NHL Hockey Player News

Williams is an undrafted 24-year-old forward that made his professional debut last season, including playing one game with the Columbus Blue Jackets. That said, he spent most of the season in the AHL, where he scored 38 points (15G / 23A) in 72 games with the Cleveland Monsters.

After 14 seasons in Montreal, Brandan Gallagher has had his wish fulfilled and has been moved to Vancouver (50% salary retention) from Montreal for future considerations on Monday. The 34-year-old scrappy forward was a healthy scratch for the majority of the 2025-26 Stanley Cup Playoffs and will look for a new start in Vancouver after just seven goals, 23 points and 39 PIMs in 77 games last season.

The Sharks acquired Michael Kesselring and the 27th overall pick in 2026 for the 20th overall pick in 2026 from the Buffalo Sabres earlier this offseason. Kesselring has quickly been awarded a three-year contract extension worth $13.5 million ($4.5 million AAV). The 26-year-old Kesselring joined Buffalo last offseason but battled injuries, playing just 34 games with the Sabres, scoring two points (0G / 2A) while averaging 13:24 time-on-ice.

In his two seasons with Buffalo, Malenstyn has impressed in a bottom-six role, earning himself a six-year contract extension worth $17.5 million ($2.917 AAV). The 27-year-old forward averaged 11:15 time-on-ice, recording 282 hits and 14 points (7G / 7A) in 81 games last season.

A myriad of injuries in the Vegas crease last season afforded Lindbom his NHL debut, during which he appeared in eight games (2-4-2) and posted a 3.00 GAA and .873 SV%. The 23-year-old Swedish goalie, a seventh-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, will likely remain a depth player for the organization in 2026-27 and continue in the AHL with the Henderson Silver Knights, where he posted an impressive 2.16 GAA and .926 SV% in 35 games last season (24-5-5).

Hoglander had an impressive 2023-24 season in a bottom-six role with the Vancouver Canucks, scoring 36 points (24G / 12A) in 80 games, but has struggled to build off of that momentum and hopes a change of scenery can help him rediscover his scoring touch. The 25-year-old forward, the 40th-overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, battled injuries last season, playing only 38 games and scoring just 5 points (2G / 3A).

Makar made his NHL debut in the 2025-26 season during a brief 12-game stint with the Avalanche. The 25-year-old forward, a seventh-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, scored 24 points (14G / 10A) in 52 games with the Colorado Eagles (AHL) last season and hopes to get a more prominent look in the NHL in 2026-27.

Nashville acquired Jack Drury along with Chase Bradley and a 2029 3rd round pick from Colorado for Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L'Heureux last week. They quickly rewarded Drury with a five-year contract extension worth $22.5 million ($4.5 million AAV). Drury has established himself as one of the NHL's most effective bottom-six forwards in recent seasons and hopes to further establish that reputation with his new team in Nashville. The 25-year-old forward averaged a career-high 14:29 time-on-ice and scored 27 points (10G / 17A) last season in 82 games with the Colorado Avalanche.

Healey had just finished his fourth and senior season at Harvard (NCAA) but was trade from Minnesota to the Islanders on Saturday for cash considerations. The 22-year-old defensemen was Minnesota's 2022 4th round pick (121st overall) and had four goals, 12 points and 28 PIMs in 34 games with Harvard last season.

Carolina will make an early attempt to get a first bid at coveted free agent defensemen John Carlson after it was announced mid draft Saturday that the Hurricanes had acquired the rights to Carlson from Anaheim for Kyle Masters and the 192nd pick in the 2026 draft. At the moment, the 36-year-old had not committed to the Hurricanes but would make a massive addition if he were to sign with the Stanley Cup Champions. He is entering his 18th NHL season after putting up 14 goals and 60 points in 71 games last season.

After appearing in 10 games for Wichita (ECHL) in 2025-26, Klye Masters finds himself on his way to Anaheim after being included with the 2026 sixth round pick (192nd overall) from Carolina for the rights to John Carlson. The 23-year-old found himself on the injured reserve for the end of his 2025-26 campaign due to a severe knee injury and will hope to turn a knew page in Anaheim for the upcoming season.

After two up-and-down seasons in Colorado, Ivan Ivan has been acquired by Boston for Fabian Lysell. The 23-year-old undrafted Czech forward found himself on the outside looking in after only appearing in nine games for the Avalanche in 2025-26, picking up a point, two PIMs and four SOG. He is expected to compete for a spot in Boston's bottom-six for the start of the 2026-27 season.

Lysell's time in Boston's ends after just 12 appearances after the forward was traded to Colorado for Ivan Ivan on Saturday. Lysell was Boston's 2021 1st round pick (21st overall) but never panned out as planned last appearing in the NHL in 2024-25. He spent all of last season with Providence (AHL), where he put up 17 goals and 42 points in 57 games played.

Ostapchuk is coming off a career season in 2025-26 which saw him record highs in nearly all statistical categories (GP, G, Pts, PIMs, SOG), earning him a four-year, $2.35 million AAV contract extension ($9.4M total). The 23-year-old is entering his fourth full NHL season and third with the Sharks after being acquired from Ottawa in 2025 in the Fabian Zetterlund deal. He finished 2025-26 with four goals, seven points, 45 PIMs and 44 SOG in 59 games played.

With New York collecting draft picks, they also acquired Massimo Rizzo alongside the no.148 pick in the 2026 draft from Nashville for Adam Edstrom on Saturday. Rizzo is 25 and has spent the last two seasons jumping around the AHL after graduating from the University of Denver (NCAA) in 2023-24. In 14 games combined between Providence (AHL) and Milwaukee (AHL) last season he had two goals, five points and four PIMs.

Edstrom will join his second team in his fourth NHL season after it was announced mid draft on Saturday that Nashville had acquired the towering forward from New York for Massimo Rizzo and the no.148 pick in the 2026 draft. Edstrom will likely be grateful for a new start in Nashville after struggling to stay healthy in 2025-26, resulting in just three goals and five points in 35 games played.

Carlo's short tenure in Toronto is over after a season and a half after the team announced Saturday that St. Louis had acquired the 29-year-old defensemen for the 73rd overall pick in 2026 and the 76th overall pick. Carlo not only failed to score in 2025-26, but only appeared in 55 games due to injury, ending the season with seven points, 37 PIMs and a +4 plus/minus.

Jarvis underwent shoulder surgery after the Hurricanes' Stanley Cup win and will need at least four months of recovery. That puts him out until at least late-October to late-December. GM Eric Tulsky said "there's a very real chance that we end up with sort of an open spot in our lineup for a month or two for a young player to step in and get an opportunity to show what he can do." So expect Jarvis to be sidelined when the Hurricanes open their season in the fall.