Buzz: How Blackhawks, Isles, Predators could shake up first round

Although the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers whitethorn never stop celebrating, the NHL offseason has begun.

The past respective days person included Jonathan Toews pledging to sign with the Winnipeg Jets erstwhile escaped bureau begins, arsenic good arsenic a flurry of re-signings, and a trade betwixt the Chicago Blackhawks and Seattle Kraken, with Andre Burakovsky headed to the Second City.

On Friday and Saturday of this week, the NHL draft volition instrumentality spot successful Los Angeles, including 7 rounds of imaginable selections and (most likely) a fistful of franchise-altering trades. Then connected Tuesday, July 1, escaped bureau officially begins.

To assistance marque consciousness of it all, our reporters reached retired to sources successful beforehand offices astir the league for their takes connected the draft, trades and the escaped cause class.

So up of this week's flurry of action, Kristen Shilton and Greg Wyshynski present the latest buzz astir the NHL:

Schaefer earned position done tragedy

Matthew Schaefer has been the projected archetypal wide prime successful this year's draught for months, projected to onshore with the New York Islanders, who clasp the archetypal prime connected Friday. But the Erie Otters defenseman isn't each that acrophobic astir wherever helium yet lands.

No pressure. No stress. It's each astir enjoying the travel -- a acquisition Schaefer has learned the hard way.

"I've been done a lot," helium said recently. And that's putting it mildly.

Schaefer mislaid his billet parent successful precocious 2023. Two months later, his ain parent died aft a agelong conflict with cancer. Then, during the 2025 World Junior Championship, Otters proprietor Jim Waters -- with whom Schaefer was adjacent -- besides passed away. During that aforesaid event, Schaefer broke his collarbone and missed the remainder of his play successful Erie.

That would beryllium a debilitating 12 months for anyone to endure, fto unsocial a 17-year-old connected the cusp of achieving his life-long imagination of playing successful the NHL. Schaefer has an infectiously upbeat cognition to it all, though. What others mightiness presumption arsenic adversity helium sees arsenic astir a superpower, and it's helped him header with the demands of being a highly touted prospect.

"There's a batch worse things that tin hap successful beingness [than not being picked No. 1]," helium said. "Going done injuries are ace easy. I consciousness similar erstwhile I was younger and I stubbed my toe, I astir apt would person thought the satellite was ending, but going done everything, there's truthful overmuch worse things that tin hap successful life. And honestly, you conscionable gotta instrumentality the opportunities. You gotta enactment arsenic hard arsenic you can. I deliberation conscionable being a bully idiosyncratic goes specified a agelong way."

Schaefer is quick-witted and personable, admirably earnest and wholly genuine. He's done foundation enactment with different kids experiencing grief-related challenges, and plans to bash much volunteering with the infirmary wherever his parent received treatment. It's not for show, either.

Schaefer readily admits helium enjoys gathering caller people, and proceeding their stories.

"I personally emotion helping people," helium said. "Respecting people, [treating them] however you'd similar to beryllium treated. Holding a doorway for someone, it goes specified a agelong way. I deliberation each and each time I conscionable privation to person a affirmative mindset. My mindset has changed a batch with everything. Seeing what my ma went through, having a grin connected her look with crab and everything trying to bring her down, but she wouldn't fto it bring her down. Wish I was arsenic pugnacious arsenic her."

Schaefer believes that ma volition beryllium watching erstwhile the draught takes place, and that possibly on the mode she's adjacent suited up again successful her ain signature relation that shaped him into the subordinate helium is today.

"My ma utilized to spell successful nett and enactment connected the equipment, and I'd sprout connected her," helium recalled. "When I'm shooting pucks successful the basement, she astir apt spiritually has the hockey instrumentality on, trying to prevention them, and I'm missing the nett due to the fact that she's astir apt blocker redeeming that. There's a batch of things I've learned. I'm decidedly a batch stronger now." -- Shilton

Could the Islanders draught Hagens too?

James Hagens knows however severely immoderate Islanders fans privation to spot the Hauppauge-born, Long Island autochthonal drafted by their team. After all, the 18-year-old Boston College halfway is 1 of their own: A kid successful the stands cheering connected the Islanders during playoff games astatine Nassau Coliseum who conscionable happened to 1 time go a apical NHL draught prospect.

"I inactive person the [rally] towel to this day," helium told maine during the Stanley Cup Final. "I conscionable retrieve being a small kid, screaming my lungs off. It was a tiny building, but it got loud."

Hagens said he's had radical locomotion up to him connected the play people backmost location expressing anticipation that he'll beryllium an Islanders draught choice. Driving backmost from a workout 1 day, helium saw a car with a "Bring Hagens Home" bumper sticker connected the back.

"I conscionable tried to duck my caput and thrust by. Didn't truly effort to marque oculus interaction oregon anything," Hagens recalled.

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James Hagens' NHL draught profile

Take a look astatine immoderate of the champion plays for Boston College halfway James Hagens.

He couldn't assistance but get his hopes up erstwhile helium watched the Islanders triumph the archetypal wide pick successful the lottery. There was a clip erstwhile Hagens looked similar he'd spell archetypal wide successful the 2025 draft. The venerable Bob McKenzie of TSN had him ranked archetypal earlier the season, with 9 of the 10 NHL scouts helium surveyed successful agreement.

There were a assortment of factors for wherefore Hagens slipped a spot this play -- a large but not elite freshman play astatine BC, continuing concerns astir this 5-11-ish framework -- but main among them was the emergence of Schaefer arsenic the Islanders' presumptive No. 1 wide pick.

Yet present was buzz during the Stanley Cup Final that the Islanders mightiness question to marque a draft-day splash by taking Schaefer archetypal wide -- and past trading backmost into the apical 4 again to prime Hagens. It's assumed the San Jose Sharks are drafting guardant Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit) and Hagens hasn't been linked overmuch with the Chicago Blackhawks astatine No. 3. Utah has the 4th wide pick, portion Nashville is drafting fifth.

What could beryllium successful play from the Islanders? Speculation surrounds 25-year-old defenseman Alexander Romanov, a restricted escaped cause owed a sizable raise, arsenic good arsenic the Colorado Avalanche's first-round prime successful 2026 that the Avs tin defer to 2027. But that's conscionable a starting constituent for acquiring a top-five prime and, astir importantly, a hometown violative star.

Isles GM Mathieu Darche has talked astir his charges becoming an "attacking" team. Co-owner John Collins has discussed the necessity for the franchise to marque "deeper connections" with the Long Island hockey community. Hagens would look to code some needs, either astatine No. 1 -- oregon if the Islanders tin deed a two-fer successful the draft. -- Wyshynski

Clock is ticking connected Tavares successful Toronto

Unless Mitch Marner and the Toronto Maple Leafs acquisition earnestly palmy couples counselling successful the adjacent week, it's improbable the winger volition beryllium backmost successful bluish and achromatic this fall. That ending has been projected for months, and frankly reflects immoderate mediocre plus absorption by the Leafs that they're astir to suffer this year's apical UFA for nothing.

Is determination a anticipation of a sign-and-trade, oregon different suitor funny successful acquiring Marner's rights similar Toronto GM Brad Treliving did successful acquiring Chris Tanev's rights astatine past year's draft? Sure. But again ... don't clasp your breath.

Where the Leafs' absorption tin and should beryllium astatine this signifier is connected John Tavares. The latest connection is that the 2 sides aren't adjacent connected an extension, and Toronto can't bushed astir the bush excessively agelong here. Because determination are not galore different viable unrestricted escaped cause centers available.

Sam Bennett appears determined to enactment successful Florida. Matt Duchene and Jonathan Toews person signed elsewhere. Beyond Tavares, the Leafs are looking astatine Mikael Granlund, Pius Suter oregon possibly Claude Giroux.

There mightiness not beryllium overmuch Toronto tin recuperate from the Marner situation. Tavares is the opposite; helium wants to beryllium a Leaf and is consenting to negotiate.

Dallas conscionable inked Duchene to a four-year, $18 cardinal extension. Yes, there's immoderate originative accounting successful determination betwixt the basal wage and signing bonuses coupled with Duchene's continued buyout bundle from Nashville. However, a $4.5 cardinal mean yearly worth declaration for Tavares isn't looking truthful atrocious erstwhile you see the Leafs tin not suffer a second-line halfway that conscionable had 1 of his champion seasons ever astatine property 34 and won't person overmuch prime connected a replacement if Tavares does consciousness undersold and judge different team's connection (of which determination could beryllium many).

This is simply a captious juncture for Treliving to grip conscionable right, and considering each the factors astatine work, there's nary clip similar the contiguous for Toronto to enactment its champion ft guardant and get Tavares backmost nether contract. -- Shilton

Can Panthers bring backmost the large three, including Marchand?

Having covered the Panthers for aggregate rounds successful the playoffs, I had hours of conversations astir their 3 cardinal unrestricted escaped agents: Center Sam Bennett, defenseman Aaron Ekblad and winger/Dairy Queen enthusiast Brad Marchand.

There was a communal cognition astir them earlier the Panthers hoisted the Cup for a 2nd time, but those person shifted:

1. Bennett, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy arsenic playoffs MVP, was a fastener to re-sign. While scores of teams mightiness person doubled his basal wage ($5 million), Bennett and the Panthers person been assured thing would get done. Then, astatine the Panthers' triumph solemnisation astatine E11EVEN successful Miami, helium quoted "The Wolf of Wall Street" portion informing fans helium was not leaving portion a connection that work "8 much years" was displayed down him.

2. Ekblad, who was drafted archetypal wide by the Panthers successful 2014, was iffy to re-sign. He would beryllium coveted arsenic a mobile right-shot defenseman with 2 Stanley Cups to his credit. The Panthers reportedly made an connection to Ekblad was reportedly rejected past summer, and Florida past explored the commercialized marketplace for him.

But the winds person shifted here. Speculation successful Sunrise was that the Panthers and Ekblad, 29, could swap a precocious headdress fig for term, which tin beryllium risky with a subordinate that has Ekblad's wounded history. Florida truly likes its existent antiaircraft extent -- Ekblad with Gustav Forsling, and past Seth Jones connected a 2nd pairing, wherever the Panthers judge he's perfectly cast. Ekblad present expects to stay, but arsenic helium cautioned recently: "Things look to travel down to the past infinitesimal here."

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Kevin Weekes calls Panthers' show a 'master class'

Steve Levy and Kevin Weekes interruption down however the Panthers pulled disconnected back-to-back Stanley Cup titles against the Oilers.

3. Marchand took little wealth successful Boston connected his past woody for a subordinate of his accomplishments -- helium made lone $8 cardinal successful basal wage doubly successful 16 seasons with the Bruins. So the cognition was that helium would motion with whichever squad offered the highest wage with the word helium was seeking, rumored to beryllium 4 years. The Maple Leafs were the absorption here, successful the eventual "if you can't beat'em, person him join'em" infinitesimal successful NHL history. But suitors ranging from the Washington Capitals to the Utah Mammoth were rumored to beryllium waiting connected him.

However, the acceptable and occurrence helium recovered successful Florida appears to person shifted things here, too. Marchand publically asked GM Bill Zito to springiness him a declaration -- astatine a Dairy Queen, nary little -- and Zito has said aggregate times helium expects to beryllium capable to motion Bennett, Ekblad and Marchand astatine a headdress deed that allows the Panthers "to bring successful different bully players."

For what it's worth, Marchand was caught connected video astatine the famed Elbo Room successful Fort Lauderdale telling a instrumentality that he's not leaving and past flashing 4 fingers. But it's Marchand. He says a lot. -- Wyshynski

Do the Blackhawks person a large astonishment successful store for Round 1?

Chicago is acceptable to prime astatine No. 3. After Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa are each but guaranteed to spell 1-2, the Blackhawks volition beryllium the archetypal fascinating enactment of the night.

Do they spell center, oregon wing?

When the scouting harvester successful Buffalo was wrapping up, it sounded similar Chicago was zeroed successful connected either Moncton Wildcats halfway Caleb Desnoyers oregon Brampton Steelheads winger Porter Martone.

Martone's banal has risen adjacent further since the commencement of June, and portion it whitethorn person been the Blackhawks' inclination to spell center, could they walk connected Martone astatine this point? He's 6-3 and 207 pounds, brings a carnal edge, originative playmaking, a large changeable and terrific hands. Martone collected 37 goals and 98 points successful 57 games past play arsenic the Steelheads' captain, and scouts rave astir his wide quality and imaginable to excel successful the NHL.

Chicago already has 1 exemplary young halfway successful Connor Bedard. While it's tempting to adhd different imaginable standout astatine the position, the gully of what Martone could bring mightiness conscionable beryllium excessively overmuch connected which to pass. -- Shilton

Oilers GM baffled by goalie decision

There's nary question that the Edmonton Oilers' goaltending was a detriment during their Stanley Cup Final nonaccomplishment to the Florida Panthers.

Stuart Skinner (.861 prevention percentage, 3.97 goals-against average) was pulled doubly and yet benched for Calvin Pickard (.878, 2.88) successful their Game 5 loss, earlier returning to springiness up 3 goals connected 23 shots connected their Game 6 elimination. Both goalies were below-replacement level successful goals saved supra expected implicit their past 5 playoff games. Meanwhile, Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky chugged on astatine 3.1 goals saved supra expected successful his past 5 games, and did what helium needed to bash (.919, 2.45) successful the Final.

This confuses Oilers GM Stan Bowman astir his goaltending, due to the fact that helium argues that Edmonton had the stronger goaltending successful their 3 erstwhile bid successful the Western Conference. "Darcy Kuemper, Adin Hill and Jake Oettinger, our goalies were amended than them successful each of those series," helium said. "I deliberation that's the crushed we went to the [Stanley Cup] Final. And past successful the Final it flipped."

The presumption has been that goaltending would beryllium a precedence for the Oilers this offseason, particularly uncovering an elite-level netminder that would theoretically forestall embarrassments similar having to determine which struggling goalie volition commencement Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. But Bowman said he's inactive mulling implicit immoderate goalie changes for adjacent season, with some Skinner ($2.6 cardinal AAV) and Pickard ($1 million) signed done adjacent play earlier becoming unrestricted escaped agents.

Bowman said changes for adjacent play "may impact the goaltending oregon it could not," and that there's a batch of investigation that has to beryllium done successful the aftermath of their 2nd nonaccomplishment to Florida successful 2 seasons earlier making that decision.

It's hard to fathom that the Oilers would tally it backmost with the aforesaid artillery adjacent season, but the options to upgrade are limited. They've been linked to John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks, who has a 10-team no-trade database and 2 years near connected his declaration astatine a $6.4 cardinal AAV. New Jersey Devils seasoned Jake Allen is the champion enactment successful a bladed UFA marketplace that besides includes Alexandar Georgiev (San Jose), Alex Lyon (Detroit) and Anton Forsberg (Ottawa).

Bowman said that's portion of the determination for the Oilers: Who, exactly, would beryllium an upgrade implicit Skinner and Pickard successful the playoffs?

"It's not similar you conscionable spell down to the country and prime up an elite goalie," helium said. "They're not conscionable waiting for you to articulation your team. So however galore are determination anyways successful that group?"

"If you look astatine the [elite] guys, immoderate of them person had immoderate pugnacious playoffs. So there's nary warrant successful the goaltending world. It's the astir important [position], but it's besides successful immoderate instances not wherefore teams win," the GM said. "So if you person a beardown capable team, past there's been teams that triumph the Cup without elite goaltending and there's been teams that won due to the fact that of their goalie." -- Wyshynski

Is Nashville truly unfastened to anything?

Rumblings astir the Nashville Predators proceed to grow. The Predators are picking astatine No. 5, but are not successful the emblematic presumption a squad would beryllium successful with that selection.

Nashville wants to vie now. And they person a portion of superior to wield successful trying to onshore an NHL subordinate present from a squad that mightiness beryllium person to that re-tooling signifier and eyeing a apical imaginable for their pool.

If determination were to beryllium a blockbuster happening successful the archetypal round, it feels similar Nashville would beryllium involved.

Specifically, the Preds could usage a viable defenseman to enactment up the bluish enactment alongside Roman Josi. And we cognize from caller offseasons that GM Barry Trotz is consenting and capable to spell all-in arsenic indispensable and get creative.

If Trotz believes successful Nashville's accidental to rebound from a unsmooth 2024-25 with a winning twelvemonth up past helium seems apt to see a just woody for an NHL-level skater. -- Shilton