Samwise NHL & Hockey Newsletter
Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Brady Tkachuk Reunites with Brother Matthew as Panthers Acquire Senators Captain
Brady Tkachuk held his introductory press conference as a Florida Panther on Monday, one day after the Ottawa Senators traded their captain in a blockbuster deal. The 26-year-old forward reunites with his older brother Matthew in South Florida and waived his no-movement clause to facilitate the move. Ottawa received the No. 9 and No. 25 picks in the 2026 NHL Draft, a conditional first-round selection in 2029, and a second-round pick in 2027. Tkachuk had two seasons remaining on a seven-year, $57.5 million contract. Ottawa’s GM confirmed the club does not intend to take a step back following the trade.
Sources: ESPN
Sabres Move Byram to Blackhawks for No. 4 Pick as Buffalo Pre-Draft Maneuvering Heats Up
The Buffalo Sabres traded defenseman Bowen Byram and forward Jordan Greenway to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday in exchange for the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, defenseman Louis Crevier, and a second-round selection at No. 45. Byram, 25, posted a career-high 42 points in 82 games this season and has one season remaining on a contract worth $6.25 million annually. Buffalo hosts the NHL Draft at KeyBank Center beginning Friday, June 26, and will now hold two first-round picks — Nos. 4 and 20 — heading into the event.
Sources: The Hockey News
Trade Report Cards: ESPN Grades a Chaotic Tuesday for NHL GMs Ahead of 2026 Draft
ESPN published trade report cards for Tuesday’s wave of NHL deals ahead of the 2026 Draft. Ottawa acquired forward William Eklund, 23, from San Jose using draft capital obtained in the Brady Tkachuk deal; Eklund had 53 points in 78 games for the Sharks last season. Calgary surrendered two future first-rounders and a second-round pick for defenseman Simon Nemec, 22, and forward Maxim Tsyplakov from New Jersey. The St. Louis Blues moved Jordan Kyrou to Washington — at $8.125 million annually with five years remaining — for Connor McMichael, prospect Milton Gastrin, and the No. 16 pick.
Sources: ESPN
Dallas Stars Emerge as Top Trade Destination for Red Wings Captain Dylan Larkin
Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has a new preferred trade destination: the Dallas Stars. According to NHL insider Nick Kypreos, the Stars — led by former Red Wings assistant GM Jim Nill — have emerged as the frontrunner to land Larkin after Florida’s acquisition of Brady Tkachuk shifted the landscape. Larkin, 29, requested a trade following Detroit’s 10th consecutive missed postseason. He carries a full no-trade clause and originally listed Florida, Minnesota, and Vegas as preferred destinations. Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman has reportedly approached Larkin’s agent about expanding the trade list, with Dallas holding significant interest.
Sources: The Hockey News
Bergeron, Price, Rinne and Keith Tkachuk Headline 2026 Hockey Hall of Fame Class
The Hockey Hall of Fame announced its 2026 induction class on Wednesday. Patrice Bergeron, who scored 1,040 points in 19 seasons with the Boston Bruins, headlines as a first-year inductee. Carey Price, Montreal’s all-time wins leader with 361 victories in 712 games, and Pekka Rinne, the 2018 Vezina Trophy winner with Nashville, also earned Player category spots alongside forward Keith Tkachuk, whose 538 NHL goals rank among the game’s all-time power forward greats. Women’s pioneer Cindy Curley rounds out the Players category. Builder Brian Burke was also inducted. The ceremony is set for November 9 in Toronto.
Sources: NHL.com
2026 NHL Draft Opens Friday in Buffalo with Maple Leafs Holding No. 1 Pick for First Time Since 2016
The 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft opens Friday at KeyBank Center in Buffalo with the Toronto Maple Leafs holding the first overall pick for the first time since 2016, when the franchise selected Auston Matthews. Rounds 2 through 7 follow on Saturday. Multiple trades have already shifted the draft order dramatically, with Buffalo obtaining the No. 4 pick from Chicago and San Jose holding picks No. 2 and No. 9. The first round airs on ESPN, ESPN+, SN, and TVAS beginning at 7 p.m. ET. Pre-draft analysis suggested Swedish prospect Ivar Stenberg as a potential option for Toronto at the top.
Sources: NHL.com
Toronto Marlies’ Calder Cup Win Puts Spotlight on Maple Leafs’ Stacked Prospect Pipeline
Toronto Maple Leafs prospects who helped the Toronto Marlies win the 2026 AHL Calder Cup championship are generating buzz ahead of this week’s NHL Draft. Goaltender Artur Akhtyamov, who earned the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as playoff MVP with a 2.22 goals-against average and .923 save percentage in 22 postseason games, is viewed as a legitimate NHL netminder. Forward Easton Cowan, who posted seven goals and six assists in 17 playoff games, is positioned to compete for a Maple Leafs roster spot next season. The Marlies defeated the Chicago Wolves 4–1 in the championship series.
Sources: NHL.com
Free Agency Countdown: Bobrovsky, Ovechkin, and Top Stars Await July 1 Market Opening
NHL free agency opens July 1 with several prominent players expected to hit the open market. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, forward Alex Tuch, defenseman Rasmus Andersson, and forward Anthony Mantha headline the unrestricted free agent class according to ESPN’s free agency rankings. Alex Ovechkin, 41, could also become a free agent, though his status heading into the offseason remains uncertain. Defenseman John Carlson is also set to enter free agency after a lengthy career in Washington. Teams across the league are preparing their cap structures following an active pre-draft week that saw major roster turnover across multiple franchises.
Sources: ESPN
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs — Final Results
Eastern Conference
First Round
Carolina Hurricanes def. Ottawa Senators — 4–0
Philadelphia Flyers def. Pittsburgh Penguins
Buffalo Sabres def. Boston Bruins
Montreal Canadiens advance
Second Round
Carolina Hurricanes def. Philadelphia Flyers — 4–1
Montreal Canadiens def. Buffalo Sabres — 4–3 (Game 7 OT)
Conference Finals
Carolina Hurricanes def. Montreal Canadiens — 4–1
Western Conference
First Round
Vegas Golden Knights def. Utah Mammoth
Colorado Avalanche def. Los Angeles Kings
Minnesota Wild def. Dallas Stars
Anaheim Ducks advance
Second Round
Vegas Golden Knights def. Anaheim Ducks — 4–2
Colorado Avalanche def. Minnesota Wild — 4–1
Conference Finals
Vegas Golden Knights def. Colorado Avalanche — 4–0
Stanley Cup Final
Carolina Hurricanes def. Vegas Golden Knights — 4–2 (Jordan Staal, Conn Smythe Trophy)
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.