June 28, 2025
The New York Islanders picked up forward Emil Heineman on Friday in a deal with the Montreal Canadiens, as the team traded away defenseman Noah Dobson. The transaction also included two first-round draft picks. Incredibly, this is the third time Heineman has been traded. He was originally a Florida Panthers draft pick but was traded to Calgary in 2021 in a deal that saw the Panthers acquire Sam Bennett. A year later, Heineman landed in Montreal after the Canadiens shipped out Tyler Toffoli. Heineman had his rookie campaign in 2024-25, recording 10 goals and 18 points with 173 hits. He will likely slot into a middle-six role in New York and may see some power-play time. Five of Heineman's 18 points this season, including three goals, came with the man advantage.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
June 28, 2025
The Montreal Canadiens have acquired defenseman Noah Dobson in a trade with the New York Islanders. The team parted ways with forward Emil Heineman and a pair of first-round picks in the transaction. It was a sign-and-trade deal for Dobson, who agreed to an eight-year, $76 million contract before the trade. Dobson proved to be too expensive to keep for the Islanders, who selected him 12th overall in the 2018 NHL draft. The right-shot blue-liner recorded 230 points (50 goals, 180 assists) in 388 games with the Islanders, including 70 points (10 goals, 60 assists) in 2023-24. This season, Dobson struggled to reach the same heights as before, settling for only 39 points (10 goals, 29 assists) in 71 games. He will aim to bounce back in 2025-26 on an exciting Canadiens blue line that features 2025 Calder Memorial Trophy winner Lane Hutson.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
June 28, 2025
Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares is set to extend his stay with the team for four more years, having agreed to a $17.52 million contract extension. The veteran star is taking a significant pay cut, as the average annual value of his contract will drop from $11 million to $4.38 million. Tavares enjoyed one of his best seasons as a Maple Leaf in 2024-25, posting 74 points (38 goals, 36 assists) in 75 appearances. Since joining the team, he has managed 222 goals and 493 points in 515 games across seven seasons. Tavares isn't getting any younger -- he will turn 35 in September -- but he still remains a top-notch fantasy producer.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
June 28, 2025
Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett has signed an eight-year contract extension worth $64 million, nearly doubling the cap hit ($4.425 million) of his previous deal. After winning the 2025 Conn Smythe Trophy as the Stanley Cup Playoffs MVP, Bennett was set to become a hot commodity in free agency. The Panthers will be pleased to get him under a new contract, with general manager Bill Zito calling Bennett a "special player." Bennett, who tallied 22 points (15 goals, seven assists) in 23 playoff games, significantly raised his performance during the postseason, but he also made a strong impact in the regular season. The 29-year-old recorded a career-high 51 points (25 goals, 26 assists) in 76 games. Fantasy managers can expect similar numbers from him in 2025-26.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
June 28, 2025
The New York Islanders selected defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Due to a broken collarbone, Schaefer played just 17 games in the OHL this season with the Erie Otters, picking up 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists). But his draft stock remained high, and the 17-year-old became just the fifth defenseman picked No. 1 overall in the NHL draft since 2000. Schaefer is described as an elite skater who can make a big impact at both ends of the ice. With Noah Dobson now in Montreal, Schaefer can quickly make the Islanders blue line his own.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
June 26, 2025
The Florida Panthers have added Daniil Tarasov to their goaltending department, acquiring him in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The team gave up a 2025 fifth-round draft pick in the deal. Tarasov, who finished the 2024-25 campaign with a 7-10-2 record, is a restricted free agent. Florida is set to use him as Sergei Bobrovsky's backup next season. With Bobrovsky on the wrong side of 30, Tarasov may eventually land a starting job with the Panthers. He had a tough time this season, but Tarasov has shown promise in the NHL before. He boasts a career record of 61-19-34.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
June 26, 2025
The Seattle Kraken have acquired center Frederick Gaudreau from the Minnesota Wild, giving up a fourth-round draft pick in the deal. Gaudreau, who has three years remaining on his contract with an annual average value of $2.1 million, played four seasons with the Wild. He finished the 2024-25 campaign with 37 points (18 goals, 19 assists) in 82 games. "Frederick's a versatile skater who plays a strong two-way game," Kraken general manager Jason Botterill announced. "He gives us depth down the middle and has the ability to produce offensively. He's a player that can be trusted on the defensive side of the puck, especially on the penalty kill. We're excited to welcome him to the team." Seattle will likely use Gaudreau in a bottom-six role. As a result, he won't contribute much to fantasy teams.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
June 26, 2025
San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic has been placed on unconditional waivers for the purpose of buying out the final year of his contract. Vlasic's contract was set to count $7 million against the salary cap next season, and buying him out saves San Jose $2.3 million, while counting $1.2 million extra in 2026-27. The 38-year-old made his NHL debut with the Sharks during the 2006-07 campaign and has spent his entire 19-year career with the franchise. Ray Bourque and Nicklas Lidstrom are the only defensemen in history who have played more NHL games with one team. This season, Vlasic became the NHL's all-time leader with 2,184 blocks. He has recorded 379 points (84 goals, 295 assists) in 1,323 career appearances.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
June 26, 2025
Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn has re-signed with the team for one more year. He agreed to a deal that includes a base salary of $1 million plus up to $3 million in potential performance bonuses. Benn has been a Dallas Star his entire 16-year NHL career, serving as team captain since 2013. He is taking a significant pay cut to stay with the team, as Benn's previous contract had a $9.5 million cap hit. Benn, who turns 36 next month, scored 49 points (16 goals, 33 assists) in 80 games this season, showing he can still be an offensive threat. Next season, Benn will hope to reach 1,000 career points, sitting just 44 points away from the big milestone.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
June 26, 2025
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Reilly Smith has signed a one-year contract extension worth $2 million. The veteran forward was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next week before agreeing to a new deal. Smith started his second stint with the Golden Knights this season, arriving in a trade from the New York Rangers in March. He collected 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 21 regular-season appearances, adding four points (three goals, one assist) in 11 playoff games. Although his productivity has dropped since he first left Vegas in 2023, Smith has still registered back-to-back 40-point campaigns. His new deal includes a full no-trade clause, meaning Smith is set to stick with the Golden Knights throughout the 2025-26 season.
--Taavi PailkSource: SinBin.vegas
June 26, 2025
The Buffalo Sabres have acquired defenseman Michael Kesselring in a trade with the Utah Mammoth. Buffalo moved winger JJ Peterka to Utah in exchange for Kesselring and winger Josh Doan. Kesselring carries a $1.4 million cap hit and is set to become a restricted free agent next offseason. He has played two full NHL seasons, making 156 career appearances. The 25-year-old has recorded 53 points (12 goals, 41 assists) in 156 games, along with 133 blocks and 205 hits. Kesselring's versatility makes him a useful fantasy piece, but he only has value in deeper formats.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
June 26, 2025
The Buffalo Sabres have acquired winger Josh Doan in a trade with the Utah Mammoth. He will move to Salt Lake City along with defenseman Michael Kesselring, while winger JJ Peterka heads in the opposite direction. Doan had his first full NHL season in 2024-25, recording 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) in 51 games. He has a total of 12 goals and 28 points in 62 career games. Doan has received limited ice time so far in his career and won't have much fantasy relevance unless he can secure a top-six role with his new team.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
June 26, 2025
The Utah Mammoth have acquired winger JJ Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres in a deal that sent defenseman Michael Kesselring and winger Josh Doan in the opposite direction. Utah also signed Peterka to a five-year, $38.5 million contract extension. He was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this offseason. Peterka has completed three seasons in the NHL, registering 150 points (67 goals, 83 assists) in 238 appearances. He was tied for second in scoring on the Buffalo team this season with 68 points (27 goals, 41 assists). Peterka's $7.7 million AAV is the second-highest on Utah, behind defenseman Mikhail Sergachev ($8.5 million). This shows that his new team values him highly, which is promising for Peterka's fantasy outlook.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
June 26, 2025
The Vancouver Canucks have acquired left wing Evander Kane from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick. The power forward will join his hometown team after landing in Edmonton during the 2021-22 campaign. He has battled health issues in recent years and missed the 2024-25 regular-season campaign. He returned to action in time for the playoffs, producing six goals and 12 points in 21 appearances. With the move, Edmonton cleared $5.125 million in cap space. Kane will be in the final year of his contract next season and should be eager to perform well.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
June 24, 2025
The Anaheim Ducks have acquired center Ryan Poehling from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for forward Trevor Zegras. The deal also involved a couple of draft picks going to Anaheim, including this year's No. 45 pick. Poehling will kick off the 2025-26 campaign with his fourth NHL team, having previously also suited up for the Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins. After bouncing around, he found moderate success in Philadelphia, registering 31 points (12 goals, 19 assists) in 68 games this season. Poehling is expected to play a bottom-six role in Anaheim, which limits his fantasy value.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
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