Blues Acquire Brandon Carlo From Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs’ new-look front office has parted with an addition from the previous administration. Defenseman Brandon Carlo has been traded to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for two third-round picks per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The deal was first reported by NHL.com’s Kevin Weekes. Specifically, Toronto will receive picks #73 and #76 in Saturday’s third-round.
Carlo joined the Maple Leafs ahead of the 2025 Trade Deadline in a deal that sent center prospect Fraser Minten, a first-round pick, and a fourth-round pick to the Boston Bruins. He only appeared in 75 games with the Maple Leafs, in part thanks to a foot injury that required surgery in December. Carlo racked up 10 points, all assists, as a member of the Maple Leafs. He also recorded 91 hits and 136 shot blocks, both fourth-most on the Toronto blue line in his time.
While Carlo didn’t shine in Toronto, he was able to fill a defense-focused, second-pair role on a nightly basis. He filled a shutdown role with the Bruins for nine seasons before his move. Carlo found much more impact in Boston, setting a 51.7 expected goals-for percentage through 617 games and recording at least 100 hits in five different seasons. He was a reliable defensive-defenseman who countered the high-octane offense of Torey Krug through his prime years, after spending the start of his career paired with Zdeno Chara.
St. Louis will now try to revitalize Carlo’s prime years, six years after acquiring the final years of Krug’s career in 2020. Carlo will help pillar a right-hand side in flux on the St. Louis blue line. He will join Colton Parayko as the shutdown options, while young defenders Logan Mailloux and Adam Jiricek find their footing in play-driving roles.
Jiricek made his pro debut during the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs but managed no scoring in six games. Acquiring Carlo will give Jiricek a bit more time to find his footing at the pro level, before the former first-round pick is called upon to fill a major role. He is still rather inexperienced for a pro defender, appearing in only 82 games through two seasons in the OHL thanks to a season-ending, lower-body injury in 2024-25.
The 29-year-old Carlo is set to enter the final year of his contract – a six-year, $24.6MM contract signed with Boston in 2021. He carries an inexpensive, $4.1MM cap hit.
Toronto used their acquired draft picks to draft winger Zach Olsen and defenseman Mans Gudmundsson. Both are strong picks. Olsen is among the best slot forwards in the class, playing with great and speed in small puck battles. Gudmundsson is among the best defensive-defenseman, with a shutdown presence and staggering frame. Both players bring fairly one-dimensional styles, though should find their way to pro impacts on the back of projectable skills.
Devils Sign Anton Silayev
The New Jersey Devils will have one more first-round pick in their system next season. Defenseman Anton Silayev is has signed his entry-level contract following his third season in Russia’s KHL. The news was originally shared by Artur Khairullin of Russian news site Sport-Express. The 6-foot-7 defender was selected 10th-overall in the 2024 NHL Draft. He will be the last of 2024’s top 15 to sign his entry-level contract when he puts pen to paper.
Silayev has had a sure role with the KHL’s Torpedo Novgorod since the 2022-23 season, when he led the team’s junior affiliate to a junior league championship. Even in his age-17 season, Silayev’s size, smooth skating, and stick checks proved tough for opponents to beat. Those advantages earned him a full-time role in the KHL during his draft season in 2023-24. Silayev had ups-and-downs as a KHL rookie. Never the scorer, he racked up only 11 points in 63 regular season games. More glaring were the amount of times that Silayev got turned around by top-tier competition – though his aggression in board battles and ability to move the puck still warranted a top pick come draft day.
Silayev has spent the last two seasons ironing out the gaps from his age-18 season. He climbed to 12 points in 63 games of the 2024-25 season, then joined the Torpedo’s minor-league club for the postseason en route to a league championship. He contributed two points to 17 games of the 2025 VHL playoffs. Surprisingly, Silayev’s routinely-low offense turned downwards this year. He finished the 2025-26 KHL season with just three points in 61 games. Much of that diminished scoring came from Silayev’s struggles to spark the breakout in the same way he had in prior years – casting a shadow over his clear improvements on either end of the ice. Following their elimination from the Gagarin Cup playoffs, Torpedo finished Silayev’s season with a brief assignment to Russia’s junior-league playoffs, where he scored two points in four games while standing as one of only 20 defensemen age-20 or older in the junior postseason.
A down year in Russia will be followed by a major opportunity for one of New Jersey’s top prospects. Silayev will likely step into a top role in the AHL, where his big frame and puck-moving abilities could quickly stand out. He could also be a candidate to break camp with the Devils to begin the 2026-27 season – if the club finds a way to use his unique style and size in a depth role while he finds his stride. Either way, an entry-level contract will give Devils fans another player to watch close once training camp kicks off.
Prospect Notes: Bakke Olsen, Masse, Lacelle
Norwegian forward Eskild Bakke Olsen is catching NHL attention at the 2026 World Championship. He has begun to garner interest from NHL clubs, Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis told Norwegian news outlet Nitten. Bakke Olsen is currently tied for second on Team Norway in tournament scoring with five points in seven games. He signed a three-year contract with the SHL’s Linkoping HC ahead of the 2025-26 season. That will mean any NHL move prior to 2028 will require a buyout.
Bakke Olsen, 24, grew up through Norway’s youth hockey ranks and debuted in the country’s top pro league in 2020. He moved to Sweden’s HockeyAllsvenskan three years later and quickly stood out. He led BIK Karlskoga in scoring with 37 points in 49 games of the 2023-24 season, then held onto his title with 53 points in 48 games of the 2024-25 season. Those performances earned Bakke Olsen a promotion to the SHL last season. He made good work of it, with 32 points in 51 games of his first season with Linkoping – the second-most scoring on the team.
The playmaking center will try to continue his climb up the hockey world with another strong SHL season, or a move to North American pros, on the other side of the World Championship.
Other notes from around the hockey world:
- The University of Massachusetts has confirmed the addition of Anaheim Ducks prospect Maxim Masse. The reigning QMJHL scoring champion will be one of college hockey’s top recruits after notching 51 goals and 102 points in 63 games of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens season. At 6-foot-3, 200-pounds, Masse brings a rare mix of size and scoring ability. He has grown to top prospect status since his third-round selection in the 2024 NHL Draft and should continue to demand a top lineup role with the MinuteMen. But already 20 years old, Masse will also face questions of if he can turn pro before his fast-moving development begins to slow down.
- 2026 NHL Draft goalie prospect William Lacelle has decided to continue his career at the University of Nebraska-Omaha next season. He will help the Mavericks make up for the graduation of captain Simon Latkoczy following his move to the ECHL. Lacelle is garnering mid-round attention after splitting his season between the Rimouski Oceanic and Baliville-Boisbriand Armada. He finished the year with a .917 save percentage and 27-15-2 record between the two squads. Lacelle added a .909 save percentage and 10-5-0 record in 15 playoff games with the Armada. He will compete with Omaha’s 2025-26 backup Dawson Cowan for starting minutes next season. Cowan recorded a .901 save percentage and four wins in 12 starts this season.
Devils Sign Matyas Melovsky To Two-Year, Entry-Level Contract
The New Jersey Devils have signed forward prospect Matyas Melovsky to a two-year, entry-level contract. Melovsky is playing through his first pro season with the AHL’s Utica Comets on a minor-league contract. He has three goals, 13 points, and a minus-eight in 35 games.
Melovsky, 21, was a sixth-round pick to the Devils in the 2024 NHL Draft. He earned his selection on the heels of a standout year with the QMJHL’s Baie-Comeau Drakkar and Czechia’s international U20 team. Melovsky recorded 42 assists and 60 points in 53 QMJHL games that season – but caught the most attention during the 2024 World Junior Championship. Playing on a line with Buffalo’s Jiri Kulich and Seattle’s Eduard Sale, Melovsky racked up 10 assists and 11 points in seven tournament games, good for second on the team in scoring behind Kulich’s 12 points. That mark helped push Czechia to a Bronze medal finish and earned Melovsky a must-buy status late into the draft.
The bump-and-grind forward followed his draft selection with 26 goals and 83 points in 57 games with Baie-Comeau last season. It was a stellar encore, even without a return to the World Juniors after Melovsky aged out of eligibility. With three point-per-game seasons in the QMJHL and a sizable, 6-foot-1 and 190-pound frame, Melovsky had stamped his right for a pro role. He has slotted into Utica’s top-nine this season. He has found his scoring touch recently, after a quiet start to the year, racking up seven points in his last 14 games. The Devils will acknowledge that hot streak by signing Melovsky to the first NHL contract of his career, set to begin in the 2026-27 season. That deal will give the bulky forward a chance to compete for NHL minutes as soon as his second pro season.
Sabres’ Michael Kesselring Sustains Lower-Body Injury
The Buffalo Sabres could lose a recent acquisition to another injury. Defenseman Michael Kesselring was seen in a walking boot after Saturday night’s win over the Detroit Red Wings. He tweaked his ankle on a hit midway through the second period and had to hop to the bench. He returned for one shift in the third period, but head coach Lindy Ruff told media that the injury “doesn’t look good”following the game, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Kesselring began the season on injured reserve due to an undisclosed injury that Ruff said plagued him through much of training camp. He didn’t make his Sabres debut until October 28th, and has only played in nine game since. He has managed no scoring, 10 shots on goal, and nine blocks in those appearances, while operating from a third-pair role.
Another injury will dampen the excitement around Kesselring in Buffalo. He moved to the city alongside forward Josh Doan as part of the deal that sent JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth. It seemed the Sabres were landing a true impact defender, after Kesselring posted the second-most points on Utah’s blue-line in their inaugural season. He scored 29 points to go with 89 penalty minutes, 150 shots on goal, and 87 hits in 82 games. It was a nice step up from Kesselring’s rookie year in Arizona, where he recorded 21 points, 66 penalty minutes, and 106 hits in 65 games.
The extent of Kesselring’s new injury isn’t yet clear. His return to the ice, even for one shift, could be a positive sign. Buffalo has three games ahead of them this week, and will lean on Jacob Bryson if Kesselring is forced to sit. Bryson has one point, four penalty minutes, and four blocks in eight games this season.
Canucks Sign Riley Patterson, Gabe Chiarot To Entry-Level Contracts
The Vancouver Canucks have signed wingers Riley Patterson and Gabe Chiarot to their entry-level contracts. Patterson was drafted in the fourth-round of the 2024 NHL Draft, while Chiarot was drafted in the sixth-round of the 2025 Draft. Both players were loaned back to the OHL as part of Vancouver’s round of training camp cuts on Sunday. Patterson will head to the Niagara IceDogs, while Chiarot joins the Brampton Steelheads.
Patterson’s contract will carry a $923K cap hit at the NHL level, and pay an $85K salary in the AHL. It also features $85K in signing bonuses awarded annually, per PuckPedia. Chiarot’s deal will carry a $917K cap hit in the NHL and a $85K salary in the minors. He received a $75K signing bonus each season, also per PuckPedia.
Patterson spent the last two seasons filling a top-six role for the Barrie Colts. His play hit a peak in the 2023-24 season, when he notched 29 goals and 62 points in 68 games with Barrie. That was both Patterson’s first year of draft eligibility, and his first year in the OHL, after playing his age-17 season in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL). His scoring dipped last to 25 goals and 59 points in 64 games with Barrie last season. Despite that, Patterson’s snappy playmaking and ability to quickly jump into fast-moving plays both shined clear all year long. He made noticeable improvements to his two-way game, and will now offer stout veteran presence to a Niagara lineup that’s turned over much of their forward group. Patterson could struggle to earn a top-line role alongside centers Ryerson Edgar, Alexander Hage, and Ryan Roobroeck – though the Canucks draftee will be sure to find hot impact among that level of talent.
Chiarot should have a clearer path to minutes for the Steelheads. He’s gradually risen through their ranks over the last two seasons, netting 10 points in 48 games at age-16 and 35 points in 66 games of his draft season last year. To boot, Chiarot became known for his snappy shot and the heft he uses to drive deep into the offensive end. Those attributes, complimented by a summer of NHL guidance, should pave a path to top-six minutes as Chiarot returns to the junior flight. The cousin of Detroit Red Wings defenseman Ben Chiarot, Gabe will look to prove he can play above his com petition enough to jump to the minor-league ranks next season. He notably finished last season with 10 points and 34 shots in his final 14 games, a spark he’ll look to keep up as he returns.
NHL Prospects Participating At World Junior Summer Showcase
The dog days of summer have finally been relieved by the start of the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase. It’s one of the top junior tournaments of the year, bringing together the top players from the USA, Canada, Sweden, and Finland for a four-game face-off. The group features two squads from both North American countries, and is often the first chance for top 18-year-olds to play after being drafted into the NHL.
That sentiment is truer than ever in this year’s tournament as it will mark the first games of the calendar year for reigning first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer. He’ll be joined by a heap of NHL talent, both present and future. Let’s break down the players currently in NHL pipelines, or on top of the 2026 draft class, participating in this year’s showcase.
2026 NHL Draft
Gavin McKenna (F, Canada); Viggo Bjorck (F, Sweden); Ivar Stenberg (F, Sweden)
Anaheim Ducks
Lucas Pettersson (F, Sweden, 2024 #35); Eric Nilson (F, Sweden, 2025 #45); Lasse Boelius (D, Finland, 2025 #60); Tarin Smith (D, Canada, 2024 #79)
Boston Bruins
James Hagens (F, USA, 2025 #7); William Moore (F, USA, 2025 #51); Will Zellers (F, USA, 2024 #76), Elliott Groenewold (D, USA, 2024 #110); Kristian Kostadinski (D, Sweden, 2023 #220)
Buffalo Sabres
Adam Kleber (D, USA, 2024 #42); Brodie Ziemer (F, USA, 2024 #71); Luke Osburn (D, USA, 2024 #108)
Carolina Hurricanes
Filip Ekberg (F, Sweden, 2025 #221); Viggo Nordlund (F, Sweden, 2025 #183)
Calgary Flames
Cole Reschny (F, Canada, 2025 #18); Cullen Potter (F, USA, 2025 #32); Henry Mews (D, Canada, 2024 #74)
Chicago Blackhawks
Sacha Boisvert (F, Canada, 2024 #18); Marek Vanacker (F, Canada, 2024 #27); A.J. Spellacy (F, USA, 2024 #72)
Columbus Blue Jackets
Cayden Lindstrom (F, Canada, 2024 #4); Charlie Elick (D, Canada, 2024 #36); Evan Gardner (G, Canada, 2024 #60); Tanner Henricks (D, USA, 2024 #101)
Dallas Stars
Emil Hemming (F, Finland, 2024 #29); Atte Joki (F, Finland, 2025 #146)
Detroit Red Wings
Eddie Genborg (F, Sweden, 2025 #44); Max Plante (F, USA, 2024 #47); John Whipple (D, USA, 2024 #144)
Edmonton Oilers
Aidan Park (F, USA, 2025 #223)
Florida Panthers
Linus Eriksson (F, Sweden, 2024 #58)
Los Angeles Kings
Henry Brzustewicz (D, USA, 2025 #31); Carter George (G, Canada, 2024 #57); Kristian Epperson (F, USA, 2025 #88); Caeden Herrington (D, USA, 2025 #120)
Montreal Canadiens
Michael Hage (F, Canada, 2024 #21); Aatos Koivu (F, Finland, 2024 #70); Owen Protz (D, Canada, 2024 #102); L.J. Mooney (F, USA, 2025 #113)
Minnesota Wild
Ryder Ritchie (F, Canada, 2024 #45); Aron Kiviharju (D, Finland, 2024 #122); Sebastian Soini (D, Finland, 2024 #140)
Nashville Predators
Brady Martin (F, Canada, 2025 #5); Cameron Reid (D, Canada, 2025 #21); Ryker Lee (F, USA, 2025 #26); Jacob Rombach (D, USA, 2025 #35); Teddy Stiga (F, USA, 2024 #55); Jack Ivankovic (G, Canada, 2025 #58); Viggo Gustafsson (D, Sweden, 2024 #77)
New Jersey Devils
Benjamin Kevan (F, USA, 2025 #63); Kasper Pikkarainen (F, Finland, 2024 #85); Mason Moe (F, USA, 2025 #90); Daniel Nieminen (D, Finland, 2025 #163)
New York Islanders
Matthew Schaefer (D, Canada, 2025 #1); Kashawn Aitcheson (D, Canada, 2025 #17); Cole Eiserman (F, USA, 2024 #20); Kamil Bednarik (F, USA, 2024 #61); Jacob Kvasnicka (F, USA, 2025 #202)
New York Rangers
E.J. Emery (D, USA, 2024 #30); Malcolm Spence (F, Canada, 2025 #43)
Ottawa Senators
Logan Hensler (D, USA, 2025 #23); Gabriel Eliasson (D, Sweden, 2024 #39)
Philadelphia Flyers
Porter Martone (F, Canada, 2025 #6); Jack Murtagh (F, USA, 2025 #40); Shane Vansaghi (F, USA, 2025 #48); Jack Berglund (F, Sweden, 2024 #51); Spencer Gill (D, Canada, 2024 #59); Heikki Ruohonen (F, Finland, 2024 #107); Max Westergård (F, Finland, 2025 #132)
Pittsburgh Penguins
Benjamin Kindel (F, Canada, 2025 #11); Melvin Fernstrom (F, Sweden, 2024 #93); William Horcoff (F, USA, 2025 #24); Harrison Brunicke (D, Canada, 2024 #44); Mac Swanson (F, USA, 2024 #207)
San Jose Sharks
Michael Misa (F, Canada, 2025 #2); Sam Dickinson (D, Canada, 2024 #11); Joshua Ravensbergen (G, Canada, 2025 #30); Leo Sahlin Wallenius (D, Sweden, 2024 #53); Cole McKinney (F, USA, 2025 #53); Carson Wetsch (F, Canada, 2024 #82)
Seattle Kraken
Berkly Catton (F, Canada, 2024 #8); Jake O’Brien (F, Canada, 2025 #8); Blake Fiddler (D, USA, 2025 #36); Kim Saarinen (G, Finland, 2024 #88); Ollie Josephson (F, Canada, 2024 #105)
St. Louis Blues
Justin Carbonneau (F, Canada, 2025 #19); Love Härenstam (G, Sweden, 2025 #179)
Tampa Bay Lightning
Joona Saarelainen (F, Finland, 2024 #149); Caleb Heil (G, USA, 2025 #193)
Toronto Maple Leafs
Ben Danford (D, Canada, 2024 #31); Victor Johansson (D, Sweden, 2024 #120)
Utah Mammoth
Cole Beaudoin (F, Canada, 2024 #24); Will Skahan (D, USA, 2024 #65)
Vancouver Canucks
Braeden Cootes (F, Canada, 2025 #15); Wilson Björck (F, Sweden, 2025 #143)
Vegas Golden Knights
Trevor Connelly (F, USA, 2024 #19)
Washington Capitals
Cole Hutson (D, USA, 2024 #43); Nick Kempf (G, USA, 2024 #114)
Winnipeg Jets
Sascha Boumedienne (D, Sweden, 2025 #28); Alfons Freij (D, Sweden, 2024 #37)
Penguins Sign Melvin Fernstrom To Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed forward prospect Melvin Fernstrom to a three-year, entry-level contract. Fernstrom was originally drafted in the third-round of the 2024 NHL Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. He was traded to the Penguins ahead of this year’s Trade Deadline, alongside a first-round pick and two depth pros in the deal that send Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor to Vancouver.
Fernstrom spent the bulk of the 2024-25 season with Orebro HK of Sweden’s SHL. It was his first full year of professional hockey and he dotted it with eight goals and 17 points in 48 appearances. That stat line doesn’t jump off the page, but Fernstrom’s scoring did lead all U19 skaters in the SHL. In fact, his scoring total falls closely in line with current and former NHL fixtures like Magnus Paajarvi, Adrian Kempe, and Alexander Holtz — who all managed either 16 or 17 points in their own U19 seasons in the SHL.
For his part, Fernstrom earned his pro role on the back of responsible and smooth hockey across the board. He’s a strong skater even despite a lanky frame, and uses that to find his spots and weave between his teammates well. When he can’t, he has a laser wrist-shot that’s dangerous anywhere below the tops of the circles. He may not fall into the clear category of playmaker, but showed an abundance of confidence in handling the puck around pro defenders and finding ways to set up his teammates.
Fernstrom recorded 63 points in 45 games in Sweden’s U20 league – and added eight points in seven games at the World U18 Championship – in his draft year last season. That stat line, and his smooth style, led to a confident third-round selection, though some public scouts like Craig Button had him ranked as a second-round talent. Fernstrom was a priority addition to the Pettersson trade, and Pittsburgh will now take the first step in trying to bank on the upside he offers. Fernstrom is expected to return to the SHL next season, but could be a candidate to join the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins when Orebro’s 2025-26 campaign concludes.
Capitals Prospect Cole Hutson Likely To Return To School
Star Washington Capitals defense prospect Cole Hutson is leaning towards returning to Boston University for his sophomore season, per Jeff Marek of Daily Faceoff and sources available to ProHockeyRumors. Hutson won the Hockey East ‘Rookie of the Year’ award this season, after leading all freshmen in scoring with 14 goals and 46 points in 37 games this season. Hutson’s BU Terriers lost the National Championship game to Western Michigan University this weekend. He had no points in the championship game.
This news will see Hutson look to right that wrong and carry Boston University back to a National bid next season. He’s defiantly a star prospect and already seems to have outperformed his second-round, 43rd-overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft. Hutson has earned that acclaim on the back of a season filled with highlight-reel plays, using nifty head-fakes and quick cuts to dance defenders out of their skates and open clear lanes to the net. They’re the same traits that earned him first-round acclaim from many last season, after he scored 51 points in 51 games with the U.S. National Team Development Program (USNTDP).
Hutson is the younger brother of star Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson, who is making a valiant push for the NHL’s Calder Trophy and record for most points from a rookie defenseman this season. The two play an unmistakably similar style, each using elusive skating and flashy dekes to draw opponents in and beat them clean. Like Lane, Cole has struggled at times to translate his dominant impact to his play away from the puck – struggling to match physicality and clear opponents out of the danger areas in the defensive zone. But Lane has come along well in all regards over the course of his rookie season, and continues to shed many of the concerns surrounding his defensive game. Cole could go through the same arc soon – but first, like his older brother, he’ll return for a sophomore season at BU.
Hutson will be set up for a clear path towards star minutes with the Terriers next season. He became the third-straight Terrier to win Hockey East’s ‘Rookie of the Year’ award this season – alongside brother Lane and star center Macklin Celebrini over the last two years. With a return for year two, Cole will get a chance to chase the Hockey East MVP title as well, stealing it away from rival Boston College after Ryan Leonard won the award this season. Should he continue his phenomenal scoring, he’ll be an early-season favorite for the Hobey Baker Award as well. That momentum and a return to the National Championship should go far in giving Hutson the momentum needed to make a strong impact on the Capitals lineup at the end of next season.
Kraken Sign Nathan Villeneuve To Entry-Level Contract
The Seattle Kraken are formally bringing one of their higher-round selections from the 2024 NHL Draft to the organization. According to a team announcement, the Kraken have signed Nathan Villeneuve to a three-year entry-level contract.
Seattle selected Villeneuve with the 63rd overall pick of last summer’s draft. He had just concluded his sophomore campaign with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves, scoring 23 goals and 27 assists in 50 games with a +10 rating.
This year has been a bit more of a mixed bag. He did improve his offensive output, scoring 34 goals and 70 points in 57 games, but he took far more penalties than at any point in his playing career. He finished the 2024-25 campaign with 120 PIMs, the third-highest of any player in the OHL.
Still, that primarily came from Villeneuve’s physicality and high pace of play. He’s an aggressive forechecker and was known as a pest by opponents during his major junior career. He’ll want to clean up many of those penalties should he have a future in the NHL, but he’s starting with an impressively high motor.
Villeneuve will likely finish the 2024-25 campaign playing on an amateur tryout agreement with the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds. The Firebirds have already clinched a position in the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs and will look to qualify for the Calder Cup Final for a third consecutive year.