The NHL draft is set for June 27, with free agency following on July 1. Alongside these events, teams engage in trades to bolster their rosters or manage salary cap issues. A recent trade between the New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens on June 27, involving defenseman Noah Dobson going to the Canadiens in exchange for winger Emil Heineman and two first-round picks, has stirred up the pre-draft buzz.
As the draft nears and free agency looms, trade activities are expected to escalate. Notable recent deals include the Blue Jackets acquiring Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood from the Avalanche, with the Avalanche receiving forward Gavin Brindley, a third-round pick in 2025, and a conditional 2027 second-rounder. Another significant trade involved the Canadiens acquiring Dobson from the Islanders, with Dobson signing a lucrative extension. The Mammoth also made a move by acquiring JJ Peterka from the Sabres, with the Sabres receiving Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan in return. Additionally, the Panthers traded for Daniil Tarasov from the Blue Jackets, aiming to solidify their goaltending situation.
Other recent transactions include the Seattle Kraken acquiring Frederick Gaudreau from the Wild, the Dallas Stars re-signing Jamie Benn, and the Oilers trading Evander Kane to the Canucks for salary cap reasons. Keep an eye on further trade developments as teams gear up for the draft and free agency frenzy.
d. The Oilers acquire a fourth-round pick in exchange. Kane, a Vancouver native, provides reinforcement on the wing for the Canucks as they anticipate losing Brock Boeser to free agency.
June 23: Flyers trade for Trevor Zegras from Ducks. Zegras expressed a desire to play as a center, a position the Ducks couldn’t accommodate within their top six. The Flyers secure a dynamic forward known for his creative playmaking abilities, including scoring lacrosse-style goals, although he has been dealing with recent injuries. In return, the Ducks receive center Ryan Poehling, who excels in faceoffs and penalty killing, addressing areas of need for Anaheim. The Ducks also acquire a 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick.
June 21: Blackhawks and Kraken complete a trade. The Chicago Blackhawks acquire left wing Andre Burakovsky by sending center Joe Veleno to the Seattle Kraken. Burakovsky became available after the Kraken acquired Mason Marchment earlier. Despite injury struggles in the past two seasons, Burakovsky rebounded to play 79 games in the 2024-25 season, tallying 10 goals and 27 assists with Seattle. Veleno contributed 17 points this season split between the Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings.
June 19: Kraken add Mason Marchment from Stars. The Stars, needing to free up cap space following Matt Duchene’s re-signing, traded 22-goal scorer Mason Marchment and his $4.5 million contract to the Seattle Kraken for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2025 fourth-round pick. Marchment, known for both his scoring prowess and physical play at 6-foot-5, joins the Kraken.
This article was originally featured on USA TODAY: NHL trade tracker: Evaluation of significant trades and NHL draft selections.
