2023 NHL Draft Results
The Nashville Predators are hosting the NHL Draft for the first time in 20 years, and it’s shaping up to be a generational one yet again after the famed 2003 first round produced many future Hall of Famers. A potential top five of Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, Leo Carlsson, Will Smith, and Matvei Michkov are all set to be possible franchise talents.
Tonight’s draft should also include a fair bit of intrigue with plenty of NHLers on the trade block and potential massive pick-for-pick trades on the draft floor.
Below, we’ll keep track of all 224 selections through tonight and all day Thursday.
Round One
- Chicago Blackhawks – F Connor Bedard, Regina (WHL)
- Anaheim Ducks – F Leo Carlsson, Orebro (SHL)
- Columbus Blue Jackets – F Adam Fantilli, Michigan (NCAA)
- San Jose Sharks – F Will Smith, USA U-18 (NTDP)
- Montreal Canadiens – D David Reinbacher, Kloten (NL)
- Arizona Coyotes – D Dmitri Simashev, Yaroslavl (MHL)
- Philadelphia Flyers – F Matvei Michkov, St. Petersburg (KHL)
- Washington Capitals – F Ryan Leonard, USA U-18 (NTDP)
- Detroit Red Wings – F Nate Danielson, Brandon (WHL)
- St. Louis Blues – F Dalibor Dvorsky, AIK (HockeyAllsvenskan)
- Vancouver Canucks – D Tom Willander, Rogle (J20 Nationell)
- Arizona Coyotes (via OTT) – F Daniil But, Yaroslavl (MHL)
- Buffalo Sabres – F Zach Benson, Winnipeg (WHL)
- Pittsburgh Penguins – F Brayden Yager, Moose Jaw (WHL)
- Nashville Predators – F Matthew Wood, UConn (NCAA)
- Calgary Flames – F Samuel Honzek, Vancouver (WHL)
- Detroit Red Wings (via NYI) – D Axel Sandin Pellikka, Skelleftea (J20 Nationell)
- Winnipeg Jets – F Colby Barlow, Owen Sound (OHL)
- Chicago Blackhawks (via TBL) – F Oliver Moore, USA U-18 (NTDP)
- Seattle Kraken – F Eduard Sale, Brno (Czech Extraliga)
- Minnesota Wild – F Charlie Stramel, Wisconsin (NCAA)
- Philadelphia Flyers (via LAK) – D Oliver Bonk, London (OHL)
- New York Rangers – F Gabriel Perreault, USA U-18 (NTDP)
- Nashville Predators (via EDM) – D Tanner Molendyk, Saskatoon (WHL)
- St. Louis Blues (via TOR) – F Otto Stenberg, Frolunda (J20 Nationell)
- San Jose Sharks (via NJD) – F Quentin Musty, Sudbury (OHL)
- Colorado Avalanche – F Calum Ritchie, Oshawa (OHL)
- Toronto Maple Leafs (via BOS) – F Easton Cowan, London (OHL)
- St. Louis Blues (via DAL) – D Theo Lindstein, Brynas (SHL)
- Carolina Hurricanes – F Bradly Nadeau, Penticton (BCHL)
- Colorado Avalanche (via FLA) – D Mikhail Gulyayev, Omsk (MHL)
- Vegas Golden Knights – F David Edstrom, Frolunda (J20 Nationell)
Round Two
33. Anaheim Ducks – F Nico Myatovic, Seattle (WHL)
34. Columbus Blue Jackets – F Gavin Brindley, Michigan (NCAA)
35. Chicago Blackhawks – G Adam Gajan, Chippewa (NAHL)
36. San Jose Sharks – F Kasper Halttunen, HIFK (Liiga)
37. Tampa Bay Lightning (via MTL) – F Ethan Gauthier, Sherbrooke (QMJHL)
38. Arizona Coyotes – G Michael Hrabal, Omaha (USHL)
39. Buffalo Sabres (via PHI) – F Anton Wahlberg, Malmo (J20 Nationell)
40. Washington Capitals – F Andrew Cristall, Kelowna (WHL)
41. Detroit Red Wings – G Trey Augustine, USA U-18 (NTDP)
42. Detroit Red Wings (via STL) – D Andrew Gibson, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
43. Nashville Predators (via VAN) – F Felix Nilsson, Rogle (J20 Nationell)
44. Chicago Blackhawks (via OTT) – F Roman Kantserov, Magnitogorsk (MHL)
45. Buffalo Sabres – D Maxim Strbak, Sioux Falls (USHL)
46. Nashville Predators (via PIT) – F Kalan Lind, Red Deer (WHL)
47. Detroit Red Wings (via NSH) – D Brady Cleveland, USA U-18 (NTDP)
48. Calgary Flames – D Etienne Morin, Moncton (QMJHL)
49. New York Islanders – F Danny Nelson, USA U-18 (NTDP)
50. Seattle Kraken (via WPG) – F Carson Rehkopf, Kitchener (OHL)
51. Philadelphia Flyers (via TBL) – G Carson Bjarnason, Brandon (WHL)
52. Seattle Kraken – F Oscar Fisker Molgaard, HV71 (SHL)
53. Minnesota Wild – F Rasmus Kumpulainen, Pelicans (U20 SM-sarja)
54. Los Angeles Kings – D Jakub Dvorak, Liberec (Czech Extraliga)
55. Chicago Blackhawks (via NYR) – F Martin Misiak, Youngstown (USHL)
56. Edmonton Oilers – D Beau Akey, Barrie (OHL)
57. Seattle Kraken (via TOR) – D Lukas Dragicevic, Tri-City (WHL)
58. New Jersey Devils – F Lenni Hameenaho, Assat (Liiga)
59. Anaheim Ducks (via COL) – F Carey Terrance, Erie (OHL)
60. Anaheim Ducks (via BOS) – G Damian Clara, Farjestad (J20 Nationell)
61. Dallas Stars – D Tristan Bertucci, Flint (OHL)
62. Carolina Hurricanes – F Felix Unger Sorum, Leksand (J20 Nationell)
63. Florida Panthers – F Gracyn Sawchyn, Seattle (WHL)
64. Minnesota Wild (via VGK) – F Riley Heidt, Prince George (WHL)
Round Three
65. Anaheim Ducks – F Coulson Pitre, Flint (OHL)
66. Columbus Blue Jackets – F William Whitelaw, Youngstown (USHL)
67. Chicago Blackhawks – F Nick Lardis, Hamilton (OHL)
68. Nashville Predators (via SJS) – F Jesse Kiiskinen, Pelicans (U20 SM-sarja)
69. Montreal Canadiens – G Jacob Fowler, Youngstown (USHL)
70. Arizona Coyotes – F Jonathan Castagna, St. Andrew’s (CAHS)
71. San Jose Sharks (via PHI) – F Brandon Svoboda, Youngstown (USHL)
72. Arizona Coyotes (via WSH) – F Noel Nordh, Brynas (J20 Nationell)
73. Detroit Red Wings – F Noah Dower Nilsson, Frolunda (J20 Nationell)
74. St. Louis Blues – D Quinton Burns, Kingston (OHL)
75. Vancouver Canucks – D Hunter Brzustewicz, Kitchener (OHL)
76. St. Louis Blues (via OTT) – F Juraj Pekarcik, Nitra (Slovak Extraliga)
77. Vegas Golden Knights (via BUF) – F Mathieu Cataford, Halifax (QMJHL)
78. Los Angeles Kings (via PIT) – F Koehn Ziemmer, Prince George (WHL)
79. Dallas Stars (via NSH) – F Brad Gardiner, Ottawa (OHL)
80. Calgary Flames – F Aydar Suniev, Penticton (BCHL)
81. Arizona Coyotes (via NYI) – F Tanner Ludtke, Lincoln (USHL)
82. Winnipeg Jets – F Zachary Nehring, Shattuck St. Mary’s (USHS)
83. Nashville Predators (via TBL) – D Dylan MacKinnon, Halifax (QMJHL)
84. Seattle Kraken – D Caden Price, Kelowna (WHL)
85. Anaheim Ducks (via MIN) – F Yegor Sidorov, Saskatoon (WHL)
86. Buffalo Sabres (via LAK) – D Gavin McCarthy, Muskegon (USHL)
87. Philadelphia Flyers (via NYR) – G Yegor Zavragin, Khanty-Mansiysk (MHL)
88. Arizona Coyotes (via EDM) – F Vadim Moroz, Minsk (KHL)
89. Vancouver Canucks (via TOR) – D Sawyer Mynio, Seattle (WHL)
90. New York Rangers (via NJD) – D Drew Fortescue, USA U-18 (NTDP)
91. Pittsburgh Penguins (via COL) – D Emil Pieniniemi, Karpat (U20 SM-sarja)
92. Boston Bruins – F Christopher Pelosi, Sioux Falls (USHL)
93. Chicago Blackhawks (via DAL) – F Jiri Felcman, Langnau (Swiss U20-Elit)
94. Carolina Hurricanes – F Jayden Perron, Chicago (USHL)
95. Philadelphia Flyers (via FLA) – F Denver Barkey, London (OHL)
96. Vegas Golden Knights – D Arttu Karki, Tappara (U20 SM-sarja)
Round Four
97. Anaheim Ducks – D Konnor Smith, Peterborough (OHL)
98. Columbus Blue Jackets – D Andrew Strathmann, Youngstown (USHL)
99. Chicago Blackhawks – F Alex Pharand, Sudbury (OHL)
100. Carolina Hurricanes (via SJS) – F Alexander Rykov, Chelyabinsk (VHL)
101. Montreal Canadiens – F Florian Xhekaj, Hamilton (OHL)
102. Arizona Coyotes – D Terrell Goldsmith, Prince Albert (WHL)
103. Philadelphia Flyers – F Cole Knuble, Fargo (USHL)
104. Washington Capitals – F Patrick Thomas, Hamilton (OHL)
105. Vancouver Canucks (via DET) – F Ty Mueller, Nebraska-Omaha (NCAA)
106. St. Louis Blues – F Jakub Stancl, Vaxjo (J20 Nationell)
107. Vancouver Canucks – F Vilmer Alriksson, Djurgarden (J20 Nationell)
108. Ottawa Senators – D Hoyt Stanley, Victoria (BCHL)
109. Buffalo Sabres – F Ethan Miedema, Kingston (OHL)
110. Montreal Canadiens (via PIT) – D Bogdan Konyushkov, Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
111. Nashville Predators – F Joey Willis, Saginaw (OHL)
112. Calgary Flames – F Jaden Lipinski, Vancouver (WHL)
113. New York Islanders – F Jesse Nurmi, KooKoo (U20 SM-sarja)
114. Columbus Blue Jackets (via WPG) – F Luca Pinelli, Ottawa (OHL)
115. Tampa Bay Lightning – F Jayson Shaugabay, Warroad (USHS-MN)
116. Seattle Kraken – F Andrei Loshko, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
117. Detroit Red Wings (via MIN) – D Larry Keenan, Culver Military Academy (USHS)
118. Los Angeles Kings – G Hampton Slukynsky, Warroad (USHS-MN)
119. Vancouver Canucks (via NYR) – F Matthew Perkins, Youngstown (USHL)
120. Philadelphia Flyers (via EDM) – F Alex Ciernik, Sodertalje (J20 Nationell)
121. Nashville Predators (via TOR) – G Juha Jatkola, KalPa (Liiga)
122. New Jersey Devils – F Cam Squires, Cape Breton (QMJHL)
123. San Jose Sharks (via COL) – D Luca Cagnoni, Portland (WHL)
124. Boston Bruins – F Beckett Hendrickson, USA U-18 (NTDP)
125. Dallas Stars – D Aram Minnetian, USA U-18 (NTDP)
126. Carolina Hurricanes – F Stanislav Yarovoi, Vityaz Moscow (KHL)
127. Florida Panthers – D Albert Wikman, Farjestad (J20 Nationell)
128. Montreal Canadiens (via VGK) – G Quentin Miller, Quebec (QMJHL)
Round Five
129. Anaheim Ducks – D Rodwin Dionicio, Windsor (OHL)
130. San Jose Sharks (via CBJ) – D Axel Landen, HV71 (J20 Nationell)
131. Chicago Blackhawks – F Marcel Marcel, Gatineau (QMJHL)
132. San Jose Sharks – D Eric Pohlkamp, Cedar Rapids (USHL)
133. Montreal Canadiens – F Sam Harris, Sioux Falls (USHL)
134. Arizona Coyotes – G Melker Thelin, Bjorkloven (J20 Region)
135. Philadelphia Flyers – D Carter Sotheran, Portland (WHL)
136. Washington Capitals – D Cameron Allen, Guelph (OHL)
137. Detroit Red Wings – D Jack Phelan, Sioux Falls (USHL)
138. St. Louis Blues – D Paul Fischer, USA U-18 (NTDP)
139. Carolina Hurricanes (via VAN) – D Charles-Alexis Legault, Quinnipiac (NCAA)
140. Ottawa Senators – D Matthew Andonovski, Kitchener (OHL)
141. Buffalo Sabres – G Scott Ratzlaff, Seattle (WHL)
142. Pittsburgh Penguins – F Mikhail Ilyin, Cherepovets (MHL)
143. Nashville Predators – F Sutter Muzzatti, Rensselaer (NCAA)
144. Montreal Canadiens (via CGY) – G Yevgeni Volokhin, Khanty-Mansiysk (MHL)
145. New York Islanders – F Justin Gill, Sherbrooke (QMJHL)
146. Winnipeg Jets – F Jacob Julien, London (OHL)
147. Detroit Red Wings (via TBL) – F Kevin Bicker, Mannheim (DNL U20)
148. Seattle Kraken – D Kaden Hammell, Everett (WHL)
149. Minnesota Wild – D Aaron Pionk, Waterloo (USHL)
150. Los Angeles Kings – D Matthew Mania, Sudbury (OHL)
151. Winnipeg Jets (via NYR) – G Thomas Milic, Seattle (WHL)
152. New York Rangers (via EDM) – D Rasmus Larsson, Vasteras (J20 Nationell)
153. Toronto Maple Leafs – F Hudson Malinoski, Brooks (AJHL)
154. New Jersey Devils – D Chase Cheslock, Rogers (USHS-MN)
155. Colorado Avalanche – D Nikita Ishimnikov, Yekaterinburg (MHL)
156. Columbus Blue Jackets (via BOS) – G Melvin Strahl, MoDo Hockey (J20 Nationell)
157. Dallas Stars – G Arno Tiefensee, Mannheim (DEL)
158. Carolina Hurricanes – G Ruslan Khazheyev, Chelyabinsk (MHL)
159. Florida Panthers – G Olof Glifford, HV71 (J20 Nationell)
160. Arizona Coyotes (via VGK) – D Justin Kipkie, Victoria (WHL)
Round Six
161. Anaheim Ducks – D Vojtech Port, Edmonton (WHL)
162. Arizona Coyotes (via CBJ) – F Samu Bau, Ilves (Liiga)
163. Carolina Hurricanes (via CHI) – F Timur Mukhanov, Omsk (MHL)
164. New Jersey Devils (via SJS) – F Cole Brown, Hamilton (OHL)
165. Montreal Canadiens – F Filip Eriksson, Vaxjo (J20 Nationell)
166. Arizona Coyotes – G Carsen Musser, USA U-18 (NTDP)
167. Chicago Blackhawks (via PHI) – F Milton Oscarson, Orebro (SHL)
168. Seattle Kraken (via WSH) – G Visa Vedenpaa, Karpat (U20 SM-sarja)
169. Detroit Red Wings – G Rudy Guimond, Taft School (USHS)
170. St. Louis Blues – D Matthew Mayich, Ottawa (OHL)
171. Vancouver Canucks – D Aiden Celebrini, Brooks (AJHL)
172. Philadelphia Flyers (via OTT) – F Ryan MacPherson, Leamington (GOJHL)
173. Buffalo Sabres – D Sean Keohane, Cape Cod (18U AAA)
174. Pittsburgh Penguins – F Cooper Foster, Ottawa (OHL)
175. Nashville Predators – F Austin Roest, Everett (WHL)
176. Calgary Flames – G Yegor Yegorov, Dynamo Moscow (MHL)
177. New York Islanders – D Zach Schulz, USA U-18 (NTDP)
178. New York Rangers (via WPG) – F Dylan Roobroeck, Oshawa (OHL)
179. Tampa Bay Lightning – D Warren Clark, Steinbach (MJHL)
180. Seattle Kraken – F Zeb Forsfjall, Skelleftea (J20 Nationell)
181. Minnesota Wild – D Kalem Parker, Victoria (WHL)
182. Los Angeles Kings – F Ryan Conmy, Sioux City (USHL)
183. New York Rangers – F Ty Henricks, Fargo (USHL)
184. Edmonton Oilers – G Nathaniel Day, Flint (OHL)
185. Toronto Maple Leafs – D Noah Chadwick, Lethbridge (WHL)
186. New Jersey Devils – D Daniil Karpovich, Yekaterinburg (MHL)
187. Colorado Avalanche – D Jeremy Hanzel, Seattle (WHL)
188. Boston Bruins – F Ryan Walsh, Cedar Rapids (USHL)
189. Dallas Stars – F Angus MacDonell, Mississauga (OHL)
190. Carolina Hurricanes – F Michael Emerson, Chicago (USHL)
191. Florida Panthers – D Luke Coughlin, Rimouski (QMJHL)
192. Vegas Golden Knights – F Tuomas Uronen, HIFK (U20 SM-sarja)
Round Seven
193. Tampa Bay Lightning (via ANA) – F Jack Harvey, Chicago (USHL)
194. Columbus Blue Jackets – F Oiva Keskinen, Tappara (U20 SM-sarja)
195. Chicago Blackhawks – D Janne Peltonen, Karpat (U20 SM-sarja)
196. San Jose Sharks – F David Klee, Waterloo (USHL)
197. Montreal Canadiens – D Luke Mittelstadt, Minnesota (NCAA)
198. Florida Panthers (via ARI) – F Stepan Zvyagin, Minsk (MHL)
199. Philadelphia Flyers – D Matteo Mann, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
200. Washington Capitals – F Brett Hyland, Brandon (WHL)
201. Detroit Red Wings – F Emmitt Finnie, Kamloops (WHL)
202. St. Louis Blues – F Nikita Susuyev, Spartak Moscow (MHL)
203. San Jose Sharks (via VAN) – F Yegor Rimashevsky, Dynamo Moscow (MHL)
204. Ottawa Senators – F Owen Beckner, Salmon Arm (BCHL)
205. Buffalo Sabres – D Norwin Panocha, Berlin (DNL U20)
206. Washington Capitals (via PIT) – G Antoine Keller, Geneve-Servette (Swiss U20-Elit)
207. Ottawa Senators (via NSH) – G Vladimir Nikitin, Astana (Kazakhstan U20)
208. Calgary Flames – D Axel Hurtig, Rogle (J20 Nationell)
209. New York Islanders – D Dennis Good Bogg, AIK (J20 Nationell)
210. Winnipeg Jets – F Connor Levis, Kamloops (WHL)
211. Tampa Bay Lightning – F Ethan Hay, Flint (OHL)
212. Seattle Kraken – F Zaccharya Wisdom, Cedar Rapids (USHL)
213. Minnesota Wild – F Jimmy Clark, Green Bay (USHL)
214. Boston Bruins (via LAK) – F Casper Nassen, Vasteras (J20 Nationell)
215. Ottawa Senators (via NYR) – F Nicholas VanTassell, Green Bay (USHL)
216. Edmonton Oilers – F Matt Copponi, Merrimack (NCAA)
217. Pittsburgh Penguins (via TOR) – F Emil Jarventie, Ilves (U20 SM-sarja)
218. Nashville Predators (via NJD) – F Aiden Fink, Brooks (AJHL)
219. Colorado Avalanche – F Maros Jedlicka, Zvolen (Slovak Extraliga)
220. Boston Bruins – D Kristian Kostadinski, Frolunda (J20 Nationell)
221. Dallas Stars – F Sebastian Bradshaw, Elite Hockey Academy (18U AAA)
222. Carolina Hurricanes – G Yegor Velmakin, Novovoronezh (NMHL)
223. Pittsburgh Penguins (via FLA) – D Kalle Kangas, Jokerit (U20 SM-sarja)
224. Columbus Blue Jackets (via VGK) – F Tyler Peddle, Drummondville (QMJHL)
Chicago Blackhawks Select Connor Bedard First Overall
One of the NHL’s most historic clubs has acquired a new face of their franchise. Just a few months after saying their goodbyes to Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, the Chicago Blackhawks have selected generational prospect Connor Bedard first overall at the 2023 NHL draft.
The Blackhawks’ selection is perhaps the least surprising first-overall choice since 2015, when Connor McDavid was picked by the Edmonton Oilers. He’s had a junior career for the ages, ever since he first joined the Regina Pats at 15 years old.
Despite not having the strongest supporting cast around him, Bedard managed to post video game numbers with Regina. He totaled 134 goals and 271 points in just 134 games of major junior hockey, taking home an endless number of league awards.
His international play has been similarly stunning. There aren’t enough words in the English language to describe Bedard’s performance at the most recent World Junior Championships, where he scored nine goals and 23 points in just seven games.
Besides size, Bedard offers just about anything a team could want out of an NHL scoring center. He’s arguably the most intelligent player in this year’s class, with the type of hockey IQ that makes him stand out shift after shift.
The moment he steps into the NHL he’ll be among the league’s most lethal shooters as well. Not only is Bedard’s shot extremely powerful and accurate, but it’s also the deception in his shooting motion that really sets him apart. He’s able to let high-end shots loose from a variety of angles and in the face of all sorts of defensive pressure, and he’s got legitimate Rocket Richard Trophy upside.
The Blackhawks are still missing a lot of pieces that Stanley Cup contenders typically boast. Their long-term goalie of the future is still a mystery (Drew Commesso showed some promise at Boston University) and outside of Seth Jones they still lack high-end NHL defensemen.
But Bedard signals an important shift for Chicago. The Blackhawks might not make the playoffs next year, but they’re no longer wandering the hockey wilderness in search of a young, league-altering star to build around. With this pick, they’ve drafted one.
Photos Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Vegas Golden Knights Extend Ivan Barbashev
After dealing Reilly Smith just hours earlier, the Vegas Golden Knights have put their cap space to use. They’ve signed top pending unrestricted free agent forward Ivan Barbashev to a five-year, $25MM extension, earning him $5MM per season. That’s significantly shorter and cheaper than what Barbashev was expected to earn on the open market. PuckPedia has the breakdown of the deal:
2023-24: $3MM base salary, $4MM signing bonus, eight-team no-trade clause
2024-25: $5.4MM base salary, eight-team no-trade clause
2025-26: $4.2MM base salary, eight-team no-trade clause
2026-27: $4.2MM base salary, five-team no-trade clause
2027-28: $4.2MM base salary, five-team no-trade clause
This has now become a money-in, money-out move for the Knights, who’ve swapped Smith’s $5MM cap hit for Barbashev’s, retaining the younger player (with more term) in the process. The move takes Barbashev, who was ranked eighth on our list of the top 50 UFAs, off the open market sooner than most had expected.
The two-time Stanley Cup champion has seemingly sacrificed a bit on his big payday in hopes of running it back. It’s quite a cheap deal, especially considering the lack of significant trade protection included in the contract.
That being said, it’s a good bit of business here for Vegas to keep Barbashev in the organization after he emerged as a true top-six threat down the stretch. While he’s not incredibly strong defensively, extended time on the wing has done Barbashev well, and he seems likely to be a consistent long-term fixture – just not as a center as the St. Louis Blues tried with him many times.
The Blues’ 2014 second-round pick was one of the hotter commodities at this year’s trade deadline, where Vegas picked him up in a one-for-one swap for prospect Zach Dean, who the Knights selected 30th overall in 2021. Barbashev proceeded to find a home as the left wing on a line with Jack Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault, finishing fifth on the Knights in playoff scoring with 18 points in 22 games. He also recorded 16 points in 23 regular-season games with Vegas after notching 6o points in a full season for the first time in 2021-22 with St. Louis.
Barbashev will undoubtedly reprise his first-line role next season, and he’ll look to start his new extension off strong by setting a career-high in points alongside one of the best centers in the league and the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner.
Of significance, the Golden Knights will once again be over the salary cap once Adin Hill‘s reported two-year, $4.9MM average annual value extension becomes official. That could be alleviated, though, if Robin Lehner and his $5MM cap hit are destined for long-term injured reserve next season.
Pittsburgh Penguins Acquire Reilly Smith
Just days after winning the Stanley Cup, the Vegas Golden Knights are moving on from original expansion draft acquisition Reilly Smith. He’s been dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a 2024 third-round pick, one the Penguins acquired from Vegas just a few months ago in exchange for center Teddy Blueger.
To say this move is a shock to most fans is an understatement. While cap-clearing moves have become commonplace in recent history, especially in Vegas, Smith had a spectacular postseason run for the Knights with four goals and 14 points in 22 games. At the time of the trade, he was second in franchise history in goals (124) and third in points (286), joined in the top three by longtime linemates Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson.
Smith, 32, has two seasons remaining on his contract at a $5MM cap hit. Of note, this is the first trade completed by Kyle Dubas as interim general manager of the Penguins.
Parting ways with that $5MM, as tough as it may be, gives Vegas significant flexibility into an offseason clouded by uncertainty over the playing future of goaltender Robin Lehner, who missed the entire 2022-23 season recovering from double hip surgery and is under contract, as Smith is, for $5MM per season until 2025. With netminder Adin Hill expected to sign a two-year extension in the neighborhood of $4.9MM per season, clearing Smith’s cap hit leaves the Knights with about $3.5-$4MM in space should Lehner be healthy next season.
In Smith, Pittsburgh may not be getting any younger, but they are getting a spectacularly consistent winger with good ability on both the power play and penalty kill. A well-rounded talent, his 26 goals this season were one short of his career high, set with Vegas in the 2019-20 season. He could very well slot in on Pittsburgh’s second line with Evgeni Malkin and Rickard Rakell.
With the Smith acquisition, it seems improbable that Pittsburgh will extend Jason Zucker, who held the top-six spot in the lineup Smith is expected to replace. The 31-year-old will be one of the better options on the UFA market among left wingers after recording 27 goals and 48 points in 78 games this year.
What exactly Vegas does with its newfound cap space remains to be seen. If they learn Lehner could be an LTIR candidate next season in the near future, they’d likely have enough flexibility to get a deal done to retain winger Ivan Barbashev. There’s no telling how long it will take to glean clarity into Lehner’s playing future, though, and Vegas will be forced to operate under the expectation they won’t have his LTIR relief until proven otherwise. If that’s the case, they could still sign a middle-six winger on the free agent market who’d command around the $2MM mark.
It’s still a bittersweet day for Knights fans, who have now lost fan favorites Smith, Marc-Andre Fleury, and Max Pacioretty to similar salary-dump moves in each of the last three offseasons.
ESPN’s Kevin Weekes was first to report the trade.
New Jersey Devils, Timo Meier Agree To Long-Term Extension
The New Jersey Devils are having a very busy offseason. The team has already traded away Damon Severson, Mackenzie Blackwood, Yegor Sharangovich, and Reilly Walsh, while bringing in Tyler Toffoli and Shane Bowers.
Now, with just a few days before he hit restricted free agency, Timo Meier has signed a massive extension.
The eight-year deal carries an average annual value of $8.8MM, making Meier the highest-paid forward on New Jersey. The full breakdown is as follows:
- 2023-24: $12.0MM
- 2024-25: $11.1MM
- 2025-26: $10.75MM
- 2026-27: $7.75MM
- 2027-28: $7.2MM
- 2028-29: $7.2MM
- 2029-30: $7.2MM
- 2030-31: $7.2MM
General manager Tom Fitzgerald released a statement on the deal:
We were excited to acquire Timo at the deadline, but it’s an even greater feeling knowing that he’ll be here for the next eight seasons. Timo’s unique blend of style of play, goal-scoring ability, and physical presence will prove valuable for us.
In talking with him, Timo realized, and I always believed, that this is the right place for him as a player and a person. We’ve locked up another piece of our young core that is looking to take that next step together for greater success.
Meier, who arrived in New Jersey at the deadline and scored 14 points in 21 games down the stretch, seems to be a perfect fit for the upstart Devils. The club wants to take another step toward Stanley Cup contention next season, has the cap space to retain him, and the support to keep him at the 40-goal mark he set this year.
Given that Meier is still just 26 years old, an eight-year extension also doesn’t pose all that much risk. Sure, he will likely start to decline before it expires, but the salary cap is also set to start increasing next summer. Getting him locked in now could mean Meier turns into a relative bargain down the road.
Of course, it was never going to be cheap. Meier’s last contract was structured so that a qualifying offer this summer would be worth $10MM, giving him a ton of leverage in extension talks. Seventy-five goals over the past two seasons also help.
With Jack Hughes already locked up at $8MM (a deal that looks like it might turn into one of the biggest steals in the NHL), Jesper Bratt recently extended through 2030-31, and captain Nico Hischier still signed through 2026-27, there is a real chance for the New Jersey forward group to pull off some special things in the next few years.
Meier’s powerful mix of skill and size should only complement that group, especially after adding another consistent middle-six winger in Toffoli, that can boost secondary scoring without requiring top-line minutes.
A long-term extension has always made sense—now Meier and the Devils need to take that difficult next step.
Los Angeles Kings To Acquire, Extend Pierre-Luc Dubois
Perhaps the first true blockbuster deal of the offseason has finally materialized. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports the Los Angeles Kings are acquiring center Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Winnipeg Jets, who receive a significant return in Alex Iafallo, Gabriel Vilardi, Rasmus Kupari, and a second-round draft pick in 2024, originally belonging to the Montreal Canadiens. Per NorthStar Bets’ Chris Johnston, Dubois is signing an eight-year extension (technically with Winnipeg before the trade) worth $8.5MM per season.
Dubois arrived in Winnipeg over two years ago in a star-for-star trade that saw Patrik Laine head to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The two players were selected third and second overall, respectively, in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. It looked like a rather disappointing trade for both sides at the time – Dubois had just 20 points in 41 games down the stretch with the Jets in 2020-21 and played a decidedly middle-six role, barely averaging over 15 minutes per game.
Things took a dramatic turn for the better over the following two seasons, though. Fresh off back-to-back 60-point seasons for the first time in his career, Dubois is now entering his prime and much closer to the player everyone thought he could be. He won’t impress anyone defensively, but he’s a very high-end play driver and is a good weapon on the power play.
It’s a fresh start for Dubois on the West Coast. He’s long been posturing to get himself traded to a larger market, although most had assumed until recent weeks that it would be the Montreal Canadiens. With Winnipeg looking to retool on the fly, though, the Kings’ package of NHL-ready talent was a much more appealing return.
That being said, this is a lot to give up (and an awfully rich extension) for Dubois, who’s a good top-six center but not a bonafide first-line pivot. Vilardi, the 11th overall pick in 2017, finally broke out this season in a big way after multiple serious injuries derailed his development. The 23-year-old notched 41 points in 63 games, played a great possession game, and could very well replace Dubois’ role in the Jets lineup on his own. With the addition of Iafallo, who’s a very strong middle-six two-way winger, it seems those two on their own might have been enough value to land Dubois. He had 36 points in 59 games last year, on pace for a career-high of 50 in a full season.
Add in Kupari, who doesn’t have a terribly high ceiling but is an established NHLer who appeared in 66 regular-season games and six playoff games this year, and Winnipeg’s got three fresh pieces to help kickstart a significant retool. The 2024 second-round pick is also a very nice addition for the Jets – it finds its way to them via the Canadiens and Coyotes, switching hands in the Christian Dvorak and Sean Durzi trades.
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The Athletic’s Murat Ates was first to report the package was in place.
St. Louis Blues Acquire Kevin Hayes
The wait is over, and it’s a bit of a letdown. The long-winded trade between the Philadelphia Flyers and St. Louis Blues is complete, and center Kevin Hayes will be heading to the Blues for a 2024 sixth-round pick, the teams announced.
Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports the Flyers, as expected, will be retaining half of Hayes’ salary for the life of his contract. For the next three seasons, both the Flyers and Blues will be on the hook for $3.57MM in cap space for Hayes.
Fans of both teams were expecting a much larger deal to come through, but with Blues defenseman Torey Krug reportedly opting not to waive his no-trade clause, the additional pieces in the trade, expected to be Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim and one of St. Louis’ late first-round picks in this week’s draft, were removed.
While most would agree Hayes was overpaid on his deal, earning him more than $7MM, a 50 percent discount is an extremely appealing acquisition for the retooling Blues. He’s still a capable middle-six center, and his acquisition will alleviate Pavel Buchnevich, allowing him to return to his natural spot on the wing after shifting to center at the end of 2022-23.
St. Louis will be Hayes’ fourth team in his nine-year, 634-game NHL career. He’s had consistent offensive production throughout his career, routinely scoring between 40 and 55 points (at least in full seasons), but he was given far too lofty expectations when he signed in Philadelphia.
The messaging is clear here from the Flyers’ side: a rebuild is here, and it’s massive. Opting to retain a decent chunk of change on Hayes for three seasons – with essentially no compensation – signals they don’t anticipate spending to the cap ceiling anytime soon.
While moving on from Hayes doesn’t free up cap space that the Flyers need to use, it does free up some needed roster spots down the middle of the ice. Both Morgan Frost and Noah Cates are in line for more ice time after strong campaigns in 2022-23, and with Sean Couturier slated to return to play next season, Hayes could have pushed one (or both) of Cates and Frost into a bottom-six role.
Hayes’ 54 points in 81 games last season would have ranked fifth on the Blues. He’ll likely slot into a third-line center spot there behind Robert Thomas and Brayden Schenn, although he could overtake Schenn on the depth chart if things go well.
ESPN’s Kevin Weekes was first to report the trade.
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2023 NHL Awards Winners
2023 The NHL Awards were given out tonight in Nashville. The ceremony kicks off what should be a busy week as teams continue to prepare for the NHL Entry Draft and free agency, which begins on July 1st.
Here is the full list of winners, with the top two runners-up in each category:
Calder Trophy – Top Rookie
Winner: Matthew Beniers (Kraken)
Runners-Up: Owen Power (Sabres), Stuart Skinner (Oilers)
Norris Trophy – Top Defenseman
Winner: Erik Karlsson (Sharks)
Runners-Up: Adam Fox (Rangers), Cale Makar (Avalanche)
Ted Lindsay Award – Most Outstanding Player (as voted by the players)
Winner: Connor McDavid (Oilers)
Runners-Up: Erik Karlsson (Sharks), David Pastrnak (Bruins)
Lady Byng Trophy – Most Gentlemanly Player
Winner: Anze Kopitar (Kings)
Runners-Up: Jack Hughes (Devils), Brayden Point (Lightning)
Hart Trophy – Most Valuable Player
Winner: Connor McDavid (Oilers)
Runners-Up: David Pastrnak (Bruins), Matthew Tkachuk (Panthers)
Vezina Trophy – Goaltender Of The Year
Winner: Linus Ullmark (Bruins)
Runner-Ups: Connor Hellebuyck (Jets), Ilya Sorokin (Islanders)
Selke Trophy – Best Defensive Forward
Winner: Patrice Bergeron (Bruins)
Runners-Up: Mitchell Marner (Maple Leafs), Nico Hischier (Devils)
Jack Adams Award – Coach Of The Year
Winner: Jim Montgomery (Bruins)
Runners-Up: Dave Hakstol (Kraken), Lindy Ruff (Devils)
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy – Perseverance, Sportsmanship, and Dedication
Winner: Kris Letang (Penguins)
Runners-Up: Clayton Keller (Coyotes), Alex Stalock (Blackhawks)
King Clancy Memorial Trophy – Humanitarian
Winner: Mikael Backlund (Flames)
Runners-Up: Anders Lee (Islanders), Darnell Nurse (Oilers)
Mark Messier Leadership Award
Winner: Steven Stamkos (Lightning)
E.J. McGuire Award – Prospect Commitment to Excellence
Winner: Connor Bedard (Regina Pats, WHL)
Congratulations to all the winners and the nominees.
Chicago Blackhawks Acquire Taylor Hall
The Boston Bruins needed to clear some cap space and found a willing participant in the Chicago Blackhawks. The two have agreed on a four-player trade that includes Taylor Hall. The full deal is as follows:
- To Chicago: Taylor Hall, Nick Foligno (UFA)
- To Boston: Ian Mitchell (RFA), Alec Regula (RFA)
The Bruins will not retain any salary in the deal.
Hall, 31, signed a four-year $24MM contract with the Bruins in 2021 but will last just two seasons before joining the sixth NHL team of his career. The deal does include a 16-team no-trade clause (that drops to 10 teams in a few days) but Chris Johnston of North Star Bets reports that Chicago was not one of the blocked destinations, meaning Boston did not need his approval.
Hall’s $6MM cap hit is not a huge overpayment, as he is still a fine middle-six winger, but the Bruins found themselves in a precarious situation with just a few days before free agency opens. They are interested in bringing back trade deadline acquisition Tyler Bertuzzi, but needed to clear cap before working out any deal. It will be interesting to see if they can close the gap and keep Bertuzzi in the fold once Hall is officially off the books.
After being a part of the best regular season team in history, moving to Chicago is a significant downgrade for Hall. He isn’t joining an organization completely bereft of talent, though—he may even get to play with Connor Bedard, depending on how things shake out.
There is, of course, the possibility that the Blackhawks flip the 2018 Hart Trophy winner as they continue their rebuild. Two years of Hall isn’t going to do a ton for their Stanley Cup chances, and perhaps retaining some salary could mean even more assets for the Bedard-led club a few years from now.
Foligno’s inclusion is interesting, given he is a pending unrestricted free agent. Perhaps he will join the Blackhawks on a new deal to help lend some veteran leadership to the young group. The veteran forward is set to turn 36 in October but had a bounce-back season this year with 26 points in 60 games.
In terms of return for the Bruins, it’s really about the cap space. Mitchell and Regula are both fringe NHLers, who may have missed their window of real potential. Perhaps the Bruins see enough in one or both of them to make them a roster regular next season, but the young defensemen may again be destined for the minor leagues.
Mitchell, 24, played 35 games for the Blackhawks this season, registering one goal and eight points. The 2017 second-round pick has just 82 NHL games under his belt to this point, and is arbitration eligible as an RFA this summer. Interestingly, he does have a connection to Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery, who recruited and coached Mitchell at the University of Denver for one season.
Meanwhile, Regula is still just 22 but barely has any NHL experience. He saw just four games with the Blackhawks this season and has suited up 22 times in his career, registering a single point. Selected in the second round of the 2018 draft by the Detroit Red Wings, he is not yet eligible for arbitration.
At the very worst, the defenders could stretch out the depth chart for the Bruins, giving them valuable options to turn to in case of injury or poor performance next season.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet first broke the news that Hall was headed to the Blackhawks. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reported the full deal.
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Predators Trade Ryan Johansen To Avalanche
The Avalanche have made a move to add to their forward group as they’ve acquired center Ryan Johansen from the Predators in exchange for the rights to pending free agent forward Alex Galchenyuk. As part of the deal, Nashville will be retaining 50% of Johansen’s contract, one that carries an $8MM cap charge through 2024-25, meaning Colorado will add Johansen on their books at a $4MM price tag. Incoming Predators GM Barry Trotz released the following statement about Johansen’s departure:
“On behalf of the Predators organization, we want to thank Ryan for his contributions to our team and community over the last seven-plus years. He played a large role in our franchise’s accomplishments since arriving in January 2016, helping lead us to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, the 2018 Presidents’ Trophy, back-to-back Central Division titles in 2018 and 2019 and several postseason appearances. Ryan also dedicated a considerable amount of time to the Predators Foundation and helped us grow the game in Middle Tennessee, including his work with youth hockey in our community. We wish Ryan all the best in Colorado.”
Johansen has spent the last eight seasons with the Predators after they moved Seth Jones to acquire him back in 2016. The hope at the time was that they were moving a top young defenseman for a top young center, one that could emerge as their top option down the middle. Things got off to a reasonable start on that front as he had 95 points in his first 124 games with the Preds, helping him earn his eight-year, $64MM contract. However, after that, his output largely cooled off as he managed just 60 points once in the following four years, never surpassing the 15-goal mark in the process.
In 2021-22, it looked like Johansen had turned a corner as he notched a career-high 26 goals while recording 63 points. Those numbers weren’t exactly worth an $8MM price tag but for the time being, he and Matt Duchene were giving Nashville at least decent production up the middle. Unfortunately, that didn’t carry over to this past season as the 30-year-old managed just 28 points in 55 games before undergoing emergency leg surgery in February, ending his campaign prematurely.
For Colorado, this is a relatively low-risk gamble that Johansen can rediscover his offensive touch. They never truly replaced Nazem Kadri who left in free agency last summer, opting instead to largely go with internal options including J.T. Compher. Compher had a career year in 2022-23, picking up a career-high 52 points but he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent next month and will likely land a contract that’s worth more than what the Avs will be covering on Johansen’s deal. At $4MM, as long as Johansen can put up around 40 points while continuing to be above-average at the faceoff dot, he’ll provide ample value for Colorado and with the firepower they have, an uptick in production is certainly a possibility.
With this swap, the Avalanche have around $8.5MM in cap room, per CapFriendly with at least six players to sign with that money. However, that doesn’t account for Gabriel Landeskog‘s injury that will cause him to miss the entire 2023-24 campaign so GM Chris MacFarland has roughly $15.5MM still at his disposal over the coming weeks.
As for Nashville, this is an underwhelming return, to put it lightly, for someone that just a few years ago was one of the focal points of their attack. But the Predators are clearly embarking on at least a partial rebuild after jettisoning several veterans at the trade deadline and in a flat salary cap environment, getting full value for Johansen would have been next to impossible. The move now gives them a little over $19.5MM in cap room to work with, per CapFriendly, so if they want to be active in free agency to try to make it a quick retool, they’ll have the flexibility to do so. Alternatively, if they want to take on a bad contract or two to add more assets, that will also be a viable option for them.
Notably, this swap now encumbers two of Nashville’s three allowable retention slots through the 2024-25 campaign as one is also being used on Mattias Ekholm. These retentions plus the buyout to Kyle Turris give the Preds $6.25MM in dead cap for the upcoming season.
Galchenyuk’s inclusion in this trade is almost certainly just for contract-matching purposes. Even though he’s a pending free agent, he still counts as under contract until July 1st as do all pending free agents. For the time being, Nashville has 47 contracts on their books while Colorado sits at 45 so both franchises have some wiggle room in the coming weeks on that front.
Galchenyuk played in just 11 games with the Avs this past season, being held off the scoresheet in the process. The 2012 third-overall pick spend most of the year with AHL Colorado and was productive with them, picking up 42 points in as many games. He’ll almost certainly be heading for another two-way contract next season if he opts to stay in North America but after clearing waivers twice in the last two seasons, it’s possible that the 29-year-old looks to try his hand at playing overseas.
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