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
June 24, 2025
The Philadelphia Flyers have picked up forward Trevor Zegras in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks, giving up center Ryan Poehling, the No. 45 pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, and a 2026 fourth-round pick. Zegras had a tough campaign with the Ducks, recording only 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 52 appearances. After starting his NHL career with back-to-back 60-point seasons, Zegras has struggled with health issues, and he reportedly had no future in Anaheim. A move to Philadelphia gives Zegras a fresh start, and it will be interesting to see what he can do on a Rick Tocchet-led Flyers team. Flyers general manager Danny Briere has high hopes for the 24-year-old. "He'll be a motivated player, and if you look at his age he can grow with many of the young players we have here," Briere told ESPN. "We believe in him and believe he can recapture some of the magic that he had in his first few seasons."
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
June 24, 2025
The Chicago Blackhawks have acquired winger Andre Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for center Joe Veleno. The Swedish forward moves to the Windy City following a couple of disappointing campaigns with the Kraken, who signed him to a five-year, $27.5 million contract as a free agent in 2022. Burakovsky totaled only 10 goals and 37 points in 79 appearances this season. During his time with the Colorado Avalanche, Burakovsky was a 60-point scorer, so his production has been a massive letdown for the Kraken. He will hope to rejuvenate his career on a rebuilding Blackhawks team.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
June 24, 2025
Ottawa Senators winger Fabian Zetterlund has signed a three-year contract extension. He was about to become a restricted free agent on July 1 before reaching a new agreement with the Senators, who acquired Zetterlund from the San Jose Sharks in March. The Swedish forward, whose new deal will carry a $4.275 million cap hit, did not have a good time in Canada this season, notching only five points (two goals, three assists) in 20 appearances with the Senators. He will be expected to do a lot better next season. During his time with the Sharks, Zetterlund showed that he can make a mark at this level, scoring 80 points (41 goals, 39 assists) over his final 146 outings for the team.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
June 24, 2025
Dallas Stars forward Matt Duchene has inked a four-year extension with the team. The deal is worth $18 million, keeping Duchene in Texas through the 2028-29 NHL season. Duchene has revitalized his career in Dallas, and this season, he averaged at least a point per game for only the second time in his 16-year NHL career. The 34-year-old scored 30 goals and dished out 52 assists in 82 appearances. Another 30-goal campaign would give him 400 career markers next season, and Duchene is closing in on 900 career points. After leading his teams in points and assists in 2024-25, there is no reason to believe Duchene won't remain a potent offensive force next season.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
June 24, 2025
Center Jonathan Toews is set to sign a one-year deal with the Winnipeg Jets when free agency begins on July 1. The veteran forward, who has missed the last two NHL seasons due to health issues, will have a base salary of $2 million, with several performance-related bonuses included. Since he hasn't played in the NHL since April 2023, many questions remain about Toews' ability to perform effectively at the NHL level. This also makes him a risky pick in fantasy hockey. In the 2022-23 season, the former All-Star scored 31 points (15 goals, 16 assists) in 53 games with the Chicago Blackhawks.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
June 18, 2025
Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi (concussion) is hoping to return to the ice for the 2025-26 season. His 2024-25 campaign was cut short due to a concussion, and in an interview in his native Switzerland, Josi revealed that he had been diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). POTS is a condition that causes a range of symptoms when transitioning from lying down to standing, including a rapid heart rate, dizziness, and fatigue. "Over the last eight weeks, I have undergone intensive therapy, which also included taking beta blockers. I've been feeling much better since then," Josi said. "I've regained the belief that I'll be 100 percent fit again and can fully attack with Nashville and the Swiss national team next winter." Josi had a disappointing campaign this year, finishing with 38 points (nine goals, 29 assists) and a minus-26 rating in 53 games.
--Taavi PailkSource: Swiss Hockey News
June 18, 2025
Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the MVP of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs following Tuesday's Cup-clinching 5-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. The 28-year-old topped the goal-scoring charts with 15 tallied during the postseason and had 22 points in 23 outings overall. He set a new franchise record for most goals scored during a single playoff campaign and established a new league record with 13 road goals. Bennett's impressive scoring form is likely to earn him a substantial raise for next season as he approaches free agency. He is completing a four-year, $17.7 million deal and is expected to command over $7 million per year for his next contract.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
June 18, 2025
Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk revealed on Tuesday that he played through multiple injuries to help the team try to lift the Stanley Cup for the second consecutive year. "I tore my adductor off the bone and had some hernia thing all on the same side," Tkachuk said when asked about his injuries. "I wanted to throw in the towel a bunch of times." Despite being badly banged up, Tkachuk enjoyed another prolific postseason run with the Panthers, sharing the team lead in scoring with 23 points. He recorded eight goals and 13 assists. This gives Tkachuk a staggering 69 points (25 goals, 44 assists) over the last three years in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL on TNT
June 18, 2025
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov registered two assists in Tuesday's 5-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers, securing the team's second consecutive Stanley Cup championship. Barkov became the first European captain to lift the Stanley Cup in back-to-back years. He wrapped up the Finals with a three-game point streak and tallied 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in 23 games overall during the postseason. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice disclosed on Tuesday that one of Barkov's hands was cut open in Game 1 against the Oilers, which could explain the decline in his offensive production at the start of the Finals. Barkov will enter next season as a three-time Selke Trophy winner and aims to average at least a point per game for a sixth consecutive campaign.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
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