before walking away.If Michkov actually has no plans on playing in the NHL, he put on one heckuva acting performance in Nashville.Loud winner: Blue JacketsWhile the Flyers left Bridgestone with a potential game-changer, the Columbus Blue Jackets were the true winners Wednesday. That's saying something considering seven teams held more than one first-round pick.After phenom Connor Bedard went first to Chicago and Anaheim chose Swedish center Leo Carlsson at No. 2, Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen didn't overthink it when picking Adam Fantilli.Fantilli, a total-package center who was named the top player in college hockey this past season, might step into the Blue Jackets' lineup as early as this fall. There's little else for him to prove in the NCAA following 30 goals and 35 assists in 36 games against players in their early-to-mid 20s. Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyIt's possible Carlsson ends up being the more impactful NHLer, but the smart money's on Fantilli, not Carlsson, reaching superstar status. Scouts rave about Fantilli's skill set - the shooting, the skating, the stickhandling - as well as his physical tools and strong character. In a word: stud.It's ideal timing for Kekalainen, who acquired defensemen Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson via trade earlier this month and will introduce Mike Babcock as the club's new coach in a few days. Fantilli will face hurdles, as all young players do, but he's a polished prospect.Kekalainen is 10 years into his tenure. The Blue Jackets have won a grand total of one playoff series over that period. It's clear he's uninterested in being a middling squad moving forward and views last season's woeful record (25-48-8-1) as an aberration. If the Finnish GM's track record tells us anything, he isn't done wheeling or dealing, either.Translation: Continue to keep an eye on the Blue Jackets as free agency opens Saturday. They should be active, as usual.Predators nab 'diet Cale Makar' Jonathan Kozub / Getty Images Sport / GettyPundits tend to traffic in superlatives around the draft. Sometimes, it gets out of hand. In Tanner Moldendyk's case, though, the hype surrounding his skating is legitimate. As FloHockey analyst Chris Peters puts it, he's a "diet Cale Makar.""He doesn't have Makar's straight-line explosiveness," Peters said of Molendyk, the 24th overall pick to Nashville. "But he's got multiple avenues of mobility. His edge work is outstanding, and if he's on the offensive blue line, he can make some puck plays with his feet after standing still."Molendyk, a defenseman for the WHL's Saskatoon Blades, studies elite NHL skaters Shea Theodore and Miro Heiskanen. The 5-foot-11, 181-pounder says he honed his stride as a kid by skating twice a day at the arena in tiny McBride, British Columbia. His quick feet allow him to keep a tight gap on attackers. He's also known for having an active stick and an edge to his defensive game.The next step: Molendyk, who put up 45 points in 85 regular-season and playoff contests this past season, wants to "crack that seal" in his offensive game with an improved shot. He didn't score his first goal until his 21st game of 2022-23 - though his draft stock bounced back after a strong postseason.While Peters believes Molendyk can blossom into a top-four NHL defenseman, it's no guarantee. "Does he think the game at a high enough level to maximize those athletic tools that he clearly has?" the analyst asked.I love this pick for new Predators GM Barry Trotz. His pick at 12th overall - forward Matthew Wood - was relatively safe. He's banking on upside with Molendyk.Player to watch: Dylan MacKinnon Dennis Pajot / Getty ImagesEarlier this month at the scouting combine, MacKinnon grinned widely after being asked about his mullet. Was it new? Nope, he's been rocking it all year."I had a mustache earlier this week," MacKinnon said proudly. "But I figured I'd give that a trim before I started talking to NHL teams."MacKinnon, who could go off the board Thursday as early as the third round, is a throwback defenseman. He works his ass off. He plays a simple, north-south game. He uses every inch and pound of his 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame to deliver thunderous body checks. He kills penalties. He fights if need be.Unsurprisingly, the Halifax Mooseheads blue-liner models his game after the NHL's premier open-ice hitter, Jacob Trouba. "Very physical guy," MacKinnon said. "He isn't afraid to shed the mitts. I just absolutely love the way he plays."MacKinnon's NHL ceiling is the bottom pair. But even in a limited role, he'd be a fan favorite. Don't believe me? Here he is on trash-talking in the QMJHL:"I'm usually the one throwing them around. There were a couple (high-quality chirps) in the last series of the playoffs. They were all asking me what I do for my team. But none of them would fight me," MacKinnon said. "I told them I was a (younger player) and that I'd still fold them like a lawn chair. They got the memo. In that series, I think I was averaging like 10 pretty big hits a game. They all knew they weren't going to do anything about it."Quiet winner: Devils Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesThe salary cap is rising by only $1 million. The UFA crop is weak. The draft class is strong.These variables suggested Wednesday would be a busy night of trades. In the end, though, there wasn't a single swap completed on the draft floor. How anticlimactic.Hey, maybe it all comes down to the fact that New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald ticked off the bulk of his offseason business prior to the opening pick. Even without a first-rounder, the Devils had themselves a draft week to remember by pulling off a pair of trades and re-signing a key free agent.Coming in through a trade with the Calgary Flames: two-time 30-goal scorer Tyler Toffoli. Sticking around through an eight-year extension: three-time 30-goal scorer Timo Meier. Leaving: underperforming goalie Mackenzie Blackwood and middle-six forward Yegor Sharangovich. (There was a trade involving AHLers, too, as well as late-round picks that went in and out at different points, but you get the point.)If you loop in Jesper Bratt's extension and Severson getting shipped to Columbus, Fitzgerald's been the league's most productive GM in a generally busy month of movement. Now, after allocating his cap space cleverly over the past three years, New Jersey's front office has locked in an enviable core.Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Ondrej Palat, Bratt, Toffoli, and Meier - a dynamite top-six forward group - will combine to make $42.2 million in 2023-24, and all but Toffoli are signed through 2026-27. It's too early to pick Stanley Cup contenders for next season. But New Jersey, who lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round in May, has certainly commanded my attention.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers selected Russian winger Matvei Michkov with the seventh overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft on Wednesday.Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said he didn't think Michkov would be available at No. 7, and that he even tried to trade up to pick him, but the price was too high, per Sportsnet's Luke Fox."We were blown away by his personality. ... He kept saying he wanted to be a Flyer," Briere said, according to TSN's Chris Johnston.Matvei MichkovPosition: Right wing

The Montreal Canadiens selected Austrian defenseman David Reinbacher with the 5th overall selection in the 2023 NHL Draft on Wednesday.Habs general manager Kent Hughes said five or six teams called him about acquiring the No. 5 pick, but his scouts advised him to hang onto it so they could land Reinbacher, according to The Athletic's Arpon Basu.David ReinbacherPosition: Defense

The Toronto Maple Leafs selected Easton Cowan with the 28th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.Easton CowanPosition: Forward

Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill took home the 2022-23 Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award, the league announced Wednesday.Nill beat the Boston Bruins' Don Sweeney and the Florida Panthers' Bill Zito for the honor.The award is voted on after the second round of the playoffs by the league's 32 general managers, a panel of NHL executives, and the media.Here are the full results:RankGMPoints(1st-2nd-3rd)1Jim Nill (Stars)91(12-9-4)2Don Sweeney (Bruins)83(12-6-5)3Bill Zito (Panthers)46(4-6-8)4Tom Fitzgerald (Devils)39(4-5-4)5Ron Francis (Kraken)39(3-5-9)6Don Waddell (Hurricanes)27(1-5-7)7Kelly McCrimmon (Golden Knights)14(2-1-1)8Kyle Dubas (Maple Leafs)8(0-2-2)T-9Ken Holland (Oilers)5(1-0-0)T-9David Poile (Predators)5(1-0-0)11Chris Drury (Rangers)3(0-1-0)Nill laid the groundwork for Dallas' successful campaign last offseason by hiring Peter DeBoer as head coach and getting two key players - star forward Jason Robertson and stud netminder Jake Oettinger - under contract. Both were restricted free agents.Oettinger signed a three-year pact with a $4-million cap hit, while Robertson inked a four-year deal with an average annual value of $7.75 million.Robertson went on to lead the Stars with 46 goals and 109 points while appearing in all 82 games in 2022-23. Oettinger, meanwhile, boasted a 37-11-11 record and .919 save percentage as Dallas' No. 1 goaltender.Nill fortified his team before the trade deadline by adding forwards Evgenii Dadonov and Max Domi. Dadonov put up four goals and six assists in 16 playoff games, while Domi added 13 points in 19 postseason contests.The executive signed Dadonov to a two-year, $4.5-million extension Tuesday.Nill also signed veteran forward Joe Pavelski to a one-year deal with a $3.5-million cap hit in January, securing his spot on the squad for the 2023-24 season. He ranked second on the Stars with nine goals in 14 playoff games.The Stars finished in second place of the Central Division with a 47-21-14 record and advanced to the Western Conference Final.This was Nill's 10th season with the Stars.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets landed top prospect Adam Fantilli with the third overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.Adam FantilliPosition: Center

The San Jose Sharks chose Will Smith with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.Will SmithPosition: Center

The Chicago Blackhawks made the obvious choice official Wednesday, selecting potential franchise-altering prospect Connor Bedard with the first overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.Connor BedardPosition: Center

Auston Matthews holds a lot of cards in Toronto right now. How the Maple Leafs approach this offseason - and build the team for years to come - depends greatly on what Matthews decides is his best path forward.Does he want to remain with the Maple Leafs? How long will he sign for? Is he willing to commit now or does he want to take his time, leaving the team a little exposed and uncomfortable?Suffice it to say, new general manager Brad Treliving has his hands full with the face of the franchise's contract status up in the air.Matthews loves playing in Toronto, and he's made that clear. He even told the media during his year-end media availability that his "intention is to be here."So, with plenty of signs that he will eventually re-sign with the Maple Leafs, how long will his next contract be?A betting line was released with an over/under of 4.5 years, with Matthews re-signing for four years or fewer opening as the slight favorite.Length of next NHL contract (years)Opening oddsOver 4.5+100Under 4.5-130(Odds via theScore Bet)This line indicates Matthews is going to choose a different path than most of the other NHL stars who have recently inked new deals.Over the past couple of years, many of the league's premium point producers - Nathan MacKinnon, David Pastrnak, Jonathan Huberdeau, Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, Timo Meier, Dylan Larkin, Roope Hintz, Jesper Bratt, and Jason Robertson, to name but a few - have signed on the dotted line.With the exception of Robertson, who got into a drawn-out dispute as a restricted free agent with the Dallas Stars, all of them signed for as long as they possibly could.PlayerCap HitLengthNathan MacKinnon$12.6 million8 yearsDavid Pastrnak$11.25 million8 yearsJonathan Huberdeau$10.50 million8 yearsJohnny Gaudreau$9.75 million7yearsMatthew Tkachuk$9.5 million8 yearsTimo Meier$8.8 million8 yearsDylan Larkin$8.7 million8 yearsRoope Hintz$8.45 million8 yearsJesper Bratt$7.875 million8 yearsJason Robertson$7.75 million4 yearsZooming out even further, Connor McDavid - the face of the NHL - signed for eight years in Edmonton when he was up for a new contract in 2017. He's another example of the sport's brightest stars committing to their home for as long as they can.That's not the case with Matthews, who marches to the beat of his own drum. In 2019, he elected not to sign a max-term deal, instead extending with the Maple Leafs for five years.He didn't have to sacrifice dollars to get the term he wanted, signing a contract with the then-highest average annual value ($11.64 million) outside of McDavid.That move came with Matthews aware that he could make even more down the road. Now, here he is again, eyeing a contract that could earn him more than $13 million per season.By sacrificing some term - and waiting for the salary cap to rise - Matthews will likely make at least $2 million more per season than he would if he signed for eight years during the previous negotiation.There's no reason to expect a change in tune for Matthews. If he forwent max term in a somewhat flat-cap world, he should do the same when the league is set to reach new heights.The expectation is the salary cap will rise nearly $10 million over the next few years, with Forbes projecting an approximate cap of $92 million in 2025-26.That's a big jump from the $82.5-million limit last season and the $83.5-million limit for 2023-24.What Matthews could sign for today - the most money in the league on a per-year basis - could again be millions of dollars less than he can get in a handful of years.Will Matthews opt for another five-year deal and re-evaluate the league's salary-cap structure - and where the Maple Leafs are at - when the time comes?Will he go even shorter, opting for a three-year contract so he'll still be on the right side of 30 when he signs his next mega-extension?What Matthews decides could also impact Mitch Marner. With two years remaining on Marner's deal, we could see a similar situation this time next year.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights are trading longtime forward Reilly Smith to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick, the team announced.The draft pick originally belonged to Vegas but was sent to Pittsburgh as part of the Teddy Blueger trade in March.Smith, 32, has two years remaining on his contract, which carries a $5-million cap hit. The winger recorded 26 goals and 30 assists in 78 games with the Golden Knights during the regular season and added 14 points in 22 postseason contests en route to Vegas' Stanley Cup win.An original "Misfit," Smith has been with the Golden Knights since their inaugural season in 2017-18. He ranks second in franchise history in goals (124) and third in points (286)."I'd like to thank Reilly Smith for his time in Vegas," general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. "He's one of the original players we selected in expansion. He was a six-year player and I'm proud that he leaves as a Stanley Cup champion."Smith could replace Jason Zucker, who's a pending free agent. Jake Guentzel, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Mikael Granlund are Pittsburgh's other top-six wing options.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights signed forward Ivan Barbashev to a five-year extension with an average annual value of $5 million, the team announced Wednesday.Barbashev could've become an unrestricted free agent July 1.Vegas freed up the cap space for the extension after shipping out Reilly Smith to the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier Wednesday. Smith has two seasons remaining on his current contract with a cap hit of $5 million.Barbashev's new deal includes an eight-team no-trade list for the first three years and a five-team no-trade list for the last two seasons, according to CapFriendly.The Golden Knights acquired Barbashev from the St. Louis Blues prior to the trade deadline in exchange for prospect Zach Dean.Barbashev, 27, put up six goals and 10 assists in 23 regular-season games in Sin City. He added 18 points in 22 playoff games to help the Golden Knights capture their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. Barbashev was also a physical force in the postseason, ranking second on the team with 64 hits.Overall, Barbashev amassed 16 goals and 45 points in 82 contests this past campaign with St. Louis and Vegas.The Golden Knights now have just under $3.5 million in cap space, but that number can rise to approximately $8.5 million if goaltender Robin Lehner is placed on long-term injured reserve to start the new season.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are bringing back David Kampf on a four-year contract that carries an average annual value of $2.4 million, the team announced Wednesday.Kampf was a pending unrestricted free agent. The Czech center registered seven goals and 20 assists while playing all 82 games with Toronto in a bottom-six role this past season.The 28-year-old played the last two campaigns with the Leafs after starting his career as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks for four seasons. He signed with Toronto as a free agent in July 2021.Kampf isn't known for his offense, but he does contribute in other ways. The 6-foot-2, 197-pound pivot has won over 50% of his faceoffs in each of the last four seasons and in five of his six in the NHL. He averaged a career-high 15:18 of ice time in 2022-23.The Maple Leafs had approximately $9 million in cap space before re-upping Kampf, with numerous other pending UFAs left to sign, including Ryan O'Reilly and Michael Bunting, according to CapFriendly.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving would welcome knowing where things stand contractually with Auston Matthews and William Nylander before free agency opens, but he understands that may not be possible."The sooner, the better, right? I mean, the idea is when you know where things are at, you plan better," Treliving said Tuesday. "When you know if it's going to be raining tomorrow, maybe you pack a jacket. So having clarity always helps. Is it the be-all, end-all? No, you've got two sides that are going to play a piece of this puzzle. So we certainly would like (clarity); we're certainly trying to work toward that."Treliving noted that it won't be the end of the world if he can't get the duo re-upped on the first day or even the first month they're both eligible to sign extensions."(On) July 1, the world doesn't stop. I feel very confident ... we're going to get both players signed until proven otherwise and, hopefully, it's July," the GM said. "If it's not, then we'll keep working away at it."Matthews is on the books through next season with a cap hit of $11,640,250, according to CapFriendly. He took a step backward offensively this past season after piling up a league-best 60 goals alongside 46 assists over 73 games in 2021-22. The American superstar won the Hart Trophy that spring and also claimed the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy for the second consecutive campaign. His totals decreased in 2022-23, where he buried 40 goals and 45 helpers across 74 contests.Nylander, who can also become an unrestricted free agent next summer, has a contract with an average annual value of $6,962,366. He and Matthews tied for the team lead in goals this past season, though Nylander required eight more games to accomplish the feat.Both forwards have been with the Maple Leafs for their entire careers. Toronto drafted Matthews first overall in 2016, two years after selecting Nylander with the No. 8 pick.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils and forward Timo Meier agreed to an eight-year contract carrying an annual cap charge of $8.8 million, the club announced Wednesday.Meier was due to hit restricted free agency on Saturday.The contract is front-loaded, and he'll earn the same amount for each of the final four years. Here's how it breaks down:SeasonSalary2023-24$12M2024-25$11.1M2025-26$10.75M2026-27$7.75M2027-28$7.2M2028-29$7.2M2029-30$7.2M2030-31$7.2MA deadline acquisition from the San Jose Sharks, the 26-year-old Meier amassed 14 points in 21 regular-season games with the Devils before adding four points in 11 playoff appearances.He notched a career-high 40 goals while adding 26 assists in 78 contests with his two clubs during the 2022-23 regular season. Meier followed up a strong previous campaign in which he racked up 35 tallies and a personal-best 41 helpers in 77 contests.The Swiss winger played his first six full campaigns with the Sharks, and he's buried at least 30 goals three times in his seven-year career.With Jack Hughes signed to an $8-million contract through 2029-30, captain Nico Hischier signed through 2026-27 at $7.25 million annually, and Jesper Bratt inking an extension earlier this month worth $7.875 million annually through 2030-31, the Devils have taken steps to solidify a young core that could be on the verge of annual Stanley Cup contention.Meier is now the second-highest-paid active New Jersey player on an annual basis behind defenseman Dougie Hamilton and his $9-million cap hit through 2027-28. Meier is currently the Devils' highest-paid forward.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's salary cap ceiling officially rose by $1 million to $83.5 million for 2023-24, the league announced Wednesday.The cap floor will be $61.7 million, and the midpoint will be $72.6 million. The maximum salary is $16.7 million, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.In October, commissioner Gary Bettman said the players' escrow balance was likely to be paid off by the end of the season, which would've allowed for a cap ceiling increase of approximately $4 million. However, two months later, Bettman said the league projected a $70-million escrow balance, which meant a cap ceiling increase of only $1 million from the $82.5-million figure of this past campaign.The cap remained at $81.5 million for three seasons due to the pandemic before rising in 2022-23.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames inked forward Yegor Sharangovich to a two-year contract carrying an average annual value of $3.1 million, the team announced Wednesday.Sharangovich was a pending restricted free agent who would've had arbitration rights. Calgary acquired him in the Tyler Toffoli trade with the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.The 25-year-old Belarusian collected 13 goals and 17 assists over 75 games for the Devils this past season. He spent all of his first three NHL campaigns with New Jersey, the club that drafted him 141st overall in 2018.Sharangovich established career highs with 22 goals and 24 assists across 76 contests in 2021-22.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning dealt the rights to forward Ross Colton to the Colorado Avalanche for the 37th overall pick in this year's draft, the teams announced Wednesday.Colton is a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights, according to CapFriendly. The Lightning have only $450,000 of wiggle room under the salary cap ceiling.The New Jersey-born skater, who turns 27 in September, played his first three NHL seasons with the Lightning. Tampa Bay drafted him 118th overall in 2016. As a rookie, he helped the Bolts win their second straight Stanley Cup championship with four goals and two assists in 23 playoff games.Colton produced 16 goals and 16 assists over 81 games this past season. He collected 22 tallies and 17 helpers across 79 contests in 2021-22, and registered nine goals and three assists over 30 games in the 2020-21 campaign.Colorado acquired the 37th pick in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. The Avalanche sent forward Alex Newhook's rights to the Habs in exchange for selections No. 31 and 37 and defenseman Gianni Fairbrother.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils acquired winger Tyler Toffoli from the Calgary Flames in exchange for forward Yegor Sharangovich and a 2023 third-round pick, the teams announced Tuesday.Sharangovich is a pending restricted free agent, while Toffoli has one season left on his deal with a $4.25-million cap hit. He can become an unrestricted free agent next summer.Toffoli led the Flames with a career-high 34 goals and 73 points while skating in all 82 games this season."Tyler, he's played great for us," Flames general manager Craig Conroy said shortly after the deal, per Postmedia's Wes Gilbertson. "But to be able to get a little younger and add a pick, that's something we were hoping to do at the draft."Reports surfaced last week that Toffoli didn't plan on signing an extension with the Flames and would likely be made available for trade.On Tuesday, Toffoli said he wanted to sign a new deal with Calgary but requested a trade after the team didn't initiate contract talks."I was waiting for an extension conversation and there was none coming and didn't feel like there was one in the future," he said, according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis. "It didn't sound like there was any sort of need for me, or want in a way, so it was a personal decision."I thought it was time for myself and my wife to experience something different and move forward."Toffoli added that he hasn't spoken to the Devils about an extension yet, but it's on his "wish list," per NJ.com's Ryan Novozinsky.Sharangovich, 25, potted 13 goals and 17 helpers in 75 contests in 2022-23. He's projected to sign a three-year pact with a $3.55-million cap hit, according to Evolving Hockey.Calgary acquired Toffoli from the Montreal Canadiens last February. He was reunited with bench boss Darryl Sutter, who coached Toffoli as a member of the Los Angeles Kings. The Flames fired Sutter in May.The Devils selected Sharangovich in the fifth round of the 2018 draft. He has 106 points in 205 career NHL games.The Flames now have $5.5 million in cap space after the deal, while the Devils have just over $19 million, per CapFriendly. New Jersey traded restricted free-agent goalie Mackenzie Blackwood to the San Jose Sharks earlier Tuesday.Sharangovich is the Flames' only restricted free agent, while the likes of Milan Lucic and Troy Stecher can become unrestricted free agents. The Devils have a bevy of RFAs on their books, highlighted by Timo Meier.Toffoli may be the first major offseason domino to fall in Calgary after an underwhelming campaign that saw the team miss the playoffs. Defenseman Noah Hanifin is reportedly likely to get traded, while Elias Lindholm and Mikael Backlund don't appear to be keen on signing extensions heading into the final season of their deals.The Devils, meanwhile, are on the rise after making the postseason for the first time since 2018."They took a huge stride last season," Toffoli said. "It was definitely fun to watch. They have so much talent, it doesn't seem like they're too far off. Hopefully, I can come in and help. ... It's gonna be a lot of fun."Toffoli won the Stanley Cup with the Kings in 2014.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL released its 2023-24 regular-season schedule on Tuesday.The new campaign begins Oct. 10 with a tripleheader as the Nashville Predators visit the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Chicago Blackhawks. Defending champions the Vegas Golden Knights will also raise their first Stanley Cup banner that evening before facing the Seattle Kraken.Here is each team's home opener:

Evgenii Dadonov is sticking around in Dallas.The Stars signed the veteran forward to a two-year extension with an average annual value of $2.25 million, the team announced Tuesday.Dadonov was a pending unrestricted free agent. The Stars acquired him from the Montreal Canadiens prior to the trade deadline in exchange for forward Denis Gurianov.The 34-year-old scored three goals and tallied 12 assists in 23 regular season contests with the Stars before adding 10 points in 16 playoff games during Dallas' run to the Western Conference Final."Re-signing Evgenii was high on our priority list," Stars general manager Jim Nill said. "He was a key player for us down the stretch, and he elevated his game on the big stage during the playoffs. We're happy to get a deal done that works for both sides."Dadonov amassed 33 points in 73 games in 2022-23, split between the Canadiens and Stars. He owns 298 points in 486 career NHL games.The Stars have around $5.14 million in projected cap space after extending Dadonov, according to CapFriendly. Ty Dellandrea is in need of a new contract as a restricted free agent, while Max Domi highlights Dallas' remaining group of unrestricted free agents.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes, Seattle Kraken, and Toronto Maple Leafs have spoken to the San Jose Sharks about newly minted three-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, reports TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Leafs general manager Brad Treliving is talking to a lot of teams about a number of different options, according to LeBrun.

The Winnipeg Jets completed a sign-and-trade sending Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for forwards Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari, and a 2024 second-round pick, the teams announced Tuesday.Prior to the swap, the Jets inked Dubois to an eight-year extension with an average annual value of $8.5 million. He was a pending restricted free agent, so he had to sign the extension with Winnipeg in order to receive the maximum eight-year term."Eight years is a long time, but there's no doubt in my mind it was the right decision," Dubois said shortly after the deal was announced, according to the Los Angeles Times' Helene Elliott.He added, "This team has everything you need to win the Cup."The disgruntled forward's future in Winnipeg was in doubt for some time. Last year, Dubois reportedly told the Jets he planned to test free agency in 2024. He signed a one-year, $6-million deal as a restricted free agent last summer.Early this June, Dubois' agent, Pat Brisson, reportedly informed the Jets that his client wasn't interested in signing an extension with Winnipeg this offseason.The 25-year-old put up 27 goals and a career-high 63 points in 73 games while averaging 18:27 minutes of ice time per contest in 2022-23."Pierre-Luc Dubois is an elite two-way center with a unique skill set, and we're excited to have him join the organization and commit to us long term," Kings general manager Rob Blake said. "Over the last few seasons, he has proven the ability to contribute to all facets of the game, and we are thrilled to be able to add a player of this caliber into our lineup."Dubois is entering his seventh season in the NHL and the Kings are his third team. The Columbus Blue Jackets drafted him third overall in 2016, but his tenure in Ohio was rocky at best.Prior to the 2020-21 campaign, Dubois signed a two-year, $10-million extension with the Blue Jackets as a restricted free agent. However, reports that he'd requested a trade out of Columbus began to surface shortly after.Just over one week into the season, the Jackets traded Dubois and a 2022 third-round pick to the Jets in exchange for forwards Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic.Dubois has 129 goals and 173 assists in 434 career NHL games.As for the Jets' haul, Vilardi is a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights. The 23-year-old netted a career-high 23 goals and 41 points in 63 contests this campaign. He tied Adrian Kempe for the most game-winning goals on the Kings with six.Iafallo, 29, potted 14 goals and 22 assists in 59 showings, good for his fifth consecutive 30-point season. He has two campaigns remaining on his current deal with a $4-million cap hit.Los Angeles drafted Kupari 20th overall in 2018. He registered three goals and 12 assists in 66 games with the big club. The 23-year-old has amassed 29 points in 130 NHL games spread over three seasons.The Jets have just under $9 million in cap space after the deal, while the Kings have approximately $4.5 million, according to CapFriendly.Blake confirmed that Dubois' new deal carries a form of trade protection similar to star forward Kevin Fiala's pact, per team beat reporter Zach Dooley.Fiala had no protection in the first season of his seven-year extension that he signed last June, but his contract will include a no-move clause for the next three seasons. He'll submit a 10-team no-trade list for the final three campaigns, beginning in 2026-27.Dubois will bolster the Kings' forces up the middle and gives Los Angeles a solid 1-2-3 punch alongside Anze Kopitar and Phillip Danault. Kopitar, 35, is entering the final season of an eight-year, $80-million contract.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils traded goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood's rights to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2023 sixth-round pick, the teams announced Tuesday.Blackwood, 26, is a pending restricted free agent. He posted a 10-6-2 record to go along with an .893 save percentage and a 3.20 goals-against average in 22 appearances this campaign.The Thunder Bay, Ontario, native appeared to be New Jersey's goalie of the future at one point, finishing sixth in Calder Trophy voting in 2019-20. However, a series of injuries, combined with the emergence of Akira Schmid and Vitek Vanecek, led Blackwood to slip down the Devils' depth chart.New Jersey now owns seven picks in the upcoming draft, including two in the sixth round.If Blackwood re-signs with the Sharks, he'll likely compete with Kaapo Kahkonen for playing time. In 2022-23, Kahkonen shared the crease with veteran James Reimer, who's headed to unrestricted free agency.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche sent the rights to forward Alex Newhook to the Montreal Canadiens for the 31st and 37th overall picks in the NHL draft, as well as AHL defenseman Gianni Fairbrother, the teams announced Tuesday.Newhook is a pending restricted free agent. The 22-year-old produced 14 goals and 16 assists while playing all 82 games for the Avalanche this past season. It was his second full campaign with Colorado, the club that drafted him 16th overall in 2019.The Canadiens still hold the No. 5 pick in Wednesday's proceedings, but now they won't select again until the 69th pick. The 31st selection originally belonged to the Florida Panthers.Newhook's per-game production declined slightly this past season after he collected 13 goals and 20 assists across 71 contests in 2021-22.The St. John's, Newfoundland-born skater can play both left wing and center. He won the Tim Taylor Award recognizing the NCAA's rookie of the year while playing with Boston College in 2019-20, racking up 19 goals and 23 assists over 34 games that season. Newhook played part of one more campaign at that level before making his debut with the Avalanche on May 5, 2021.Newhook helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2021-22 with four assists in 12 playoff games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sheldon Keefe will be behind the bench for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2023-24, general manager Brad Treliving said Tuesday, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Keefe is entering the final year of his current contract. However, the Maple Leafs are reportedly expected to discuss an extension with him this summer.The 42-year-old has led the Leafs to a 166-71-30 record over four regular seasons. His .678 points percentage is the best in franchise history.Keefe's regular-season success hasn't translated into postseason accomplishments. His playoff record is 13-17 with just one series victory.Toronto made it past the first round of the playoffs this past season for the first time since 2004 but was bounced by the Florida Panthers in five games in Round 2.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers dealt forward Kevin Hayes to the St. Louis Blues for a sixth-round pick in next year's draft, the teams announced Tuesday.The Flyers are retaining 50% of his $7.14-million cap hit. The pact runs through 2025-26, according to CapFriendly.Hayes told The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford he's "pumped" to join St. Louis.The Blues and Flyers had reportedly been trying to complete the trade for days. They hit a snag over the weekend with a previous version of the deal. It apparently would've involved Philadelphia defenseman Travis Sanheim, and the Flyers would've retained a significant amount of Hayes' salary. But St. Louis blue-liner Torey Krug reportedly declined to waive his no-trade clause.Hayes spent the last four seasons with the Flyers, collecting 18 goals and tying a career high with 36 assists in 2022-23. The Winnipeg Jets shipped him to Philly for a fifth-rounder in June 2019. He finished the 2018-19 season with the Jets after his original club, the New York Rangers, traded him for a pair of picks and forward Brendan Lemieux that February.The Flyers tried to trade rearguard Tony DeAngelo back to the Carolina Hurricanes over the weekend as well, but that deal also appears to have fallen apart.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL offseason kicks into high gear this week, beginning with the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Here's what you need to know before the Chicago Blackhawks are on the clock.When

The NHL's MVP doesn't approve of the league's new policy against themed jerseys, including those players previously donned for Pride nights.Connor McDavid expressed his disapproval of the change after winning the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award for the third and fourth time, respectively, on Monday night."I certainly can't speak for every organization," he said. "I know in Edmonton, we were one of the first teams to use the Pride tape. In our dressing room, we strongly feel hockey is for everybody, and that includes the Pride nights and stuff like that. So of course, it's disappointing to see."The Edmonton Oilers captain emphasized that it's not his call, but he reiterated his disappointment and added that he and his team have always backed specialty nights."Everyone has their beliefs, and I can't speak on those. All I can speak for is myself and us in Edmonton, and I know we strongly support those type(s) of nights," McDavid said.Last week, the NHL said its players won't wear specialty jerseys for pregame warmups on themed nights next season, although teams can still design and produce the jerseys.Seven players - beginning with Ivan Provorov and followed by James Reimer, Eric and Marc Staal, Ilya Lyubushkin, Denis Gurianov, and Andrei Kuzmenko - refused to wear Pride jerseys during pregame warmups this past season.Teams will still hold nights to highlight various causes - including Pride, military appreciation, and Hockey Fights Cancer - but the league's board of governors agreed with commissioner Gary Bettman when he said several players choosing not to wear Pride jerseys overshadowed the clubs' efforts to host the events.Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos disagreed with the notion that the refusals were a distraction when asked about it Monday night."It was 98% or 99% of other players that wore the jersey and enjoyed wearing it and were proud wearing it - whatever jersey it was - whether it was the Pride, the military night, the cancer nights," Stamkos said, according to the Canadian Press' Joshua Clipperton. "The story shouldn't be about the guy that didn't wear it - the one guy or the two guys."I understand that's what gets the clicks and that's what gets the views, but the word 'distraction' gets thrown around. I don't think it had to have been a distraction. It could have been a non-issue while focusing on the good that was coming out of those nights."Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks inked veteran forward Nick Foligno to a one-year, $4-million contract, the club announced Tuesday.The Blackhawks acquired Foligno along with Taylor Hall in a trade with the Boston Bruins on Monday, sending defensemen Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula the other way.Foligno was a pending unrestricted free agent coming off a two-year pact he signed with the Bruins in July 2021. That agreement carried a $3.8-million cap hit, according to CapFriendly.The former Columbus Blue Jackets captain, who turns 36 on Halloween, collected 10 goals and 16 assists over 60 regular-season games with the Bruins this past season. He added a goal and two assists in six playoff contests this spring.The Blue Jackets sent him to the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of a three-way swap involving the San Jose Sharks in April 2021. Foligno played seven regular-season games and four postseason contests with the Leafs and then signed with the Bruins as a free agent that July.Foligno spent the first five seasons of his career with the Ottawa Senators before they traded him to the Blue Jackets for blue-liner Marc Methot in 2012. Foligno suited up for nine campaigns with the Jackets, wearing the "C" for six of them. He notched 31 goals and 42 assists - both career highs - with Columbus in 2014-15.The Senators drafted Foligno 28th overall in 2006.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2023 NHL Entry Draft is just a couple of days away, and there's still a ton of uncertainty about how things will play out.It's all but guaranteed that the Chicago Blackhawks will take Connor Bedard with the first overall selection. What happens in the picks that immediately follow is far less certain.Let's take a closer look and see if there's any value to be had.2nd overall pickPlayer OddsAdam Fantilli-425Leo Carlsson+325Matvei Michkov+1100Will Smith+3300David Reinbacher+8000Ryan Leonard+8000Adam Fantilli is heavily favored to be chosen second - and rightfully so. He put forth a fantastic NCAA campaign, piling up nearly two points per game with Michigan. That's unheard-of for a freshman.He topped a great season with a stellar performance at the World Hockey Championship in May, playing an everyday role for a Canadian team that claimed gold.Fantilli is a puck-dominant center who plays a premium position and possesses high-end speed, skill, and NHL size (he's 6-foot-2).Even so, there is some noise about whether the Anaheim Ducks may go in a different direction and take Carlsson instead.He also brings a lot of size, speed, and skill to the table. And, under director of scouting turned assistant general manager Martin Madden, the Ducks have a long history of drafting Swedish prospects high in the draft.At the end of the day, though, I see Fantilli going second.3rd overall pickPlayer OddsLeo Carlsson-180Will Smith+210Adam Fantilli+450MatveiMichkov+1000Ryan Leonard+3000David Reinbacher+4000Assuming Bedard and Fantilli are off the board, there is some value in getting Carlsson at this price.If Michkov is out of the question due to the uncertainty around his future NHL availability, Carlsson is very clearly the best player remaining on the board. He also plays a position the Columbus Blue Jackets are in desperate need of.The Blue Jackets have plenty of talent on the wing in Johnny Gaudreau, Patrik Laine, Kent Johnson, and Kirill Marchenko, with the latter scoring 21 goals in 59 games as a rookie. The organization severely lacks talent down the middle. The team needs a top-line center who can distribute the puck, threaten as a shooter, and hold his own against high-end competition. Carlsson can fill that role.I could see Will Smith being considered here, but this seems like a no-brainer for the Blue Jackets. Carlsson checks all of the club's boxes.4th overall pickPlayer OddsWill Smith-140Leo Carlsson+200Matvei Michkov+320David Reinbacher+500Adam Fantilli+2000Ryan Leonard+2000This is where things get interesting. The teams in the top three can all easily justify their selections - and passing on Michkov - because they're getting the best player on the board (Bedard) or top-four talents at arguably the most important position in the sport (Fantilli and Carlsson).Smith is a fantastic prospect, but he's not quite in the same tier as Michkov in terms of raw talent and upside. If all else was equal, Michkov would be a safe bet here.That's not the case, which means Sharks GM Mike Grier has a very difficult decision to make in his first NHL draft. The Sharks won't be overly competitive for a few seasons, and Grier is early in his tenure, so he has the safety net to play the long game. He doesn't need to chase immediate results. There is a difference between immediate results and guaranteed results, though.If we fast-forward three years, Michkov will likely be able to impact a game more than almost anybody else on this list. But will he be available to do so?Passing on a potential top-line weapon in Smith only to be left empty-handed would be tough for the rebuilding Sharks.With an implied 58% probability of taking Smith, he seems to carry a bit of value.5th overall pickPlayer OddsRyan Leonard+175David Reinbacher+180Matvei Michkov+275William Smith+500Dalibor Dvorsky+900This is a fun spot, and it may be best to double dip here. Ryan Leonard is a fantastic goal-scorer who works his tail off and provides value by doing dirty work. He makes a lot of sense for a Canadiens team that could use more of those elements.If the draft plays out with Bedard, Fantilli, Carlsson, and Smith going off the board in the first four picks - no matter the order - there is a better than 36% chance the Canadiens take Leonard with the fifth overall pick.That being said, I think Smith is worth a sprinkle as well. The Canadiens don't have a ton of center talent in the organization, and Smith is a high-ceiling pivot who could pile up the points while Nick Suzuki plays more of a two-way role and focuses on the difficult matchups.If Michkov goes in the top four, I think Smith will be the pick. I would rather play Smith to go fifth at +500 than Michkov fourth at +320. In a way, this feels like banking on Michkov to go fourth at a much better price than if you simply bet into that market.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.