2017 NHL Draft Trade Tracker
Along with the draft selections, NHL Draft weekend always features plenty of trades as well. Keep track of all the action right here, as we’ll update any and all deals concerning draft picks over the course of the Draft:
Round One:
Chicago Blackhawks trade a first-round pick (#26) to the Dallas Stars for a first-round pick (#29) and third-round pick (#70)
St. Louis Blues trade a first-round pick (#27), a conditional 2018 first-round pick, and center Jori Lehtera to the Philadelphia Flyers for center Brayden Schenn
Pittsburgh Penguins trade a first-round pick (#31) and center Oskar Sundqvist to the St. Louis Blues for a third-round pick (#51) and right wing Ryan Reaves
Round Two:
Arizona Coyotes trade a second-round pick (#35) to the Philadelphia Flyers for a second-round pick (#44), third-round pick (#75), and fourth-round pick (#108)
Vegas Golden Knights trade a second-round pick (#45) to the Columbus Blue Jackets for right wing Keegan Kolesar
Round Three:
Arizona Coyotes trade a third-round pick (#78) to the Edmonton Oilers for a third-round pick (#82) and a fifth-round pick (#126)
Round Four:
New York Rangers trade a fourth-round pick (#102) to the San Jose Sharks for a fourth-round pick (#123) and a sixth-round pick (#174)
Round Seven:
Montreal Canadiens trade a 2018 seventh-round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for a seventh-round pick (#199)
Zach Leach contributed to this post (Day Two)
Philadelphia Flyers Trade Brayden Schenn To St. Louis
The Philadelphia Flyers pulled off perhaps the biggest shocker of the draft, trading Brayden Schenn to the St. Louis Blues for Jori Lehtera, the 27th-overall pick and a conditional first-round pick next year. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that if the 2018 pick happens to be in the top 10, St. Louis would have the option to push it to 2019. If they do so, Philadelphia would also gain a third-rounder in 2020.
The Flyers used the 27th pick to select Morgan Frost, son of former Maple Leafs in-house announcer Andy Frost and forward from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhouds of the OHL. Frost put up 62 points in 68 games for the Greyhounds but is still very undersized and will need to develop his all-around game.
Lehtera is coming off an extremely disappointing season in St. Louis, in which he scored just 22 points. He’s heading into year two of a contract that pays him $4.7MM per season, a number that hopes he’s more of the 44-point player he showed in his first year. Philadelphia will hope they can turn him back into that, but with a system now flooded with centers after trading for Valtteri Filppula at the deadline and selecting Nolan Patrick tonight, it’s not clear what his role will be.
Schenn though is clearly the prize of the deal, as clearly the best player involved for the time being. Schenn scored 25 goals again last season and has developed into one of the more effective power forwards in the league. He was unstoppable with the man advantage, scoring 28 of his 55 points on the powerplay. Now traded twice before he turns 26, Schenn is locked up for three more seasons at $5.13MM and immediately fills some of the center concerns for the Blues. It was a hefty price to pay, with two firsts going the other way but he’ll help St. Louis in their quest for a Stanley Cup once again next year.
Having Schenn allows the Blues to move Patrik Berglund back down to a third-line center and keep both Vladimir Sobotka and Alex Steen on the wings. That upgrade will make their top-9 one of the best groups in the league.
Draft Notes: Suzuki, Makar, Hischier, Patrick
The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy believes that Owen Sound’s Nick Suzuki could very well be the steal of the draft. Suzuki, who has seen explosive growth in his draft stock, scored 96 points (45-51) in 65 games. Suzuki passes the standard and advanced stats test for many. Kennedy writes:
Scouts love his skill and his compete level. What’s even more intriguing is that, by advanced stats that I have seen, Suzuki was the best possession forward in the entire draft class – better than Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier by a mile.
NHL.com’s Mike Morreale writes that NHL Central Scouting tagged Suzuki as the tenth best prospect in North America, while scout Matt Ryan regards Suzuki as a “consistent prospect” who continuously improved as the season went on. Ryan also notes that had one of the “toughest schedule against the toughest competition,” and still managed to produce eye popping numbers and performances. While there are a glut of centers primed to be taken in the top ten, it would not be shocking to see Suzuki crack the top ten.
- Could Cale Makar be the first overall pick? The Calgary Herald’s Wes Gilbertson reports that one scout who spoke to TSN’s Bob McKenzie said he would take Makar first overall if he had that pick. Gilbertson writes that the “smooth skating” defenseman won’t be waiting long in Chicago for his name to be called, and that 27 teams were interested in talking to him at the NHL scouting combine. Picks in the top ten will be heavy with defensemen and centers, and Makar appears to be one who could have his name called as early as the top three. Some scouts have even compared him to Erik Karlsson, who was the fifteenth pick overall in the 2008 NHL draft. Adding more to this theory, ESPN Insider Corey Pronman predicts that Makar will be selected by New Jersey at number one instead of Hischier or Patrick.
- On the topic of Hischier and Patrick, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Sam Carchidi adds to the speculation that the Devils could very well take a defenseman at #1, which would give the Flyers the first crack at the two centers. Carchidi writes, however, that neither center cares who goes first. Both players had dinner with Flyers GM Ron Hextall in separate gatherings, and Patrick believes he is fully recovered from the injuries he fought through during the 2016-17 season. Regardless of who they pick, the Flyers will sit pretty should the Devils take a defenseman and leave two prized centermen for Philadelphia.
Rumored Vegas Golden Knights Expansion Selections
The Vegas Golden Knights will reveal their expansion selections at tonight’s NHL Awards show, but details have started to come in on who each team will lose. There are many rumors floating around, but these are the most reputable. As with anything, nothing is final until the actual selections are announced tonight. This page will be updated with new information as it comes in.
Here are the latest rumored selections along with their source:
Anaheim Ducks: Clayton Stoner — Bob McKenzie of TSN
Arizona Coyotes:
Boston Bruins: Colin Miller — Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet
Buffalo Sabres: William Carrier — Frank Seravalli of TSN
Calgary Flames: Deryk Engelland — John Shannon of Sportsnet
Carolina Hurricanes:
Chicago Blackhawks: Trevor van Riemsdyk — Frank Seravalli of TSN
Colorado Avalanche:
Columbus Blue Jackets: William Karlsson — Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch
Dallas Stars: Cody Eakin — Jim Toth of TSN
Detroit Red Wings: Tomas Nosek — Craig Custance of The Athletic.
Edmonton Oilers: Griffin Reinhart — John Shannon of Sportsnet
Florida Panthers: Jon Marchessault — Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet
Los Angeles Kings: Brayden McNabb — John Shannon of Sportsnet
Minnesota Wild: Erik Haula — Michael Russo of the Star Tribune
Montreal Canadiens: Alexei Emelin — Eric Engels of Sportsnet
Nashville Predators: James Neal — Bob McKenzie of TSN
New Jersey Devils: Jon Merrill — Frank Seravalli of TSN
New York Islanders: Jean-Francois Berube — Bob McKenzie of TSN
New York Rangers: Oscar Lindberg — Larry Brooks of the New York Post and Frank Seravalli of TSN.
Ottawa Senators: Marc Methot — Pierre LeBrun of TSN
Philadelphia Flyers: Pierre-Edouard Bellemare — Craig Custance of The Athletic
Pittsburgh Penguins: Marc-Andre Fleury – Bob McKenzie of TSN
San Jose Sharks: David Schlemko — Pierre LeBrun of TSN
St. Louis Blues: David Perron — James Mirtle of The Athletic
Tampa Bay Lightning:
Toronto Maple Leafs: Brendan Leipsic — Darren Dreger of TSN
Vancouver Canucks:
Washington Capitals: Nate Schmidt — Pierre LeBrun of TSN
Winnipeg Jets:
Karl Alzner, Jordan Weal Will Not Sign With Vegas Before July 1st
Pierre LeBrun of TSN spoke to J.P. Barry, agent to unrestricted free agents Karl Alzner and Jordan Weal who said his clients did speak with the Vegas Golden Knights but will wait to talk to other teams before making a decision. That takes them out of consideration to count as the Golden Knights’ expansion picks, but doesn’t rule out a deal eventually between the two sides. LeBrun is quick to point out that this doesn’t necessarily signal that Weal will not sign in Philadelphia before free agency opens next Saturday.
It has been clear since the end of the season that Alzner would not be back with the Washington Capitals next season, but with such appealing options available to them in the expansion draft the Golden Knights couldn’t afford to forfeit their selection. Nate Schmidt or Philipp Grubauer, the two most often expected to be the selection, are too valuable to Vegas to pass on just for the chance to sign Alzner early.
Weal on the other hand may be the most enticing option available after Philadelphia submitted their protection list. The 25-year old is a Group VI free agent this summer, and showed at the end of the year that there may be some NHL scoring ability in him after all. It’s not surprising that Vegas showed interest, as they likely will again if he can’t get a deal done with Philadelphia by the end of the month. The two sides had apparently agreed on term earlier this month, though still can’t decide on a salary that works.
The Golden Knights have signed Erik Haula from the Minnesota Wild, but that was more of a secondary part following a deal to protect extra players. It will be hard to see Vegas waste many opportunities just to sign a free agent that they may have a chance with anyway, especially with the intriguing free agents clustering in places like Washington and San Jose. Alexander Radulov remains an interesting option, though not a wisp of rumor has come out connecting the two sides prior to the deadline this morning.
Morning Notes: Dahlin, NWHL, Weal
Rasmus Dahlin is the early favorite to go first-overall in the 2018 NHL Entry draft, and he’s about to skip another step in his outstanding young hockey career. According to Uffe Bodin of Hockeysverige, the 17-year old Swedish defenseman will skip the Ivan Hlinka U18 tournament and instead join team Sweden at the U20 tournament. Dahlin played last year in the Hlinka and the World Junior Championship, and will be all over the prospect circuit again this year as he tries to clinch that top spot.
A prototypical two-way defenseman, Dahlin has the size, physicality and offensive upside that makes him a dream for whichever team gets the chance to choose him next season. Likely battling with Andrei Svechnikov for the top spot, Dahlin should be seen with franchise-altering upside. He’ll be tracked carefully for the next year.
- The NWHL has reached a streaming agreement with Twitter to show select games next season, bringing the women’s league to the forefront for the first time. Their games have previously been available to stream on the internet, but they’ll obviously be on a much bigger platform with Twitter for the next season. Last year the Buffalo Beauts took home the Isobel Cup, and just re-signed Corinne Buie the only woman to have won the Cup both years of the league’s existence. She seems to bring victory with her wherever she goes, winning a Clarkson Cup in her last season in the CWHL as well.
- Tim Panaccio of CSN reports that agent J.P. Barry has spoken to Vegas about all the free agents he represents, mentioning Jordan Weal in particular. Weal is a Group VI unrestricted free agent this summer, and though there have been contract talks between his camp and the Flyers to try and keep him around, he’s unprotected and could easily be a target of the Golden Knights in the free agency period. After playing well down the stretch with the Flyers and putting up another outstanding AHL season, Weal is determined to make an impact at the NHL level next season.
Entry Draft Notes: Avalanche, Stars, Flyers
The Colorado Avalanche seem to be at least entertaining the possibility of moving down in the draft. According to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post, the team is split internally over whether to select the best player available or to draft a dynamic defenseman, which is their biggest organizational need at the moment. Finding the proper balance between these two philosophies is always difficult, and ultimately, the scouts are the ones who need to believe in a particular player. It is interesting to note that Chambers doesn’t see defender Cale Makar being taken that early in the draft, and that the Avalanche might be “stuck” selecting another forward. Makar actually got votes for the top pick from one of TSN’s analysts, and there are many who believe he will hop into the top-5. Bob McKenzie actually had him slotted in at that #4 spot, so it’s a bit difficult to determine what the Avalanche are thinking here.
If the organization did decide to trade to a lower pick, as director of amateur scouting Alan Hepple says is “a scenario…that they’re ready for”, it would likely include a piece that will provide more immediate help for the team. After a 48 point season, that could mean plugging a hole at practically any position. It’s a lot to consider, especially in light of the Matt Duchene trade rumors which haven’t stopped swirling since they began halfway through the season. This article will only keep more eyes peeled on the team from Denver headed into Friday’s draft.
- The Flyers don’t seem to have the blinders on regarding their #2 selection, according to Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer. They are spending most of their time and energy focusing on the later rounds. This makes sense for any team with a top selection, but especially for Philadelphia who will almost certainly draft whichever of Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier remains. The team is heavily invested in looking to load up on offensive talent, and with 11 picks in this year’s draft, they’ve set themselves up very well. One of the major criticisms for the team in recent drafting has been the over-emphasis on physicality and intangibles, while ignoring more dynamic offensive players. We’ll see if they can avoid that pitfall this weekend.
- The Stars look to be leaning away from the big Windsor forward Gabriel Vilardi, according to Sean Shapiro of NHL.com. He also speculates that Dallas is particularly high on the aforementioned Makar and HIFK’s shifty Miro Heiskanen. They look to be focusing on defense for another draft, and with their top-end offense it’s no wonder why. They just exposed Cody Eakin to Vegas because of their glut of center-men, and even though Vilardi is an exceptional, versatile forward – he’s not a need. Both Makar and Heiskanen were ranked in the top-5 final rankings by McKenzie, so it’s difficult to see Dallas moving from their #3 position.
Metropolitan Division Offers Vegas Multiple Goalies, Project Players
The Metropolitan Division was undoubtedly the most competitive last season, with 3 of the league’s top 5 points finishers within it, including the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Penguins. Some teams in the Metro have prepared poorly, while others look to take a minor hit and move on from expansion relatively unscathed. No major surprises exist outside of Brooklyn, where the Islanders took the crown for the most unorthodox and confounding strategy.
The Penguins seem to have known for quite some time that Marc-Andre Fleury was Vegas bound. GM Jim Rutherford balked at trade offers last off-season despite the goalie’s no-movement clause potentially complicating matters further down the line. The organization finally asked him to waive his clause in February, and both parties seem willing to move on. Rutherford did seem to be leaning toward the 7-3-1 model originally, but eventually opted to go with the 4-4 route to protect both Olli Maatta and Justin Schultz. If for whatever reason Fleury is not chosen, playoff performer Bryan Rust is almost certainly the claim. Columbus’ list is about what we expected, but it still seems strange to see Josh Anderson and Jack Johnson are left exposed. If there is a deal in place for a 1st round pick, as reported earlier by the Columbus Dispatch, Johnson is the likely selection. He’s still got a lot of talent, and with all his international experience, he could be a great leader for younger players in Vegas.
The Philadelphia Flyers made one of the smarter (if unexpected) decisions of the day and opted to protect Scott Laughton over assistant captain Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and the streaky Michael Raffl. Jordan Weal is still left exposed, and theoretically any of the three could be headed to Vegas. The Washington Capitals are absolutely going to lose a solid player, and it’s destined to be either the very promising defenseman Nate Schmidt or standout goalie Philipp Grubauer. The Capitals knew this was coming for a long time, but it can’t hurt any less to lose assets in this fashion. A possible scenario to watch out for is whether Vegas will pursue T.J. Oshie as a free agent in the short-term. They have first dibs on negotiations if they want to open that conversation, and he’s considered by many to be the top available UFA. The team doesn’t really need another goaltender, and their defense would survive without Schmidt, even with his incredible talent.
The New Jersey Devils arguably have the weakest roster on paper at the moment, and it shows with the potential selections Vegas need to consider. Mike Cammalleri is unproductive and overpaid, Beau Bennett has all but busted when he isn’t injured, Jacob Josefson scored one goal last season, and Devante Smith-Pelly is with his third club in as many years. The New York Rangers couldn’t move Antti Raanta and now it seems probable that Vegas will take advantage. Other options would include Jesper Fast and the very productive (27 goals) Michael Grabner, neither of whom is good enough to justify passing on the solid Raanta. No surprises here, but management certainly waited until the final hour to buyout Dan Girardi – which allowed them to utilize that 7-3-1 strategy effectively. Carolina will offer up one of the worst prizes to the Golden Knights, and Lee Stempniak is the only name that truly jumps out. Long-time goalie Cam Ward finds himself on the outs, as does Eddie Lack, but when the team moved for Scott Darling this fate was very foreseeable. Perhaps management will try to entice Vegas to claim one of the keepers and help their logjam along.
The New York Islanders seem to have botched their efforts today, but there may be machinations behind the scenes which could justify such a bizarre strategy. GM Garth Snow opted to protect only 3 forwards and 5 defensemen – the only team to do so. Even worse, one of the defenseman left unprotected was Calvin de Haan. Assuming there is no deal to take a blueliner in the works, Vegas could choose de Haan or their favorite from a large selection of intriguing forwards. Josh Bailey, Brock Nelson, and Ryan Strome are all available, and each provides a different skillset. McPhee could even take one of the league’s toughest bottom sixers in Casey Cizikas or a crafty, veteran Nikolai Kulemin. He has loads of options, and none of them are any good for an Islanders team who survive off their depth. Why Adam Pelech, with his 12 career points and 46.6% Corsi For in 2016-17, was worth protection over any of those names will surely be one of the draft’s greatest quandaries.
Vegas will get an opportunity to draft their starting two goaltenders from the Metro, and will have a wide assortment of options elsewhere. The Washington situation should be fun to speculate on, and trying to find a worthwhile pick in New Jersey could be an adventure for the Knights. Snow’s Islanders are just an incredible anomaly, and that list may draw some serious criticism.
Draft History Suggests Hischier Goes to Devils
While most people believe that the New Jersey Devils will be selecting Nolan Patrick with the No. 1 overall pick this Friday, Philly.com’s Sam Carchidi writes that looking back at general manager Ray Shero’s history, it’s more likely that the Devils will take Nico Hischier at that spot. The scribe interviewed Ryan Wagman, who is the head scouting director of McKeen’s Hockey, who says that Shero’s draft history all the way back to 2006 in Pittsburgh shows that he has a tendency to focus on dynamic players.
While Wagman has Patrick listed as No. 1 on his scouting list, he believes that Hischier is the more dynamic of the two and Shero may lean that way, allowing the Flyers to get the most-ready player in the draft in Patrick. He describes Patrick as a solid all-around player, who will be ready to handle the physicality of the NHL immediately. Injuries have affected him, but Patrick attempted to show everyone at the scouting combine a couple of weeks ago that he’s healthy. Wagman compares Patrick to a young Eric Staal, who was the No. 2 overall pick in 2003 and went to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Hischier has better skills, but needs time to grow into his body. However, Wagman claims that Hischier has dynamic puck skills, is a great skater and is more of a two-way player and be more attractive to Shero has time to wait. He compares Hischier to Washington’s Evgeny Kuznetsov, who was a first-rounder in 2010. He adds that while Patrick is 100 percent ready to join an NHL team immediately, Hischier is more of an 80 percent chance. While he has the skills to play in the NHL, it’s more likely his body needs more time unless he is paired up with teammates that can protect him.
Coyotes Acquire Nick Cousins From Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers have traded center Nick Cousins and the rights to Harvard goalie Merrick Madsen to the Arizona Coyotes for a 2018 fifth round pick and the rights to Brendan Warren. TSN’s Bob McKenzie tweeted the specifics that the Flyers received a 2018 fifth round pick and Warren, who is currently at the University of Michigan. Warren was the Coyotes’ 3rd round pick in 2015. Elliotte Friedman reported Madsen being part of the deal, and added that he was “no guarantee” to sign with the Flyers.
Cousins was taken in the third round by the Flyers back in the 2011 NHL draft. He appeared in 60 games and had 16 points (6-10). Cousins was likely to be exposed by the Flyers in the expansion draft, so it’s a situation where Flyers general manager Ron Hextall is getting something instead of losing him for nothing. PHR’s Seth Lawrence projected Cousins to be unprotected in the draft.
Craig Custance was the first to tweet a potential deal. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun tweeted that it was Cousins involved in the deal.