NHL Draft Day Blog
Published
NHL Draft Day has arrived and TSN.ca keeps up you up to date with all the latest from around the league as teams look to acquire first-round picks before the selections kick off in Nashville.
Key Links:
Bob McKenzie's Final Draft Ranking, TSN Hockey Mock Draft, Trade Tracker, Signing Tracker
Maple Leafs considering Reaves?
With free agency slated to open Saturday, the Toronto Maple Leafs are considering veteran forward Ryan Reaves as one of their targets, according to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger.
The 36-year-old Reaves recorded five goals and 10 assists over 61 games with the Minnesota Wild this season. The native of Winnipeg started the 2022-23 season with the New York Rangers, but was traded to Minnesota in November after failing to record a point in 12 games.
Over 828 career games with the St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, Rangers and Wild, Reaves has 59 goals and 70 assists alongside 1,023 penalty minutes.
Reaves made $1.75 million this season.
Panthers interested in Hanifin?
The Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers are just one of the teams that are interested in Calgary Flames defenceman Noah Hanifin, according to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun.
LeBrun notes the Panthers will have competition with other teams and mentions that the Flames "would be looking at Anthony Duclair as part of that trade scenario."
Hanifin, who is entering the final season of his six-year, $29.7 million contract, scored seven goals and added 31 assists over 81 games with the Flames in 2022-23.
What will happen to the fifth pick?
According to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger, uncertainty remains around the fifth overall pick for tonight's NHL Draft. Currently, the Montreal Canadiens own the pick, but Dreger notes that the Nashville Predators may still be interested in moving up as hosts of this year's draft.
"Inside two hours from the start of the NHL Draft and there remains uncertainty around the 5th pick overall. As we discussed earlier, the host Predators have tried hard to move up. Still time for wheeling/dealing," writes Dreger.
TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun adds that the Predators have called the San Jose Sharks regarding the fourth overall pick.
Vegas signs Barbashev
The Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights have signed forward Ivan Barbashev to a five-year, $25 million contract. The deal has an average annual value of $5 million.
The 27-year-old Russian scored 16 goals and 29 assists over 82 games split between the Golden Knights and St. Louis Blues. He was acquired from the Blues on Feb. 26 at the trade deadline.
Barbashev added seven goals and 11 assists over 22 playoff games this spring, helping Vegas capture their first Stanley Cup.
Barbashev is coming off a two-year, $4.5 million contract.
Karlsson Watch
TSN's Director of Scouting Craig Button breaks down the five potential best destinations for defenceman Erik Karlsson to get traded to and how he can help any team go from the playoffs to a possible Stanley Cup contender.
Smith headed to Pittsburgh
Kyle Dubas has made his first major move as the president of hockey operations of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins are acquiring forward Reilly Smith from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for a third-round pick in 2024.
The 32-year-old scored 26 goals and added 30 assists over 78 games for the Stanley Cup-winning Golden Knights in 2022-23, his sixth season in Vegas. He added four goals and 10 assists over 22 playoff games this spring.
Smith has two years remaining on his three-year contract featuring an average annual value of $5 million.
Latest from the TSN Hockey Insiders
Will Predators general manager Barry Trotz find a way to move into the top 10 of the draft? What are the details with the Mike Babcock-Blue Jackets reported deal? TSN Hockey Insiders Chris Johnston, Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger join Ryan Rishaug to weigh in on this, Timo Meier's eight-year deal with the Devils and more:
Lucic going back to Boston?
TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston reports there's a strong possibility of a reunion between Milan Lucic and the Boston Bruins.
Johnston notes Lucic is free to speak with teams ahead of free agency opening on Saturday.
The 34-year-old winger had seven goals and 19 points in 77 games with the Flames this season. He recently won gold with Team Canada at the 2023 World Hockey Championship.
Lucic spent this past season playing out the last of a seven-year, $42 million contract signed with the Edmonton Oilers in 2016. He was traded by Edmonton to the Flames in exchange for James Neal in 2019.
Armstrong tight-lipped on Krug
Torey Krug's refusal to waive his no-trade reportedly forced a blockbuster deal between the St. Louis Blues and Philadelphia Flyers to fall apart over the weekend.
The Blues were believed to be sending Krug and a first-round pick to the Flyers for Kevin Hayes and Travis Sanheim. Instead, the Blues acquired Hayes, at 50 per cent retained salary, for a sixth-round pick on Tuesday.
"I don't respond to rumours," Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said twice, once when asked about the report and again when asked if he feels he needs to talk to Krug.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported earlier Wednesday the Flyers were still receiving calls regarding Sanheim, noting the team could look to improve their 22nd overall pick in such a trade.
Devils Re-Sign Meier
The New Jersey Devils have reached an eight-year, $70.4 million contract extension with RFA Timo Meier, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports.
The deal will carry an average annual value of $8.8 million for Meier, who was acquired at the trade deadline from the San Jose Sharks.
Dubas listening on Penguins' top pick
Rob Rossi of The Athletic reports the Pittsburgh Penguins are currently planning to hold onto the 14th overall pick, but have held talks around the selection.
Rossi notes Penguins president of hockey operations/interim GM Kyle Dubas has spoken to the New York Rangers, Anaheim Ducks, Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames regarding possible trades.
Leafs closing on deal with Kampf
The Toronto Maple Leafs have reached a four-year, $9.6 million deal with centre David Kampf, TSN Hockey Insiders Darren Dreger and Chris Johnston report.
The deal will carry an annual cap hit of $2.4 million per season. A pending unrestricted free agent, Kampf carried an AAV of $1.5 million on his expiring two-year deal.
Kampf, 28, had seven goals and 27 points in 82 games this past season. He also had three assists in 11 playoff games before the Maple Leafs were eliminated by the Florida Panthers in five games during the second round.
Dreger reported Tuesday the Leafs were "circling around" Kampf and Alex Kerfoot on extensions before they hit the open market on Saturday. He noted at that time, though, that Kampf appeared to be the priority.
The Maple Leafs also reached an agreement with restricted free agent forward Pontus Holmberg on a two-year extension worth $800,000 per season.
Holmberg, a 24-year-old from Sweden, scored five goals and added eight assists over 37 games with the Maple Leafs last season.
Can the Flyers make another move?
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Travis Sanheim continues to draw attention on the trade market.
Dreger notes the Flyers could potentially upgrade their 22nd overall pick in a trade, but notes the seventh overall pick the team also owns will not be moved unless it's a part of a much bigger trade.
No players on waivers as buyout window close nears
No players were on placed on waivers again Wednesday, with just two days from the NHL's buyout window closing on Friday.
Sharangovich Re-Signs in Calgary
The Calgary Flames have signed Yegor Sharangovich to a two-year, $6.2 million contract extension.
The deal will carry a cap hit of $3.1 million per season.
Sharangovich, a pending restricted free agent, was acquired in Tuesday's trade that sent Tyler Toffoli to the New Jersey Devils.
Sharangovich, a 25-year-old from Belarus, scored 13 goals and 17 assists over 75 games with the Devils in 2022-23, his third season in New Jersey.
He scored 53 goals and 53 assists over 205 career games with the Devils after they selected him in the fifth round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
Colton off to Colorado
The Tampa Bay Lightning have traded the rights to pending restricted free agent Ross Colton to the Colorado Avalanche.
The Lightning received the 37th overall pick in this year's draft back in return for the forward. Prior to the trade, the Lightning were without a pick in the first five rounds of the draft.
Colton had 16 goals and 32 points in 81 games this past season, his third with the Lightning. He added one goal and four points in six playoff games.
The 26-year-old won the Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2021, and was also a part of the team's run to the Stanley Cup Final last spring, appearing in 23 playoff games both years.
The Avalanche acquired Ryan Johansen from the Nashville Predators over the weekend and shipped pending RFA Alex Newhook to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. The Avalanche acquired the 31st and 37th overall picks in this year's draft in return for Newhook, before quickly flipping the 37th to the Lightning in Wednesday's trade.
Meier closing on extension
One day after adding Tyler Toffoli via a trade with the Calgary Flames, the New Jersey Devils are closing on another big move in locking up Timo Meier.
TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports Meier and the Devils are making serious progress on an eight-year extension.
Meier, 26, finished last season with the Devils after he was acquired, along with defencemen Scott Harrington, Santeri Hatakka, forward Timur Ibragimov, and goaltender Zachary Emond from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forwards Andreas Johnsson, Fabian Zetterlund, defencemen Shakir Mukhamadullin, Nikita Okhotiuk, and three draft picks on Feb 26.
The 6-foot-1 winger registered 40 goals and 66 points in 78 games split between the Sharks and Devils.
He added two goals and four points in 11 playoff games before the Devils were eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in five games during the second round.
Meier is coming off a four-year, $24 million deal he signed with the Sharks in July of 2019.
Drafted ninth overall by the Sharks in the 2015 draft, Meier has 163 goals and 330 points in 472 career games split between the Sharks and Devils.
Jets still have work to do
The Winnipeg Jets made their first big move of the off-season Tuesday, sending Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Los Angeles Kings in a sign-and-trade deal.
The Jets received forwards Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo and Rasmus Kupari, and a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft back for Dubois, but appears their roster overhaul will continue Wednesday and beyond.
"It's that time of year where you're always going to be looking," Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff told NHL.com after the Dubois trade. "So, is this going to be our only move? Probably not."
Jets are believed to be also gauging trade interest in star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and forward Mark Scheifele.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger said Monday that talks had started to "percolate" on both players this week.
Winnipeg is also expected to cut ties with former captain Blake Wheeler, either via trade or a buyout before the window closes on Friday.
Wheeler has one year remaining on his contract at a cap hit of $8.25 million. A buyout would clear $5.5 million in cap space for the Jets in the upcoming season, while leaving a cap charge of $2.75 million for the 2024-25 season.
"The bottom line is the buyout window closes next Friday, and the decision has to be made by then. Wheeler will not be playing for the Jets next year," LeBrun said last week on Insider Trading.
The veteran forward had 16 goals and 55 points in 72 games with the Jets this past season. He added two goals and six points as the Jets were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Vegas Golden Knights.
Karlsson Watch
Erik Karlsson's name continues to come up in trade rumours as the three-time Norris Trophy winner looks for a move out of San Jose.
The Sharks are working with Karlsson on finding a potential trade, but his $11.5 million cap hit for the next four seasons is a road block as contenders look for San Jose to retain a significant portion.
Sharks general manager Mike Grier said Tuesday he would not be willing to retain the max 50 per cent of Karlsson's cap hit to move him.
Why? “Because it’s a lot of money?” Grier said.
“Erik’s a special player,” he added. “He’s on the path to being a Hall of Fame player. He’s healthy. I think he proved he was healthy last year. He’s a special player who drives offense like not many others in this league.”
TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports the Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes and Seattle Kraken are believed to have spoken to the Sharks about a potential Karlsson trade.